The Ex-Wife They Begged To Keep - Chapter 133: Chapter 133

Julian said, "I'm not too concerned about that. If you're willing to give us a try, I think we'd get along really well, Ms. Gray."
Serena hadn't expected him to be so accepting, especially after what she had just said. As exasperated as she felt, she also had to admit she was starting to understand the kind of person he was.
She gently steered the conversation away. "Sorry, the ceremony should be starting soon. Let's go take a look."
Julian understood what she meant but didn't press her. He simply nodded and followed her downstairs.
The wedding had been planned on a grand scale. When Kristy walked out to the sound of the wedding march, glowing in her white dress, Serena couldn't help feeling a little wistful.
But seeing her best friend so happy and radiant filled Serena with a quiet sense of contentment.
The ceremony went off without a hitch, and once everyone made their way backstage, Serena found herself next to Julian again.
Kristy leaned in from the side, waggling her eyebrows. "Why don't you two exchange numbers? You never know when that might come in handy."
Serena didn't want to turn her down, and figured that even if they added each other now, they probably wouldn't stay in touch after this anyway. So, she nodded. "Here is my number, Mr. Cooper."
After she got home, Julian messaged her not long after, saying he would like to take her out for dinner.
Serena sat on the couch, rubbing her temples. She hadn't expected him to be this persistent.
She replied: [Sorry, Mr. Cooper. Things have been pretty hectic at work lately, so I might not have time to go out for dinner anytime soon.]
Well, it wasn't entirely a lie.
Julian, ever considerate, said he understood.
Seeing his response, Serena finally let out a quiet breath of relief. But the next day, she spotted him downstairs from her office, holding a bouquet of flowers and even carrying breakfast in his hands.
Julian approached her and said, "Hello, Ms. Gray. I brought you a healthy breakfast. No matter how busy work gets, you still need to take care of yourself. Don't overwork."
Serena rubbed her temples, her patience wearing thin. It really wasn't the time for this kind of concern.
She hadn't expected Julian to be this persistent. She thought she had already made herself clear.
It was rush hour, and plenty of people had witnessed the scene outside the building, including several of Serena's colleagues from the design department.
Julian insisted she take what he brought before he'd leave. Left with no choice, she finally accepted the flowers and the breakfast, reminding him to be careful on his way back.
As soon as Serena stepped into the design department, a few coworkers immediately surrounded her.
One of them asked, "Was that cute guy downstairs your boyfriend, Serena? That was so romantic!"
Another chimed in, "Yeah, I recognize that breakfast set. The shop is at least a twenty-minute drive from here, and it's packed in the mornings. He must really care about you."
Serena had already felt a bit embarrassed, and now hearing how hard it was to get the breakfast only made her more uncomfortable. Holding it felt like she was carrying a live grenade.
She quickly explained that she and Julian were just friends, not a couple, though the girls around her clearly weren't buying it.
One of them teased, "So you're still in the getting-to-know-each-other phase, huh? You should go for it, Serena. He seems like a good guy."
Serena wanted to say she didn't feel that way at all and had no such intentions. But discussing her personal life in front of everyone felt a little too awkward.
So, she brushed it off with a vague response and returned to her desk with a growing headache.
After a moment of thought, Serena clicked into her chat with Julian, even though she knew her words might sound a bit distant.
She texted: [I really appreciate all you've done for me, Mr. Cooper. But I'm afraid this might be affecting my everyday life.]
[So I'd appreciate it if you didn't come to the office again.]
On the other end, Julian quickly replied, sounding a little embarrassed: [Sorry, I didn't think it through. I really didn't mean to cause trouble. It won't happen again. I promise.]
He was quick to say sorry, and Serena guessed he just hadn't realized how his actions would come off. In the end, she couldn't really fault him for it.
Julian texted again: [Let me make it up to you. Can I take you out for dinner tomorrow night? We can eat somewhere close to your office, and I'll wait as long as it takes.]
Since he had already put it that way, Serena really had no choice but to say yes.
What mattered even more was that she hoped for an opportunity to be honest with Julian, to let him know she didn't see him that way, and that feelings weren't something that could be forced.
Serena felt it would be better for both of them if he could let go of that idea sooner rather than later.
But the next day, Serena was suddenly swamped with a pile of tasks.
Even Graham looked puzzled as he placed the stack of documents on her desk and said, "Mr. Brannon suddenly wants you to review all of this. He said it would be helpful for the ongoing collaboration.
"I already skimmed through it. These are all pretty important files. But expecting you to finish them in a single day feels like a stretch, doesn't it?"
Graham paused, concern flickering in his tone. "Did you accidentally upset Mr. Brannon somehow?"
Frowning, Serena wondered in confusion, 'Did I make Keith mad? As far as I know, I haven't done anything. Besides, he's not the kind of person who lashes out for no reason.'
She shook her head. "He probably just wants me to get more familiar with the company's operations. It's fine. I'll have to read them eventually anyway." She then organized the documents in order and let out a deep breath.
By the time office hours ended, Serena had only made it through about two-thirds of the stack. She couldn't help but take another deep breath.
Her phone, lying nearby, lit up with a new message from Julian. It read: [Are you off work now, Ms. Gray? I'm on my way to pick you up.]
Serena replied with an apologetic message, explaining that she would probably have to work late and wouldn't be able to meet him for dinner.
Julian was a bit disappointed, but of course, he couldn't let it interfere with her work. He could only agree to reschedule for another time.
Serena glanced at the remaining files on her desk, her head starting to ache. Suddenly, a shadow fell across the table, followed by a familiar voice. "Let's go. Time to call it a day."
When she looked up and saw that it was Keith, she couldn't help but feel puzzled.
Keith wore his usual calm expression, a faint smile in his eyes. "There's still so much left. How long were you planning to sit here going through it all on your own? I'm not some kind of slave driver. Just pick it back up tomorrow."
He wasn't wrong. Forcing overtime wasn't really in his character, and Serena had already found it odd earlier. Now it seemed she had been overthinking things.
Serena let out a quiet sigh of relief and started packing up her things.
By now, everyone else at the office had already left. She figured there was nothing wrong with going back with Keith. Since nobody would see them, there was no chance of anyone getting the wrong idea.