The Storm Came Before You

“Ms. Summers, Mr. Quinn has already approved your resignation. He didn’t realize you were the one leaving. Should I let him know?” Hearing the news over the phone, Yara Summers lowered her gaze. “No. It’s fine. Just leave it as it is.” “You’ve been his secretary for four years. He values you the most and depends on you more than anyone. Are you sure you don’t want to reconsider?” HR kept trying to persuade her, but Yara just smiled. Chapter 1 “Nobody in this world can remain dependent on one party forever. My parents aren’t well, and I need to go back to my hometown for a blind date and get married. Since Mr. Quinn has approved it, I’ll carry through with the proper handover process. I’ll be leaving in a month. Thank you.” After hanging up, Yara Summers went back to packing her things. She had lived in this villa for three years. She did not have many belongings, but they had piled up over time. She kept only the essentials and got rid of the rest. As the room slowly emptied, she froze for a moment. A flood of memories came back to her. Eight years ago, Yara, a girl from a modest family in a small town, got into Highton University. There, she became best friends with Yelena Quinn, the heiress of a wealthy family in Jadewood. Despite coming from very different worlds, the two girls clicked instantly. They went to class together, ate together, shopped together, and spent every day together. Gradually, Yara was drawn into Yelena’s world. She met her family and fell in love with her brother, Marcus Quinn. But she kept her feelings to herself and never told anyone. After graduation, Yelena went abroad to study. Yara remained in Jadewood and applied for jobs. She became Marcus’ secretary just so she could see him often. One day, something unexpected happened. Marcus was drugged. Yara was about to call the hospital when he lost control and pushed her against the wall. He kissed her fiercely. After a night together, she woke up and saw him sitting by the window. His strong features were shrouded in a cloud of smoke. He seemed calm and lonely. When he heard her move, he turned and asked one question. “Do you like me?” Yara instinctively wanted to deny it, but he spoke calmly. “You blush every time you see me. You remember all my rules and preferences. The moment you graduated, you came to work as my secretary. “Don’t tell me it was all a coincidence.” Every word made her face flush. It was impossible to tell if the feeling came from embarrassment or guilt. As the silence hung in the air, he suddenly handed her a card. “Last night was an accident. I have someone I like. I won’t return your feelings, and I can’t be responsible for you. Yelena told me you came from a middle-class family. The money on this card is enough to support you for the rest of your life. Forget all of this.” Yara froze. Last night, she remembered him calling a name over and over in bed. Quiana. Quiana Xanthe. According to Yelena, Quiana was Marcus’ first love. He could never forget her. He loved her so much that even after she broke up with him and moved abroad, with one rumored boyfriend after another, he still waited for her to come back. Yara remembered Yelena once complaining about something. “Everyone in the Quinn family is cold and detached. How did my brother become such a lovestruck fool? He has waited for her for years. He says anyone else would be settling for less, and he refuses to do that.” Yara felt those words deeply. The memory suddenly gave her the courage to call out to Marcus before he walked out. “I don’t want the money. I only want a chance. Mr. Quinn, please give me a try. If she never comes back, please be with me. Or… if she returns and you still can’t let her go, I’ll leave.” Marcus paused for a few seconds at the sight of the love in her eyes. He said, “Do as you wish,” and walked away. From that day on, she was his secretary by day and his lover at night. They left traces of their reckless nights everywhere: the office, his car, the villa’s floor-to-ceiling windows. Four years passed. No one knew about their relationship, and she accepted it without complaint. A few days ago, on his birthday, Yara prepared many surprises. She wanted to celebrate with him. But by midnight, he still had not shown up. Instead, she saw a post on his social media. [The best birthday gift is getting back what was lost.] Marcus, who never posted anything online, shared a photo of himself kissing Quiana under a sky of fireworks. Seeing the photo, Yara’s face went pale, and her chest tightened. She clung to one last shred of hope and called him. Quiana answered the