Begging For A Reconciliation

Chapter 455 What’s Our Relationship Status
The bitterly cold wind and rain lashed at the windows, rivulets cascading down the glass like waterfalls.
Inside the room, all was silent, but Leah felt as if the clamor in her heart and ears would never stop. The deafening thudding of
her heart helped her to ignore the turmoil in her mind.
Han had kept these photographs all this while. From the looks of it, he had constantly kept them with him as well.
She suddenly felt like crying again; this was not good. Blowing her nose, she was about to return the photos to Han's pocket
when Carlotta's gleeful voice interrupted her. "Mommy! You and Daddy have pictures like this! How come I didn't know about it?
Heehee, I've found out your little secret now! There are so many pictures. I want one to put in my photo album!" She stretched
out her chubby little fingers to take one.
Leah immediately caught hold of her eager hands. Patiently, she explained, "Carlotta, these are your Daddy's photos. Mommy
can't say yes because they're not mine. If you want one, wait till he comes back, then you can ask him yourself, okay?"
These pictures were Han's treasured possessions. She could not make such a decision on her own.
Fortunately, Carlotta did not seem unduly upset by this since she already had a lot of photographs of the three of them together.
"Okay! When is Daddy coming back then?"
Leah bit the inside of her lip hard to remind herself to stay calm. "That, I don't know, darling. He's gone on a business trip. If
things finish fast, then it'll be a few days. If not, perhaps a few months maybe..."
At this, Carlotta's face fell, and she looked accusingly at Leah. "Bad Daddy! He went on such a faraway trip, and he didn't tell
me! Hmph! He'd better have presents for me when he comes back, or I won't forgive him, ever!"
When she saw what a spirited response this had provoked in her daughter, Leah felt even more desolate than before.
Would Han ever come back? Surely he would! He had to.
It was a working day, so Leah stayed with Carlotta and played with her until the early afternoon before leaving for Dream
Designs.

Just like Han had told her before, one had to keep moving forward. True, he was in hospital now. That was a fact. It would not be
worth the company's performance deteriorating because of her negative attitude.
The truth was, when all was said and done, she was using that as an excuse to keep busy so she would stop thinking about
things.
After she had scheduled the afternoon's meetings, her assistant knocked on the door. "Ms. White, Lou Frobisher would like to
see you.'
"Please ask her to come in."
Leah wrinkled her forehead slightly at the familiar name. Lou had been one of her new employees and the most skilled, talented
designer in the company after herself and Serena. She had an inkling of why Lou had come back to see her after resigning from
Dream Designs.
Upon entering the office, Lou went straight to the point. "Ms. White, I would like to represent Dream Designs in the International
Design Contest. I know I'm nowhere as good as you or Ms. Coleman, but I've always dreamed of having an opportunity like this.
Please, could you give me another chance? As long as I can take part, it doesn't matter what the results of the Contest are; I'll
stay with Dream Designs and grow with the company!"
She said a lot more along these lines.
Strangely enough, this did not move Leah as much as might have been expected. If this had happened in the past, she might
have felt touched. However, she had been with Han long enough for him to teach her a great deal about the business world. It
was not difficult for her to immediately realize that Lou was merely saying these things out of necessary courtesy, just so she
could take part in the Contest .
Lou would certainly stay with Dream Designs if she lost. However, if she won, the designer would immediately leave for greener
pastures. The studio would only be a stepping stone in her quest for a brighter, more glamorous future.
"I'm very sorry, Lou. The Contest is extremely important to us this time around. Based on the rules that we set for the company's
internal design competition, only the first-place winner will represent Dream Designs in the International Design Contest."
Whether they won or lost at this event was intrinsically tied to Dream Designs' growth as a company. If no one else in the studio
could match her design skills and capabilities, then Leah would have to take part in the Contest herself.

After Lou left, Leah flipped through the information in her file and her gaze grew increasingly aloof. The main reason for her
turning Lou down was that the woman had previously worked in the design department of the Frey Corporation as a team leader.
Furthermore, on the day of Dream Designs' internal design competition, Lou had been having a meal with her former Frey
Corporation colleagues. Today she had tried to have Leah make an exception and allow her to represent Dream Designs in the
International Design Contest. Even if Leah had been incredibly naive, she would still have been able to see the problem inherent
in that.
It was imperative to find out information on any collaboration partner and be alert for any hidden dangers.
This was also something that Han had told her as Hendrik.
Without her being aware of it, he had become so much part of her life.
At this moment, the phone began ringing urgently.
"Mr. Wright, has anything happened?" The sudden phone call made Leah's heart pound so hard it hurt to breathe. She was
terrified that it would be bad news.
"Ms. White! Our colleagues managed to find the antidote on the attacker's dead body when they searched it! We've already
given the Boss the first dose; he's finally conscious."
The sudden good news made Leah's bleak eyes light up like stars. "Oh! In that case, I'll come over and see him right now!"
"Um. No, Ms. White, the Boss said you're not to come. He's refused the next dose of the antidote as well." Ben's voice lost its
enthusiasm. "The doctor says that if there's another delay like this and he refuses again, he'll only have around a month or so to
live..."
Leah was stunned; immediately, her face crumpled. "Why won't he let me see him?" Had Han's character changed suddenly now
that he had regained consciousness? If their positions were reversed, he would have come up with every scheme under heaven
and earth to get her in a place where he could take care of her, even if he had to deceive her to do so.
"That I don't know...but if you're willing, I really hope you can persuade the Boss to take that second dose of the antidote." Ben
did not say anything else but hung up the call.
Leah felt her heart clench with anxiety. She hesitated for a good while before she finally called Han's number. However, even
though she kept calling repeatedly, he hung up directly without answering.

Just as she was utterly baffled, she received a short text message from Han. It read, "You're concerned about me, yes, but
what's our relationship status?"
Leah's brain froze. She typed and retyped her reply but was unable to send anything in the end.
What exactly was their relationship status?
Was she his ex-wife? Were they friends with benefits, housemates, or merely friends? Their relationship was so complex, with so
many facets, that she could not decide what exactly they were. She was afraid that if she gave the wrong answer, it would further
complicate matters between them.
After quite some time, she finally typed out what she felt was the safest, most neutral answer and sent it. The message read,
"We're friends." Since he had come to her aid countless times, the other answers did not seem appropriate.
She did not receive a reply from Han for a long while.
Since it so happened that it was time for her to leave work, she packed up her things and went straight to the hospital. As soon
as she had left, a figure stole into her office...
By the time Leah arrived at the hospital, it was almost night. However, Han stopped her at the door. "Leah, this isn't something
friends would do. It's best that you don't come and see me in the future."
His words stopped her in her tracks, leaving her utterly dumbstruck.
Ben, the hitherto silent observer who was experiencing love for the first time, sensed something different in the atmosphere. "Ms.
White, I think what the Boss means is that you need to make a choice about your own feelings. If you love him, then agree to be
with him. If you don't, then interact as friends, and don't overstep those boundaries."