Cross Lines

Chapter 28: Conversation

Although it was getting late and Maggie was somewhat tired, she still enjoyed sitting with Emily Luo, eating, talking, and finding everything comfortable and natural. Under the bright lights, Dr. Luo’s gentle smile was softer and more tender than before. It seemed that some things had begun to change.

Emily Luo didn’t seem to be unsettled by this change. Whether she was unaware or simply indifferent, she had already put aside her previous reservations. Eva’s situation had taken up her attention, and in this matter, Maggie had clearly become her ally.

"Do you think Grace might reconsider?"

Maggie didn’t hesitate, "It depends on the person involved."

"So you’re taking an optimistic view?" Emily Luo raised an eyebrow.

"Not exactly. It’s just hard to make a conclusion right now. We only have a rough understanding of what happened before, and we don’t know Grace well enough to predict her reaction."

"Grace should already know that it was a misunderstanding created by Eva's family."

"Mmm..." Maggie shook her head and swallowed a fry. "The issue isn’t just the misunderstanding. What matters is that the boss’s actions back then have created distrust."

Emily Luo fell silent. Maggie had hit the nail on the head. This was a hard truth for anyone to accept, let alone forgive.

Seeing Dr. Luo’s downcast expression, Maggie smiled, "You’re quite worried about the boss, aren’t you?"

Emily Luo sighed, her voice tinged with weariness, "It’s more about feeling heartache than worry. Eva nearly sacrificed her whole life because of this."

"Sometimes, people are blinded by certain things and fail to see the truth."

Maggie deliberately spoke slowly, seemingly referring to Eva’s situation but perhaps implying something else. Emily Luo, not missing the point, shot Maggie a sideways glance and didn’t respond.

Noticing she wasn’t angry, Maggie shifted the topic back, "For Grace, whether she turns back is just a matter of her own decision. It all depends on her."

"That’s a non-answer."

Emily Luo retorted, but without further elaboration. Maggie smiled again, "It’s the truth."

"If you were Grace, what would you do?"

Maggie paused, finding the question difficult. She looked into Dr. Luo’s beautiful eyes, thought carefully, and then pointed to her heart, "I would ask myself if I still love her. If I do, there’s nothing I can’t let go of; if I don’t, then it’s better to move on."

Emily Luo listened quietly, meeting Maggie’s gaze with a hint of bewilderment. After a moment, she seemed to regain her composure, clearing her throat, "Well, let’s see what happens next. It’s getting late; shall we head back?"

Maggie nodded, "Sure."

On Monday, as soon as she arrived at work, Maggie received a call from Jasmine. She lamented her busy life while rushing to the VP’s office.

Today, Secretary Peng wasn’t around, and Jasmine’s second secretary was a taciturn man. Upon seeing Maggie, he immediately stood up, his hands clasped in front of him like he was meeting a high official. Maggie was taken aback and quickly gestured for him to inform Jasmine of her arrival so she could receive instructions.

Jasmine didn’t seem to be in a good mood today. Her face looked gloomy, and her dark blue suit made her appear older than usual. Maggie was a bit more reserved and sat quietly on the sofa.

Jasmine remained silent for a while, observing Maggie with an unreadable expression. This made Maggie nervous, as she wondered if she had made any mistakes at work recently that had caught the boss’s attention. After some time, Jasmine finally relaxed her expression and gave a faint smile.

"Maggie, how was your vacation?"

"Quite good," Maggie nodded, maintaining a formal demeanor.

"I called you over today to ask you something."

"Go ahead."

"Are you close with Lola from the translation department?"

Jasmine's question was deliberate, and Maggie was taken aback, "Oh... Well, we’re friends, more than just colleagues."

"How did you two meet?"

Jasmine’s expression was serious, which puzzled Maggie. Nevertheless, she answered honestly, "We met at the company. We live nearby and often carpool to work."

"What’s your impression of her?"

This question puzzled Maggie even more. She didn’t understand why Jasmine was asking about Lola. After some thought, she replied, "She seems fine. If she weren’t, I wouldn’t be friends with her. Why do you ask, President Gao?"

Jasmine paused before speaking, "I’ve heard some rumors that Lola is quite close with the chairman."

Maggie was stunned, unable to immediately grasp the situation. Jasmine’s wording was somewhat indirect, but the implication seemed to be that there might be an inappropriate relationship. However, since the chairman was Jasmine’s father, why would she bring this up with Maggie instead of suppressing the rumors?