phone. She said hello several times, but Yara did not respond. Quiana called out to Marcus. “Marcus, who’s this Yara? She called you and isn’t saying a word.” A moment later, Marcus’ low, indifferent voice came through the speaker. “She’s no one important. Don’t worry about her. Be good and go back to sleep.” At that moment, Yara knew it was time for her to leave. She packed her things and was about to leave when she ran into Marcus at the doorway. Since they had been sleeping together, Yara stayed at his villa every night to make things easier. But she could no longer stay. He saw her holding her things. His gaze lingered for a moment, but he did not stop her. “Have you found a place?” “Yes. The same apartment as before. I told the landlord I would rent it for a month.” Marcus frowned at her words. “A month? Why only a month?” Yara was about to explain it, but Marcus did not seem interested. He said in a low tone, “I’ll drive you.” She wanted to refuse, but he insisted. “The snow is coming down hard, and it’s late. If something happens to you, Yelena will be upset.” Yara had no choice but to get in the car. They had done countless reckless things in this car before, but she could hardly recognize it anymore. The seats had been replaced with cute covers. Plush toys were everywhere, and snacks filled every corner. She could hardly imagine that someone as decisive and restrained as he would decorate a car like this. Marcus saw her looking at him and explained, “Quiana likes these things.” Yara understood what he meant. After a long silence, she said softly, “You finally got her back. Mr. Quinn, I’m happy for you.” Marcus had not expected her to say that. His eyes darkened slightly, and he said nothing. Halfway through the drive, Quiana called and said she wanted to build a snowman with him. He pulled the car over. He wanted to head there right away, but he glanced at Yara and hesitated. Yara understood what he was hesitating over and opened the door herself. “Mr. Quinn, I’ll take a cab back.” Marcus hummed in acknowledgment and got out to help carry her things. Her hand slipped, and a suitcase fell to the ground. He bent down, and when the streetlight revealed the scattered items, he froze. There were love letters addressed to him that she had never sent, photos she had secretly taken of him, and little things he had tossed that she had kept. Her heart pounded as she frantically picked everything up. “Sorry.” Marcus said nothing. He got back in the car alone and sped off. Yara waited alone in the snow for a long time, but no cab came. She tried to carry her suitcase home, but a motorbike hit her. A deep gash about 10 inches long ran down her lower leg, and blood flowed onto the ground. She watched the motorbike speed off. Pain shot through her, and she stayed on the snow for a long while, unable to recover. When the pain finally eased, she limped through the snow for four hours to reach her rented apartment. After tending to her wound, she checked her phone and saw a message from Marcus sent after he left. [Don’t throw yourself completely at someone again. There are plenty of men out there. Don’t pin all your hopes on me.] Yara stared at the message for a long time. At dawn, she went downstairs and set the entire suitcase on fire. The burning love she had carried for eight years also turned to ashes. Yara only had one thought. ‘Marcus, I’ll do as you wish.’ Chapter 2 After the weekend, Yara went to the office on Monday as usual. She took care of her work and went to inform Marcus that a meeting was about to start. When she reached his office, she saw Quiana through the slightly open door. Quiana was sitting in Marcus’s lap and feeding him a cookie she had eaten half of. The normally germophobic man smiled as he took a bite. He kissed her fingers gently and said in a soft voice, “You said yesterday you wanted to try this place’s desserts. I waited in line for three hours this morning to get them. How is it?” “They taste great, just like before. They’re just as sweet, but not too rich. You used to run all over town to get these for me. Now that you’re the CEO of the company, why do you still do it yourself? You could have a secretary handle it.” Marcus rubbed her ankle lightly. His eyes were full of affection. “When it comes to you, I want to do everything myself. I don’t want anyone else involved.” Quiana smiled happily. She hugged him and kissed him. He held her in return and deepened the kiss. He was completely absorbed. Yara felt her breath catch. A sharp ache spread through her chest. She clenched her hands tightly. Her knuckles turned white, and her palms