I Need the True Ending to Graduate - Chapter 77

“As you can see, my looks aren’t that bad, and I’ve got a good figure too. I’m also frugal and don’t have much greed for material things. I’m absolutely not interested in the boss because of his money.”

‘She’s totally interested in Evan Bell because of his money.’

The moment she emphasized that she wasn’t interested in money, I could be certain that she was extremely interested in Evan Bell’s wealth and was aiming for it.

Seemingly unaware of this at all, the woman continued chattering away, clearly pitching herself.

“And I’m smarter than I look. It’s just that I didn’t really have the chance to learn because I’m a commoner…. Still, if I study for a year or two, I’ll be able to help the boss with his work right by his side. I’ve never been told that I’m bad at my job anywhere else, so I’m confident about that.”

“….”

“It’s a bit embarrassing to say this myself, but I’m very diligent. I’m kind, hardworking, and I don’t know how to slack off. Really, there’s no one in the world who suits the boss as well as I do.”

“….”

“So could you please put in a good word for me with him?”

I’d been absentmindedly listening to the long stream of self-praise when the woman suddenly leaned in close. Startled by her face suddenly approaching, I flinched and leaned my body back.

‘Good grief. Why are you shoving your face this close? It’s uncomfortable.’

Completely unaware that I was uncomfortable with the suddenly shortened distance, the woman looked at me with eyes sparkling full of expectation and urged me for an answer.

“Huh? You’re not interested in the boss anyway, Secretary. But I’m extremely interested. It’s just that the boss hasn’t paid me any attention yet….”

“….”

“If you help me out just a little, I’ll become the boss’s wife in no time. Once I get married, I’ll treat you really well, Secretary. I’m the kind of person who never forgets a favor.”

As she said that, the woman smiled smugly. She looked firmly convinced that she wasn’t the kind of shameless person who would pretend not to know a favor she’d received.

“What do you think, Secretary? Doesn’t it sound like a good deal? Don’t be stingy and help push me toward the boss.”

I let out a small sigh inwardly.

She wasn’t someone I knew, I didn’t even know her name, and the extent of our interaction was just a few minutes of conversation today.

It was uncomfortable enough that she’d suddenly sat across from me while I was eating, and now she was forcing me to respond while rattling off an unsolicited appeal about being the perfect bride.

‘Ah… this is such a pain.’

She was just as rude and bothersome as the group at the academy that used to pick pointless fights with me.

‘If you like Evan Bell that much, then go confess to him yourself. Why come to me and ask me to set you up? This is annoying.’

As if that weren’t enough, my relationship with Evan Bell had grown awkward, leaving my mind already complicated and unsettled. Having a stranger come and beg me to introduce her to Evan Bell made irritation I didn’t even know I had surge up.

But I knew it well. This wasn’t the type of person who would listen even if I refused.

Whether I rejected her kindly or harshly, she would fail to understand and continue appealing herself to me regardless.

Just imagining having to keep hearing what I’d heard today made me feel drained.

‘Let’s just say I’ll try mentioning it to the boss once and get rid of her.’

If she didn’t even have the courage to approach Evan Bell directly, then she wouldn’t have the courage to check whether I’d actually spoken to him either.

I answered the woman, who was waiting for my reply, with a reluctant tone, “I’m just a secretary hired by the boss. I’m not that close with him either. Having you suddenly come over like this and ask me to pass something on to the boss is honestly very burdensome.”

“Come on, Secretary. Don’t be like that. Let’s just keep things pleasant. Why are you being like this when we’re both commoners?”

“…I’ll at least try mentioning it to the boss. But I can’t do anything beyond that.”

When I suppressed the sigh that was about to burst out and replied reluctantly, the woman smiled brightly as if she’d been waiting for it and suddenly grabbed my hand.

“Thank you, Secretary! I knew you’d grant my request! Please make sure to tell the boss this. Laura Ellington. Laura Ellington of Bell Restaurant!”

“Ah, yes….”

I forced out a reply while picking up the name of the woman I didn’t particularly want to know.

Anyone could see that my expression and voice were far from willing, but she seemed completely blind to it, intoxicated by her sweet dream.

She was arrogantly confident that the moment Evan Bell learned her name, he would fall helplessly for her charms and be unable to escape.

‘Just where does that kind of confidence come from?’

Feeling more dumbfounded than annoyed, I silently stared at Laura Ellington when suddenly, a familiar voice came from behind us.

“What exactly are you planning to tell me?”

At that moment, both Laura and I turned our heads toward where the voice came from.

Evan Bell was standing there.

As always, he was impeccably put together from head to toe.

His hair was slicked back with wax without a single strand out of place.

A suit with an elegant sheen that wrapped his solid body.

Black shoes polished to a shine, as if not a speck of dust had ever touched them.

