Chapter 7 It's Really Too Painful to Forget Him

"Yolanda," Melissa Greenwood shook her head repeatedly, "No, we can't correct it."

"Yolanda, you know the rules of being a designer, if I admit to this... my career will be ruined."

Yolanda found it hard to accept, "But cousin, if we don't correct it, then I..."

"Don't you want to join Baruy?" Melissa wiped her tears, "Leave this matter to your cousin."

"But..." Yolanda didn't want to enter under the pretense of copying others.

"Yolanda," Melissa's face was filled with regret, "Back then, because of what happened between you and Cooper, I couldn't create anything, and that's why I made a huge mistake."

She looked at Yolanda pleadingly, "Can you forgive your cousin this one time? I believe once you join Baruy, you will prove yourself."

Yolanda hesitated to speak. She had already wronged Melissa before; now she couldn't let Melissa ruin her career because of this.

"Alright, then I'll leave the Baruy matter to you, cousin." She would prove herself in the future.

Melissa breathed a sigh of relief, "Don't worry, leave it to me, and just wait to report there."

After Yolanda left, Melissa immediately sent a WeChat message to Eliana Reed.

"The painting matter has been resolved." —Sweet Melissa.

Eliana replied quickly.

"I knew our Melissa was the best." —Eliana.

Yolanda returned dejectedly to Lola Gold's place.

"How did it go? What did Melissa say?" Lola asked curiously.

Yolanda sank heavily onto the couch, exhaling deeply, "She admitted it."

"What?" Lola's eyes widened, "It was really her? How could she be so shameless?"

Noticing Yolanda's mood, Lola moved closer. "Yolanda, what does she plan to do? How will she compensate you?"

Yolanda sighed, "She said it was a moment of confusion, and clearing it up now would ruin everything."

She looked helplessly at Lola, "But she promised to help me get into Baruy."

"Bullshit, help? How thick-skinned can she get?" Lola was bitterly angry.

Yolanda could have joined Baruy on her talent alone, becoming one of its top painters, but now she had to enter by connections, posing as a copycat.

"If she had any conscience at all, she wouldn't let you suffer in the company," Lola said fiercely.

They sat on the couch and brooded for a while until Yolanda came to a decision.

"Okay, I've decided to let it go. Once I'm in Baruy, I need to perform well and show them… especially Jenny Reyes."

"Right," Lola nodded vigorously, "It's good you see it that way. Should we celebrate?"

"Yes!"

They didn't go out for a big meal but chose to buy some beer and celebrate at home instead.

Yolanda had mixed feelings, happy about starting a new life but sad that Cooper Coldson would no longer be part of it.

She drank too much and ended up crying and laughing in Lola's arms.

"Lola, once I get my paycheck, I'll treat you to a big meal, no, three!"

"Okay, I'll wait for that."

"Lola, I'll probably be getting a divorce soon. Hehe, Cooper and I won't have any relations anymore."

"Yolanda, forget about him. It's too painful, really too painful."

Over the years, Lola knew Yolanda's feelings for Cooper too well and had seen how downtrodden she had been in the marriage.

As an observer, she often reminded herself never to end up like Yolanda.

"Forget him? Right, I should have forgotten him long ago, but..."

"Wuwuwu... Lola, it's so hard. Why is it so hard?"

...

Three days later, Yolanda finally reported to Baruy, and was received by Jenny Reyes.

"Is Melissa your cousin?" Jenny looked at her sarcastically, as if she was looking down her nose at her.

She had seen copycats before, but it was the first time seeing someone who copied their own relative.

What was most ridiculous was that after being exposed, she still pleaded with her cousin to get her in, truly thick-skinned beyond measure.

"Yes." Yolanda kept her head low, her voice barely audible.

But she clearly heard Jenny hum a sound, deafening as thunder.

The two walked in silence, and Jenny quickly led Yolanda to the painters' workspace, pointing to a corner, "You can sit there."

True to its reputation as a top national firm, the hardware was second to none.

The office was spacious and bright, with huge floor-to-ceiling windows offering a panoramic view of the city's skyscrapers.

At the center, the four painters' desks were particularly eye-catching, with ample space, computers, tablets, drawing boards, and all kinds of painting tools.

But the corner spot only had a single computer, looking shabby and out of place.

Yolanda frowned. She noticed that one of the four desks was unoccupied and pointed there.

But before she could speak, Jenny coldly said, "That spot is taken; they'll report soon."

Jenny didn't even introduce Yolanda to everyone and just turned around and left.

Standing awkwardly, Yolanda saw everyone staring at her and mustered the courage, "Hello everyone, I am the new painter Yolanda. Please take care of me."

"Oh, you are our director's cousin, huh?" Painter Sophie Taylor responded with a forced smile.

The other two painters looked Yolanda up and down and then silently concentrated on their work.

Yolanda took her seat in the corner, surprised that Melissa had secured the director position.

Was it because of those few paintings? Probably not only that.

Throughout the morning, no one paid any attention to Yolanda, as if she was invisible.

During lunch, Melissa sent a WeChat message.

"Yolanda, how's your first day going? I've been busy but made sure they welcome you properly."

"It's fine."

"That's good, tonight Cooper is coming back, and we'll celebrate your new job together."

"It's not necessary."

Melissa didn't reply afterward.

Yolanda put away her phone, knowing Cooper was coming back, they would probably handle the procedures soon.

She felt her heart clench painfully, baffled why she still felt distressed when everything had reached this point.

After work, as Yolanda walked out of the building, she saw Cooper and Melissa waiting on the roadside.

Their presence was too striking, causing passing colleagues to look over frequently, and those who recognized Melissa couldn't help but greet her.

"Director Greenwood, is that your boyfriend? He's very handsome."

"Director Greenwood, you are so lucky, your boyfriend personally picks you up after work, I'm so envious."

"Director Greenwood, your boyfriend is so good-looking, is he a celebrity?"

Melissa smiled and bid everyone goodbye, not clarifying Cooper's identity, implicitly acknowledging it.

Watching this, Yolanda felt her heart sink bit by bit.

She turned and walked in another direction, wanting desperately to disappear.

Seeing someone trying to escape, Cooper tapped Melissa beside him.

"She's over there; I'll wait in the car for you guys."