burned. Time passed slowly. The meeting was about to start. Yara calmed herself and knocked on the door. “Mr. Quinn, the meeting is about to start.” Marcus paused when he heard her voice. He was about to stand up, but Quiana pulled him back. “I don’t want you to leave. Stay with me a little longer.” Seeing her act so sweetly, Marcus’s heart melted. “Postpone the meeting for two hours.” This meeting involved a project with several of Jadewood’s largest corporations. It was crucial for the company’s future. Yara knew how important it was, so she reminded him. “The CEOs from Lane Corp, Gaber Corp, and Smith Corp are already waiting in the conference room.” “Oh, Marcus, your secretary is so annoying. She really has no sense!” Hearing Quiana complain, Marcus’s face turned cold. “I said postpone it for two hours! Nothing is more important than Quiana!” Yara felt a heavy weight in her chest, and she struggled to breathe. In the end, she closed the door and turned away. Everyone in their circle knew Marcus was a workaholic. No matter how busy his personal life was, even after surgery, he always finished his work. It was the first time he had risked offending business partners just to indulge a little coaxing and postpone such an important meeting. Did he really like Quiana that much? Yara lowered her sad eyes and forced herself to calm down. She walked into the conference room to apologize to the board. The Quinn family was powerful. The CEOs had complaints but dared not confront Marcus. They took out their anger on her instead. She did not argue. She kept her head down and endured the scolding. Two hours later, Marcus finally arrived. Yara dragged her sore, numb legs out of the conference room. Quiana stopped her. “So, you’re Yara Summers? Marcus says you make great coffee. Everyone in the office looks tired. Go make a cup for each of them. Mine with ice, no sugar.” Yara knew Quiana was only giving orders because Marcus indulged her. She did not dare turn down her request. She went to the break room. It took her two hours to make over four hundred cups of coffee. She carried them out one by one. Quiana barely took a sip before her expression changed. She lifted her cup and smashed it at Yara. The hard mug hit Yara’s forehead and cut a deep gash. She groaned softly, and her face scrunched up in pain. She held her wound and fell to the floor. Quiana was not finished. She grabbed more cups and threw them at Yara over and over. Yara’s body was covered in bruises. Broken ceramic cut her in many places. Brown coffee soaked her completely and mixed with her blood as it dripped onto the floor. It hurt her, but she could only curl up to protect her head and chest. The office was silent. No one dared step forward. Everyone stayed far away and watched Quiana throw her tantrum. The noise soon drew Marcus out. He saw the messy scene and Yara lying on the floor, battered and bleeding. His brow tightened. “What happened?” Seeing him, Quiana immediately put on a pitiful expression. “Marcus, I asked your secretary to make me a coffee. I was not feeling well, and she put ice in it. My stomach hurts so much.” Marcus’s face darkened as he looked at her teary eyes. “You’ve worked with me for four years and can’t even do this right? Or are you deliberately making things difficult for Quiana because you don’t like her?” Yara lifted her pale, battered face. She wanted to explain herself, but he did not give her a chance. He called his assistant. “Yara has broken company rules. Deduct this month’s salary and quarterly bonus. Announce it to the entire company. She will be reviewed at next week’s meeting.” After saying that, Marcus took off his coat, picked up Quiana, and left. Chapter 3 Yara watched him walk away until he disappeared from sight. The tears she had held back for so long finally fell. She forced herself to stand. She ignored the pain, went to get a broom and a mop, and started cleaning the broken cups and spilled coffee on the floor. A few kind coworkers came over to help. Their eyes were full of sympathy when they looked at her. “I clearly heard her say iced, no sugar. How can she turn it around like that? Yara, did you do something to upset her?” “Does she even need a reason? I’ve heard so many people say she’s arrogant and bossy. The moment she’s in a bad mood, she takes it out on someone. Lots of people in our circle can’t stand her. But Mr. Quinn spoils her, so no one dares to offend her.” “Sigh. I’ve never seen Mr. Quinn care about anyone this much. Yara, you should be more careful from now on. We’re just ordinary people. We can’t compare to someone like her. She’s a