And blue eyes that shone with cold rationality, keen on profit and reason, never allowing himself to take a loss.

He looked every bit the businessman.

His cheeks were noticeably gaunt compared to usual, but that only made him look decadently alluring.

Evan Bell, wearing a sharper expression than usual, walked straight toward the table where we were sitting.

“Boss….”

Laura Ellington called out to him, her cheeks flushing rose like a shy young girl, then slowly released the hand she’d been holding onto me with, as if her strength had drained away.

And when Evan Bell finally stopped in front of the table, she stood up hesitantly to greet him with a face completely different from the one she’d shown me.

“Ah, h-hello, Boss.”

Unlike how boldly she’d behaved toward me while forcing me to act as a bridge between her and Evan Bell, she couldn’t even properly meet his eyes.

Still surprised by her abrupt change in attitude, I heard Evan Bell ask me.

“What’s going on? It sounded like you were going to tell me something.”

“Ah, well….”

I thought this was perfect timing and was just about to introduce Laura Ellington to him as I’d been asked.

That was when she suddenly cut into the conversation and started spouting complete nonsense.

“Actually, the Secretary told me that she’s interested in you, Boss, and asked me if I could speak well of her to you.”

‘…? When did I ever?’

Dumbfounded and stunned, I stared at Laura Ellington. But she ignored my gaze and calmly, skillfully continued lying.

“I told her several times that you really hate being introduced to women, and that if that happened, both the Secretary and I wouldn’t be able to work here anymore. But she kept asking me to help connect you two….”

“….”

“I’m sorry, Boss. I should’ve refused more firmly….”

At Laura Ellington’s increasingly absurd remarks, I was left speechless, as if I’d been struck on the back of the head.

It was as shocking as when Karl Evenhart stole my thesis, or when academy students harassed me with crude, worthless remarks.

And at the same time, I realized why she’d asked me to introduce her to Evan Bell in the first place.

‘She was trying to get me fired from the secretary position altogether.’

Knowing that Evan Bell hated being introduced to women, she’d deliberately made me do it.

Because she didn’t like that I was close to Evan Bell, she was trying to remove me entirely.

On top of that, she could take the opportunity to make her name known to Evan Bell as well, killing two birds with one stone.

‘She’s seriously insane.’

It wasn’t enough that she’d stalked and observed me like a creep for months. The moment she realized Evan Bell’s condition hadn’t been very good lately, she immediately decided I was the cause, set me as her target, and approached me. It was chilling and disgusting.

‘We haven’t even started a relationship yet, and she’s already pulling this kind of thing just to keep me in check?’

Feeling anew how unforgiving a romance simulation game could be, I opened my mouth to explain things to Evan Bell.

“Boss….”

Before I could even speak, Evan Bell cut me off and looked at Laura Ellington with the most vicious expression I’d ever seen.

It was a face steeped in deep loathing, impossible to compare to the raw hostility he’d directed at me before.

As the atmosphere suddenly grew heavy, both Laura Ellington and I simultaneously watched his reaction.

‘What’s going on?’

While I sat there like a sack of barley, watching the situation unfold, Evan Bell opened his mouth.

“Laura Ellington.”

“….”

“Answer me.”

“…Yes, Boss.”

“You’re fired as of today at 5:30 p.m.”

“What?”

Leaving Laura Ellington’s shocked face behind, I quickly checked the clock inside the restaurant.

The current time was exactly 5:30 p.m.

That meant he was firing her immediately.

At the bolt from the blue, Laura Ellington couldn’t hide her bewilderment.

“B-Boss. You’re firing me all of a sudden? You should be firing Lucia Even, not me.”

“….”

“Ah, you misspoke, right? That’s it, isn’t it?”

“No. Laura Ellington, I’m firing you. Pack your things and disappear from my sight immediately.”

At that moment, Laura Ellington’s face was completely washed of color.

It was a face full of despair, like someone whose sandcastle had been mercilessly swept away by crashing waves.

And as she began to realize the reality that had come crashing down on her, her face slowly twisted with anger.

“Why?”

“….”

“Why do I have to quit? The one who did wrong is Lucia Even, so why are you protecting her?”

“….”

“She approached you on purpose because she was after you, Boss. She told me so herself! She said she coveted the wealth you have! She asked me to help her so she could live extravagantly spending your money, and promised she’d reward me handsomely later if I helped…!”

Agitated, Laura Ellington shouted with the veins standing out on her slender neck, repeatedly pointing at me as I sat there.

Watching her hurl accusations at me in an attempt to frame me, I didn’t so much feel anger or irritation as sheer disbelief.

‘Why is she going this far….’

Suddenly being confronted with hostility deeper than I’d expected left me stunned. If Evan Bell weren’t one of my capture targets, I would’ve wanted to just hand him over to Laura Ellington.