Too Late to Say I'm Sorry

Chapter 38: Too Late to Say I'm Sorry?

Rumors spread through the office like wildfire.

It started with whispers outside the elevator.

Then came the questioning glances during meetings.

And by the end of the week, it was no longer a secret—Li had filed a formal request to be removed from Ethan's direct reporting line.

"Personal reasons," the form said.

But everyone knew the truth had little to do with professionalism.

In the days that followed, Li avoided him completely. She no longer brought reports in person. Every communication was brief, emailed, and signed off with nothing more than a cold "Regards."

Ethan stared at his screen for hours, rereading her replies that were stripped of any emotion. The contrast hit him harder than he expected.

There was a time when she used to leave smiley faces in her texts.

Now, even punctuation felt like a barrier.

He found her on the 21st floor one afternoon, standing by the window, reviewing a file.

She didn't look up when he entered.

"Li," he said softly.

"I'm busy, Mr. Chen."

The formality stung.

He stepped closer. "You don't have to shut me out like this."

She finally looked at him. Her eyes were calm—but distant.

"Actually, I do," she replied. "It's the only way I can function in this office."

There was a pause. Heavy. Awkward.

"I didn't mean to hurt you," he said.

"You didn't mean to marry me under a lie either, did you?" she asked, tilting her head. "But you still did."

Ethan had no defense. Only silence.

She closed the file and walked past him, leaving behind the faint scent of jasmine.

That evening, his assistant walked in with a report—and gossip.

"Ms. Su from PR mentioned seeing Ms. Li having coffee with Mr. Lin from legal," she said with a small smile. "They seemed… close.

Ethan didn't respond, but his hand clenched into a fist under the desk.

The next morning, Li walked into the conference room with perfect poise. Her expression was unreadable, as always.

But this time, Su Rina—his ex and now a board advisor—was seated at Ethan's right.

She leaned in as Li entered, smiling just a little too brightly.

"Didn't expect to see you here, Li," Su Rina purred. "I thought you'd be hiding after everything that happened between you two."

The room tensed.

Li didn't flinch.

She walked to her seat, looked straight at Su Rina, and replied, "I don't hide. I move forward."

Later that night, Ethan stood outside her office, one hand hesitating at the door.

Through the frosted glass, he could see her silhouette—still working, still trying to forget him.

He almost turned away.

But instead, he spoke—just loud enough for her to hear:

"If I let you go now, I might never get you back.

Inside, Li froze.

But she didn't respond.

And the silence between them deepened into something even colder.