rich heiress, and she has Mr. Quinn’s backing. Even if we’re being treated unfairly, we’re the ones who have to swallow it.” Yara knew they meant well. But their words stirred up too many emotions inside her. She could not say a single word. In the past, there had been an issue with a contract she handled. It was clearly the client’s mistake, but they shifted the blame onto her. When they accused her and put her under pressure, Marcus firmly took her side. He argued with them and cleared her name. Quiana had dropped a casual lie, and he did not check the facts. He did not give Yara a chance to explain. He placed all the blame on her. Yara had always worked hard and handled countless problems for him. In the end, did he have so little trust in her? Or did right and wrong simply not matter to him? Did he only care about keeping Quiana happy? The thought made her chest tighten with pain. The bitterness was hard to bear. It took her a long time to finish cleaning up. After that, she dragged her exhausted body home. She had just finished washing up when Marcus called again. “Bring everything for Quiana's period.” She prepared everything as quickly as possible and took it to his villa. She had only been away for two or three days, but the simple and elegant villa had completely changed. The peach tree that Marcus’ father had planted years ago was gone. In its place stood a garden of tulips. The black-and-white furniture had been replaced with pink and pale yellow, colors Marcus used to dislike. The display cabinets were filled with jewelry, designer bags, and expensive gifts. It was obviously Quiana’s doing. Yara looked around in silence. She walked to the bedroom, where the light was still on, and knocked on the door. Marcus opened the door after a moment. He took the items from her hands and then looked at her. After she washed off the coffee, the wound on her face looked even more alarming. He froze for a second. “Was it that serious? Did you go to the hospital?” Yara did not speak. She shook her head. He rubbed his temples. His tone softened. “Quiana wasn’t feeling well. She didn’t mean to take it out on you. Don’t take it to heart. I’ll balance out the salary deduction with your year-end bonus. Go to the hospital later. If it’s serious, take a few days off. I’ll approve it. You don’t need to go through the usual process.” “There’s no need. At the end of this month, I’ll…” Yara wanted to tell him she was about to resign, but he did not let her finish. He handed her a card and interrupted her. “Be sensible. I still need you to help me organize a welcome banquet for Quiana. Get some rest and recover.” The words remained in her throat. She hummed in agreement, took the card, and left the villa. The door had barely shut when she heard Quiana’s sweet, clingy voice from inside. “Marcus, is the herbal tea ready yet? I want you to rub my stomach.” “I’m coming. Just lie still and don’t move.” His voice was so gentle and soft, it felt like a stream. Yara gave a silent laugh. There was a hint of self-mockery in her eyes. She suffered from bad cramps, too. She had fainted at work more than once and had been taken to the hospital by coworkers. Marcus had been aware. He had approved her leave, but he never visited her. He never made her herbal tea or brought her anything. Back then, she thought he had been too busy. But after what happened with Quiana, she understood. It was never a matter of his being busy. He simply did not care about her. After leaving the villa, Yara went to the hospital to have her wound treated and bandaged. She rested at home for a few days. The assistant sent her the banquet proposal. Every detail was strict. The choice of flowers, the types of desserts, and even the servers’ uniforms all had specific requirements. She only had three days. She pulled herself together and got to work. After days of nonstop effort, the banquet she organized began right at 7 p.m. Quiana stepped into the hall in a custom gown as everyone watched. The guests quickly surrounded her and praised her endlessly. She looked thrilled. “After all these years, Ms. Xanthe is still as graceful and stunning as ever. Even your welcoming party is so grand. Mr. Quinn’s devotion to you clearly has not changed.” “I remember back in school when someone confessed to Quiana. Mr. Quinn found out and forced him to transfer. He tore up every love letter she received. When people gossiped about her, he went to confront them and beat them badly enough to send them to the hospital.” “Everyone knows Quiana is Mr. Quinn’s first love and the apple of his eye. Look at the jewelry she’s wearing