Maggie quickly assessed the implications of this matter and spoke calmly, "I haven’t heard anything about that. From my perspective, it seems unlikely; it’s just a rumor."

"Do you trust Lola that much?"

Jasmine’s tone had a hint of ambiguity, sounding both interrogative and probing. Maggie, choosing not to dwell on it, responded firmly, "The chairman isn’t that kind of person. As for Lola, from what I know, she wouldn’t."

"Does she have a boyfriend?"

Jasmine changed the subject.

"Uh... It seems she doesn’t..."

"Do you know anything about her background?"

Maggie thought to herself, Are you conducting a background check?

"She’s mentioned a few things—some scattered information. It seems her family is far away, and she’s here alone."

Jasmine nodded and didn’t ask further. Maggie felt uneasy about the situation.

"I hope it’s just a rumor. After all, this affects both the chairman and the reputation of the company, and it’s not good for Lola."

Maggie nodded in agreement.

"If you have the chance, you might want to subtly remind her. In sensitive situations, she should avoid anything that could be misinterpreted."

Maggie frowned. How was she supposed to say that? Since she was friends with Lola, she was now somewhat irritated. It was unfair to speak of a good girl like that.

Seeing her reluctance to respond, Jasmine’s gaze became more scrutinizing, "It seems your relationship with Lola is indeed quite special."

Since Jasmine had said so, Maggie decided not to hesitate, "I think it’s very unfair and hurtful to speculate about a girl without any solid evidence."

Jasmine looked at Maggie with a blank expression for a while, "I’m not speculating about her. I just want you to remind her to be cautious, especially given that she is a girl."

After hearing this, Maggie pressed her lips together and didn’t wish to say more, "Alright, I’ll remind her if I get the chance."

After a pause, Jasmine spoke again, her tone gentler than before, "Maggie, do you think I’m more distant compared to your relationship with Lola?"

As the boss, Maggie didn’t want to let her personal emotions show too much. She calmed herself and responded with measured respect, "Lola is my friend, and I don’t want her to face unfair treatment. As for you, President Gao, I respect you greatly, and there’s no sense of distance."

Jasmine turned her gaze away and looked out the window, her expression empty and listless. Her eyes lost their usual sparkle. Maggie observed her silently, lowering her gaze and remaining quiet.

Time passed slowly until Maggie’s legs started to feel numb. Jasmine remained lost in thought. It wasn’t until the phone on the desk rang that Maggie began to suspect Jasmine might leave her hanging.

Jasmine snapped out of her reverie, answered the phone, said a few words, and then hung up. She turned her attention back to Maggie, "Maggie, I hope you don’t always see me as your boss. Even if you treat me like a friend, as you do with Lola, that would be fine."

You are still the boss, and a top executive at that, Maggie thought to herself. She found Jasmine’s behavior today confusing and inexplicable.

"President Gao, you’ve always been kind to me. I feel more natural with you than with the chairman and others. I’m not sure what you mean by that…"

"You seemed to align with Lola against me after hearing what I said."

Maggie froze. Did she?

Jasmine chuckled wryly, "Perhaps I’m asking for too much."

"President Gao..."

"Alright," Jasmine interrupted Maggie, "I also have my shortcomings. Let’s put today’s matter aside. You can go back to work. Once I finish my tasks in the next few days, we’ll find another time to discuss this."

"Okay..." Maggie hesitated and said, "I’ll head back now."

Jasmine nodded, and Maggie got up and left. Standing in the elevator, Maggie’s mind was still occupied with what had just happened. Suddenly, the doors opened, and Peter Gao walked in. Upon seeing Maggie, he gave a formal smile, "Maggie?"

"Oh, President Gao," Maggie greeted warmly, though internally she was grumbling about how the Gao family members all seemed to be high-ranking executives and how confusing that was.

"Did you go to see Jasmine?"

"Yes, to arrange some work-related matters."

"Okay."

Peter Gao’s eyes, hidden behind his glasses, always carried a sharp and shrewd quality. His gaze made Maggie uncomfortable. Fortunately, he didn’t say much more and got off the elevator when they reached his floor. Maggie watched his retreating figure, feeling that Peter Gao seemed far more inscrutable than Jasmine.