Chapter 17
In the blink of anaye, a year had passed.
Daphne had flourished in the Finance Department, her exceptional professional skills and team oriented attinide earning widespread recognition and praise from her colleagues
One day, her manager, Mr. Brown, called her into his office.
“Daphne, your performance over the past year has been remarkable,” Mr. Brown began. “From project execution to teamwork, you’ve consistently demonstrated outstanding capabilities. The company has decided to promote you to Assistant Manager of the Finance Department.”
A spark of joy lit up Daphne’s eyes, but she responded with humility.
“Thank you, Mr. Brown, for your trust and encouragement. I’ll continue working hard to live up to the expectations of the company and my colleagues.
Not long after her promotion, Daphne was assigned a new task–representing the company at an important financial conference.
Recognizing the significance of the opportunity, she immediately immersed herself in preparation.
The night before the event, she held a final discussion with her colleagues in the office.
“Daphne, with so many big names in finance attending, are you nervous?” Maia, a coworker, asked
Daphne smiled confidently.
“Nervous? A little, of course. But I believe that with thorough preparation, we can showcase the company’s strengths and leave a lasting impression.”
On the day of the event, Daphne, dressed in an elegant business suit and exuding confidence, walked
into the venue.
During the roundtable forum, she boldly raised her hand to speak, engaging in in–depth discussions with the other attendees.
Standing up, Daphne declared with poise,
“I believe that in today’s economic climate, the development of financial technology is key to driving, Industry transformation. Our company has already achieved significant results in this area, and we
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All continue investing in it to provide more convenient and efficient financial services to our
eltents.”
Her insightful comments resonated with the attendees, sparking animated discussions and drawing
admiring glances.
Outside the venue, Matthew arrived late and paused as a familiar voice reached his ears. His heart tightened
Pushing open the door, he spotted the speaker on stage–it was Daphne, the woman he hadn’t seen in
a year.
His heart raced uncontrollably, unable to believe that their paths would cross again in the
rofessional world of finance.
He hadn’t imagined, even in his dreams
that Daphne would be here.
On stage, Daphne shone brilliantly, just as she had the first time they met. Every fiber of her being seemed to radiate light.
“Mr. Roberts, the woman on stage is Ms. Walker,” whispered a vice president from a smaller company beside him. “She joined Walker Group last year and has quickly become one of their rising
stars.”
Matthew nodded silently, his emotions in turmoil.
Since their encounter on the beach and Jonathan’s stern warning, Matthew hadn’t dared to intrude on Daphne’s life.
He never expected to see her again like this–or that she would have grown into such an accomplished professional in such a short time.
During a break in the conference, Matthew maneuvered himself into the seat next to Daphne.
She was engrossed in listening to another speaker and didn’t notice his presence until he greeted her
softly.
“Hello, Ms. Walker.”
Startled, Daphne turned to face him, a flicker of surprise and confusion crossing her eyes.
“Aren’t you the man from the beach…?”
Yes, that’s me,” Matthew interjected with a faint smile, his expression holding a depth of unspoken
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emotions.
What’s wrong? Worried I’m here to cause more “trouble“?” he asked playfully.
Daphine shook her head lightly, a complex smile playing on her lips.
Leaning closer, she whispered in his car. “My brother says you’re… a bad man.”
Her voice was quiet but carried a mix of wariness and amusement, enough to make Matthew sense the guardedness in her tone.
Hearing her words, a hint of tenderness and helplessness flashed in Matthew’s eyes
He replied softly, “Perhaps we could start over–get to know each other as friends.”