tonight. It must be worth tens of millions. That gown is custom-made and one of a kind. Mr. Quinn has never spared any expense when it comes to making her happy.” Chapter 4 Yara stood a short distance away and listened quietly. She did not say a word. Quiana proudly sauntered over and looked at her with obvious disdain. “You did a good job with the banquet. But there’s a small problem. There was no carpet in the hall. My dress got dirty. To make up for it, I want you to hold it for me.” Yara kept her head down and said calmly, “Please wait. There’s a carpet backstage. I’ll have someone lay it out right away.” Quiana’s face turned dark. She could not believe Yara had refused her. Just then, Marcus walked over. He saw Quiana looking upset and rushed over. “What’s wrong?” “Marcus, I don’t want my dress to get dirty. I asked your secretary to hold it for me, but she wouldn’t. Is she still upset about what happened last time?” Seeing Quiana feeling upset, Marcus quickly pulled her into his arms. He glared at Yara. “It’s just a matter of holding some garment up. That’s your job. You’ve been a secretary for a long time. You can’t handle such a small task?” The guests nearby whispered and laughed. “A secretary dares to give Ms. Xanthe attitude? Does she even know her place?” “Different people have different luck. The rich heiress is born to be pampered. Letting you hold her dress is already generous. Be grateful.” Yara’s eyes fell as she heard their mockery. She pushed down her feelings, bent down, and picked up the dress. Quiana dragged Marcus around the house, upstairs and downstairs, just to make Yara suffer. The hem of the dress was covered in pearls. Yara’s arms ached from holding it. She clenched her teeth and kept going. Quiana was not satisfied. She had more wine poured and waved at Yara. “I don’t want to drink tonight, but my friends came to the banquet. I can’t refuse. Drink all this for me.” “I’m allergic to alcohol.” “Marcus, look at her!” Yara tried to explain herself, but Quiana started whining and acting cute. Marcus was aware of Yara’s allergies. Still, he wanted to make Quiana happy, so he agreed. “Don’t you carry allergy medicine? Take it first, then drink. You should be fine.” There was no room for her to refuse. Yara felt her heart sink. Her face turned pale. She stayed silent, took out her medicine, and swallowed a few pills. Soon, people came over with glasses of wine, talking and laughing. Yara raised a glass and forced it down her throat. One glass after another, her stomach churned. She felt like she was going to be sick. Her head felt heavy. Her vision blurred. The hall spun around her. She heard Quiana scream. “Marcus, the necklace you gave me is gone! The only person who came near me was your secretary. She must have stolen it!” Hearing the false accusation, Yara regained her clarity for a moment. “Mr. Quinn, it wasn’t me.” Marcus looked at Quiana’s teary eyes and then at Yara, who was drunk and unsteady. His face grew serious. “There were a lot of people around. Maybe you dropped it somewhere. Let’s look for it first.” Quiana would not let it go. She shook his hand away. “If it wasn’t her, then who else? I only care so much because it was a gift from you. Yet you’re protecting her. If you won’t search her, then don’t come near me again!” With that, she turned to storm off. Marcus quickly held her and called the bodyguards over. The next moment, a few bodyguards forced Yara to the floor and tore at her clothes. Her mind went blank. She struggled, but she was completely overpowered. Her shirt was ripped into strips. Her dress was ruined. Her skin was bruised and scratched, and some areas were bleeding. A wave of humiliation hit her. She could not help crying and screaming for help. “It’s not me! I didn’t do it!” Her cries only brought more violence. The bodyguards reached for her undergarments. Marcus could not bear to watch. He tried to stop them when several servers ran over. “Found it! The necklace fell on the stairs!” Everyone in the hall immediately turned to look at the sparkling diamond necklace in their hands. Marcus’ tense brow relaxed. He waved for the bodyguards to step back. He picked up the necklace and put it around Quiana’s neck himself. His voice was calmer. “The necklace is back. Stop being angry, okay?” Quiana finally smiled. She looked down at Yara, who was lying on the floor in a mess. She held Marcus’ arm and acted cute again. “Good thing it was found. If not, I would have been upset for a long time. But your secretary suffered so much because of this. Should I apologize to her?” All eyes in the hall turned to Yara, whose