Beyond Retrieval

I pulled my down jacket tighter against me to block out the cold wind. I waited for nearly an hour. My feet were going numb from the cold when I finally saw Gary's assistant, Daniel Lawson, hurrying out from inside.

"Mrs. Mitchell, I'm so sorry. Mr. Mitchell is in a meeting."

He apologized repeatedly as he led me to a large villa, explaining that Gary had been working here for the past few days.

When Gary saw me, his brows immediately knitted tight.

"I asked you to deliver a document. Why did you take so long? Can't you handle even this small task?"

"I arrived a long time ago, but I couldn't get in at the entrance. I called you so many times..." I tried to explain.

He did not listen at all and impatiently cut me off. "Enough with the excuses. How can you still keep talking about going back to work when your performance is like this?

"You can't even deliver a document properly. What else can you do?"

My heart felt like it had been stabbed with a knife. I had mentioned wanting to continue working many times before, but he refused each time.

"I don't need my wife going out and making a spectacle of herself to earn money. Just stay home comfortably and enjoy yourself."

I took a breath and suppressed my emotions. "The document has been delivered. If there's nothing else, I'll head back."

"What's the rush?" His tone softened a bit.

"Go wait in the office. After my meeting, I'll take you out to eat."

Before I could refuse, he was already being ushered toward the conference room by a group of people.

Daniel led me to the office. When the door opened, I saw what looked like a beauty pageant. Seven or eight young, attractive women sat at their workstations, each with flawless makeup and stylish clothing.

Gary had two strict requirements when hiring female secretaries. First, they had to be beautiful. Second, they had to be under twenty-five years old.

The outside world jokingly called his secretary team the 'Mitchell Group Beauty Squad'.

Wearing my bulky down jacket and walking among them, I felt like a penguin that had wandered into Swan Lake. I sat down on the sofa without a care.

The secretaries' curious gazes stuck to me. I heard their whispered gossip clearly.

"Who's that?"

A new face wearing an extremely short pencil skirt stared at me directly. She nudged Daniel and asked in a sweet voice, "Daniel, who is this?"

Daniel replied quietly, "That's Mr. Mitchell's wife."

The new secretary's eyes immediately widened in shock, her voice rising slightly.

"Mrs. Mitchell? Is she a celebrity? Why is she so covered up?"

Daniel shook his head. "No."

The new secretary curled her lip and spoke in a sour, passive-aggressive tone.

"Oh, she's not a celebrity? If she's not a celebrity, why is she wearing a hat and mask? She's acting so mysterious, like she's afraid someone might recognize her."

The girl beside her gently tugged at her, but she did not care at all. She brazenly looked me over again, her voice carrying malice.

"Is it because she's not very good-looking? Look at her figure. She's huge!"

I lowered my eyes. Even the thick down jacket could not hide my bloated, misshapen figure.

After getting pregnant, I gained weight rapidly, and all my curves disappeared.

As for why I wore a mask and hat, it was because of Gary. He said it was to protect me. He had made many enemies in business and was afraid I would be targeted.

Daniel scolded her in a low voice, "Don't talk nonsense! Mr. Mitchell loves his wife very much. Show some respect!"

The new secretary pouted, looking completely unconvinced, and rolled her eyes.

I looked at her calmly and beckoned with my hand. "You. Get me a cup of coffee."

When Gary finished his meeting and came out, his eyes immediately landed on the coffee in front of me, and his brows knitted tightly again.

"Who gave you coffee?"

The new secretary immediately stood up, eagerly answering as if seeking credit. "Mr. Mitchell, I made it for Mrs. Mitchell!"

Gary's gaze swept sharply toward her, and he scolded harshly. "Pour it out."

The new secretary's smug expression froze instantly. She trembled as she stepped forward, her hands shaking as she picked up the coffee cup, nearly spilling it.

"What's wrong with you?"

Gary turned to look at me, his tone full of reproach.

"Can you drink coffee right now? Do I need to remind you of common sense over and over again?

"How old are you? She doesn't know better, but how can you not?"