Female Novel"I missed you, so I came to pick you up," Percy said sweet nothings without hesitation despite beingsurrounded by employees from Brilliant. He did not feel embarrassed at all.
He pressed the elevator button, and the doors slowly opened.
Percy and Nina entered the elevator together.
Nina looked at the people standing outside the elevator doors and asked, "Aren't you guys coming in?"
"Ms. Langdon, we wouldn't want to be a third wheel. We'll catch the next one." The employeeschuckled and waved.
Nin's face slightly reddened. Since no one entered, the elevator doors slowly closed and descended.
One of the Brilliant employees could not help but exclaim, "Ms. Langdon and her fiancé have such agood relationship."
"Fiancé? They're legally recognized as a married couple now. It's just that they just haven't had thewedding ceremony yet. Besides, haven't we already received the wedding invitations?" anotheremployee corrected her.
"Come on, it was just a slip of the tongue. They're such a sweet couple, and it doesn't seem like there'sany problem between them. Who on earth spread the rumor that Ms. Langdon was abused by herhusband?" the employee who had just exclaimed suddenly questioned.
Nina's face was swollen back then, and for some reason, a rumor spread in the company that Nina wasbeing abused by Percy.
The parties involved did not say anything, but the rumor spread like wildfire behind their backs.
"Many couples appear loving in public, but who knows what happens behind closed doors until it showson their faces?"
"So, you mean it might actually be true? But Mr. Mallory doesn't seem like that kind of person."
"You can't judge a book by its cover. Businessmen like them might be violent behind closed doors. Aviolent person tends to lay hands on those around them. Look at Ms. Langdon. She's so fragile andthin, but she has to endure her husband's fists... for the sake of money..."
Once these discussions start, even false rumors would be thought of as true.
They were deeply engrossed in their discussion, so much so that they did not even notice Sue standingbehind them.
Sue's expression grew darker and darker as she listened to their discussion. She could not bear tolisten anymore and said, "How on earth are you all so good at making up stories? Maybe you shouldquit the architectural industry and become scriptwriters instead?
"The stuff you come up with would be a hit with the soccer moms, no doubt. Ignorance is bliss, butyou're already cooking up a whole damn soap opera for Ms. Langdon. You think talking like this will getyou off the hook, huh?"
The group was startled and turned around to see a grim expression on Sue’s face.
"Ms. Carter."
"Ms. Carter."
After they greeted Sue, no one dared to speak. They dared to gossip thinking no one was around. Nowthat they knew Sue was here, they dared not continue.
There was no way this conversation could continue.
"Why aren't you saying anything?" Sue looked at them. "I thought you all loved gossiping."
"I’m sorry, Ms. Carter." A female employee explained with a stiff smile on her face, "We're justconcerned about Ms. Langdon."
"You’ve got the guts to talk about your superior’s personal business here, so how come you don't havethe guts to say it to our faces?" Sue questioned them.
They fell silent.
"Ms. Langdon's marriage is doing well, and that bothers you, doesn't it?" Sue was not as gentle as Ninawas with everyone.
She was downright scary when she was giving someone a dressing down.
Moreover, she would not scold indiscriminately without reason—only when she had a point.
If the other party had not done anything wrong, she would not lash out randomly.
The employees lowered their heads.
Sue added, "You guys shouldn't meddle so much in other people’s business. Whether or not Ms.Langdon is being abused, let's not jump to conclusions. And even if it's true, if she hasn't called thecops, why are you all worrying about it as if you're the police?"
The employees still did not say a word.
They were unlucky to have been caught badmouthing their superiors.
"If you dare to discuss Ms. Langdon's affairs in the company again, I'll record everything you say andlet Mr. Mallory listen to you all gossiping about their married life." After scolding them, Sue entered theelevator.
Those people dared not enter.
Sue did not ask them to come into the elevator either. Her gloomy expression was frightening. Evenafter the elevator doors closed, she was still displeased.
She really wanted to clarify for Nina that it was not Percy who slapped her but someone else.
However, if she said that, those people would speculate about who it was, and such speculation wouldhave an even greater impact on Nina.
She could not say it was Percy's mother who slapped Nina, could she?
Would that not cause a huge uproar?
Such rumors could turn from marital issues to problems between a mother-in-law and daughter-in-law.
That was why Sue scolded them but did not speak up for Nina. She took out her phone and sent amessage to Nina, complaining about those people gossiping about Nina behind her back.
By the time Nina received Sue's message, she was already in Percy's car.
She could not help but let out a laugh when she saw the message.
"What's so funny?" Percy fastened his seatbelt, planning to take Nina out for dinner.
"Sue heard the employees gossiping about us behind our backs just now. They said you're a violentman. You abused me, and you even slapped me in the face, which was why my face was swollen.
Haha..." Nina laughed. Suddenly, she could not continue.
She forgot that Percy did not know about the slap incident.
How could she explain why the employees were saying such things behind her back?
"Is that even for real?" Percy frowned and rubbed his chin. "I don't look that fierce. How could they thinkyour swollen face was because of me?"novelbin
"You knew?" Nina widened her eyes. Who told him?
"Nina, do you think I wouldn't know if you didn’t tell me?" Percy heaved a sigh. "Actually, someone elsetold me this time. It was the leader of the property's security team who told me. He usually gets a lot ofperks from me, but this time, he let someone in, and it was his negligence.
"He was worried I would hold him accountable and he would lose his job, so he confessed. He told meafter my mother left," explained Percy.
Nina sighed. "He actually told you."
"Even if he didn't, many others would tell me." Percy touched her face. After some time, the swellinghad gone down, and it was not obvious she had been slapped.
"When something like this happens, you shouldn't hide it from me. I'm your husband. It's only naturalfor me to stand up for you. You shouldn't do this," added Percy.
"I know, but the one who slapped me was your mother. Your relationship with her has gotten prettytense because of me. I didn't want you to know because I wanted you two to patch things up a bit.
"Forget it, I won't hide anything from you in the future. I can't hide it anyway." Nina let out a sigh. Hidingsomething from Percy? It seemed impossible.
This man was too shrewd.
He had eyes everywhere. She could not hide anything from him.
"Yes, don't hide anything from me in the future. We're husband and wife. We're supposed to be one.Come on, let me take you to the restaurant you wanted to go to before." Percy started the car anddrove away.