clothes were torn and disheveled. She could only curl up and hug herself tightly under the hostile stares. Through the pain, she heard Marcus’ cold voice. “No need to apologize. She’s just a secretary. A little suffering is nothing.” Chapter 5 That sentence cut Yara like a knife. It pierced her chest and tore at her already broken heart. Her deeply scarred heart felt like it was being ripped apart. She felt unbearable pain. Her mind buzzed, and her eyes were empty and numb. At some point, everyone in the hall had left. Only the bright lights remained, showing all the marks on her body. She forced herself to stand. She picked up the coat a kind waiter had left and wrapped it around herself. She staggered out of the hall. Outside, heavy rain poured. She walked into it without noticing it. The cold raindrops hit her face and ran down like tears. But she could not shed a single one. She did not know where she was going. She wandered through the streets without direction. A car stopped beside her. The window rolled down. Marcus’ cold, sharp face appeared. “Get in.” Yara did not answer. She dragged her heavy body through the rain. Marcus frowned and said more firmly, “Get in.” Yara stopped. She lifted her pale, bloodless face to him. “Don’t bother, Mr. Quinn. I’m just a secretary.” Her words were icy and sharp. Marcus’ heart ached at her tone. He opened the car door and walked through the rain to her. He held her hand tightly. “What happened tonight is my fault. I have already lost Quiana once. I can’t lose her again. I’ll find a way to make up for the humiliation you suffered. Don’t be angry with me over this.” Yara was done giving in. She used the last of her strength to pull her hand free and took a few steps back. Her voice was cold and still. “You must be joking. An ordinary person like me could never be angry with you or with Ms. Xanthe. I was too naive and foolish before to understand my place. From now on, I’ll always remember that I’m just a secretary. I won’t disturb your life again. Are you satisfied? Can you let me go?” The more she spoke, the angrier Marcus became. His face turned cold. His emotions were out of control. “You know I didn’t mean that! I never looked down on you. I only said those things to calm Quiana. In my heart, you and Yelena…” He kept talking, but Yara could not hear a word. The world around her grew blurry. Her eyelids felt as heavy as lead. Her strength was gone. Her body swayed, and she lost consciousness. She did not know how much time had passed. When she opened her eyes, Yara realized she was in a hospital. Her wet clothes had been changed. Her wounds were treated and bandaged. A cup of water and some medicine sat on the bedside table. A nurse was adjusting an IV. When she saw Yara awake, she gave a kind smile. “You’re awake? Your boyfriend stayed with you all night yesterday. He just left.” Yara opened her dry, cracked lips. Her voice was hoarse. “He’s not my boyfriend. He never was.” From the start, what they had was only a mistake. Beyond her role as his secretary, he had never acknowledged any other connection between them. She had once fooled herself and imagined a future that would never come. She decided to face reality. She would leave this place and never come back. Chapter 6 Yara remained in the hospital for a few days. Marcus never came to see her. His assistant sent a message on his behalf, telling her to rest well and return to work once she recovered. Yara stopped pushing herself. She did not leave the hospital until her exhausted body had fully recovered. The company group chat buzzed with gossip. Everyone was talking about Marcus and Quiana. He booked an amusement park for a week to celebrate her birthday. Fireworks lit up the sky for three nights in a row. He brought her to a family dinner and gave her the bracelet that was meant only for a future wife. He bought a piece of land and planned to build a private ski resort. Even the name of the resort was connected to Quiana. Yara read the messages quietly. Her heart felt nothing. After she left the hospital, she went back to work as usual. She was careful and thorough with her work. If anything required Marcus’ attention, she passed it to the other secretaries instead of handling it herself. After a peaceful week, Marcus called her again. She delivered the documents he needed and was about to leave when he stopped her. “I have a meeting. Quiana doesn’t like eating alone. Stay here and keep her company.” Her face stiffened. She wanted to refuse, but Quiana had already begun giving orders. “I like steak. Cut it for me first.” Marcus closed the door to the study. Yara swallowed her words and walked to the dining table. After she finished cutting the steak, Quiana asked someone to bring over a large plate of walnuts and jackfruit. “I want some fruit after the meal. There are no tools here. Use your hands.” Yara looked at the hard walnut shells and the sharp spikes on the jackfruit. Her heart sank. She knew Quiana was doing it on purpose. But she could only obey. After cracking the walnuts and opening the jackfruit, her hands were covered in small cuts. Quiana still was not satisfied. She told Yara to go to the kitchen and bring the soup. The soup had just come off the stove. It was so hot that her hands quickly turned red. The pain became too much. Her grip slipped, and the boiling soup spilled onto her body. Steam rose into the air. Within seconds, blisters formed on her hands. The burning pain spread through her. She bit her lip hard to stop herself from crying out. When Quiana saw Yara fall to the floor, she could barely hide her delight. The next second, she saw the study door open. She quickly wiped the smile off her face and began to scold Yara. “I heard from Marcus that you’re very capable. How could you not even carry a bowl of soup without spilling it? You even burned my hand.” Marcus heard this and rushed over. “Where did you get burned? Let me see. Does it hurt?” Quiana raised the hand she had secretly pinched red and showed it to him. She forced a couple of tears. “A few drops splashed on me. I don’t know if it’ll leave a scar.” “How do you do your job? Quiana has been pampered since she was a child. She has never been hurt. She asked you to carry a bowl of soup, and you scalded her. Couldn’t you be more careful?” Marcus’ face darkened. He could not help scolding Yara. But when he saw the injuries on her body, he held back. He did not say anything harsher. He picked Quiana up and took her to treat the burn. Before leaving, he saw Yara still standing there. His voice turned firm. “Come to the hospital with us. Get your injuries treated.” Yara endured the pain and followed them into the car. Marcus drove very fast. Quiana did not want him to realize she was pretending, so she cried out in pain from time to time. He felt distressed when he heard her and kept turning to look at her. His attention was so divided that he did not see the sports car speeding toward them. There was a loud crash. The two cars collided. The force of the impact threw Yara against the car door. It felt as if her organs had shifted. Sharp pain spread through her body. Blood flowed out and turned her vision red. Her body trembled. She forced her eyes open and saw Marcus carrying Quiana out of the car. An ambulance siren grew louder in the distance. Through her fading awareness, she heard two urgent voices. “Sir, this young woman only fainted from shock. The passenger in the back seat is bleeding heavily. If she is not taken to the hospital right away, her life could be in danger.” Chapter 7 “No! Quiana has to go to the hospital first! I can’t let anything happen to her! Nothing is more important than her safety!” Marcus’ frantic shouts were the last thing Yara heard before she passed out. Darkness closed in and swallowed her. It felt like she had been trapped in a long nightmare. When she finally opened her eyes, she saw Yelena standing beside the bed. Her eyes were teary. “Yara, I just got back and heard you were in an accident. The doctor said you lost a lot of blood. They almost couldn’t save you. I was so scared.” When Yara saw her, all the pain she had kept inside came rushing out. Her eyes welled up. She could not hold back anymore and hugged her tightly. “I’m fine. Don’t worry.” They held each other for a long time. After a while, Yelena poured her a glass of water and helped her drink. She remembered the doctor’s advice and tried to talk about something lighter. “Have you been happy these past few years? Has Marcus treated you badly? Didn’t you say you had a boyfriend? When will you introduce him to me? I need to see what kind of person he is. If he doesn’t treat you well, I won’t approve.” Yara’s expression froze. “Mr. Quinn keeps work and personal matters separate. He never mistreated me. As for my boyfriend, we already broke up.” Yelena had not expected that. She was afraid Yara would feel sad, so she quickly tried to comfort her. “It’s fine. If one doesn’t work out, there will be a better one. I know plenty of handsome guys. I’ll introduce them to you.” Before she could finish, the door to the hospital room opened. Marcus walked in with a grim look on his face. “Introduce her to who? No. You’re not introducing her to anyone. Those playboys you know are not right for her.” Yelena’s lips trembled as soon as he shut her down. “Playboys? Marcus, stop talking like that. They have only had two or three girlfriends. Not everyone is like you. You’re so devoted that you’ve stayed hung up on Quiana all these years. Besides, I’m setting Yara up with someone. Why do you have to interfere?” Anger flared in Marcus’ chest, and his voice turned cold. “I said no, and that means no. You can’t force feelings. Stop playing matchmaker.” He was right. Feelings could not be forced. It took Yara four years to learn that. She gave a faint smile and gently pulled on Yelena’s hand while looking at Marcus calmly. “Yelena was only joking. Mr. Quinn, did you need something?” Marcus relaxed a little when he saw she was fine. He wanted to say he had come to see her, but he swallowed the words. “It’s nothing. Yelena heard about your accident and came to the hospital right after she landed. I came to take her home. I also stopped by to check on you.” “Alright, Marcus. I’ll go home tonight. You can head back first. Yara was seriously hurt. You’re not allowed to give her any more work.” Yelena spoke while pushing him out of the room. When the room was quiet again, she started defending him. “He may look scary, but he treats you well. The nurse said you were close to dying yesterday. He had blood brought in from all over the city to save you.” Chapter 8 Yara paused when she heard that. A moment later, she steadied herself. Marcus had blood brought in from all over the city because he did not want her to die. But between her and Quiana, if one of them had to die, she knew it would be her. She stopped holding on to any fantasies about him. During her last few days in Jadewood, she stayed in the hospital to recover. When the nurses came in for their rounds, they would often talk about the VIP ward upstairs. “I heard that the CEO of Quinn Corp reserved the entire floor. He even invited several retired professors from Jadewood to look after his girlfriend.” “I’ve seen Mr. Quinn a few times. He brings her water and food, buys her expensive jewelry to make her happy, and stays by her bedside all night. He really dotes on her.” Yara listened quietly and placed a hand over her chest. There was no pain. Her heartbeat was just a little slow. The wound in her heart had almost healed. On the day she was discharged, Yelena planned to pick her up but got held up by family matters. Yara reassured her and left the hospital alone. She went straight back to the company. It was her last day there. She went through the paperwork as required. While carrying a box, she was about to leave when she ran into Quiana near the elevators. Quiana was holding a cup of coffee. She deliberately bumped into Yara. “Are you blind? You spilled coffee all over my dress. This keeps happening. Are you doing this on purpose?” She staged the whole scene herself, then called the bodyguards over and ordered them to force Yara to kneel at the entrance of the headquarters as an apology. Yara refused to bow her head. Quiana became even more vicious and threw the remaining half cup of coffee in her face. “What are you looking at? Are you unhappy? Let me tell you something. Marcus only cares about me. No matter what I do, he’ll take my side. Punishing a secretary like you is nothing to him.” After saying that, she walked away with a proud look on her face. The bodyguards dragged Yara downstairs and forced her to kneel on the ground. She kept struggling, but she could not break free. She could only try to reason with them. “I’ve already resigned. I’m not Marcus’ secretary anymore. What right do you have to make me kneel?” The bodyguard did not react at all. His voice was cold. “Mr. Quinn has given orders. Ms. Xanthe’s words are his words. Whatever she asks for, we do it. Ms. Summers, you can bring it up to Mr. Quinn.” Those few sentences shut her up completely. She knew they would not listen, so she stopped struggling. Coworkers and passersby looked at her and whispered to each other. Some even took photos. In the bitter winter cold, she knelt outside for seven full hours. The skin on her knees was worn raw. Her face turned pale from the cold, and she kept shivering. She held on with sheer willpower. As it got close to the end of the workday, her mind began to blur. At that moment, she heard someone calling her name. She forced herself to lift her head and saw Yelena running toward her. “Yara, you just got out of the hospital. Why are you kneeling here? Who is tormenting you on purpose?” Yara’s throat felt dry. She answered without thinking. “It was Quiana…”