The Bound Between Us

Chapter 18
Anastasia was looking anything but thrilled, and she was beginning to regret attending this little reunion of her classmates
Demi hung up the call and handed Anastasia’s phone back to her with a teasing smirk. “You don’t mind me using your phone,
right, Anastasia?”
She turned to the others and announced. “The man of the hour is on his way. We’re all classmates here, so what if he’s just a
regular employee? Anyone who lands a job at Elysian Technologies must have something going for them. Don’t you dare be
tacky when he shows up”
Everyone had their own thoughts. In today’s society, academic qualifications didn’t say everything. Even if you made it into a big
company, you were still working for someone else, weren’t you?
Cason had been quiet all along. He was curious about the man whoid taken Anastasia from him. Having his love snatched away
by a regular employee left a bitter taste in his mouth.
Anastasia was in a tough spot. With Ms. Sherry present, she couldn’t just up and leave.
Seeing her dilemma, Ms. Sherry gently advised with a smile, “Anastasia, when it comes to choosing a partner, character is what
matters most, along with compatibility. The best choice is someone who suits you”
“Uh–huh,” Anastasia responded. She didn’t care whether Herman was wealthy or not, but she couldn’t help feeling anxious
about what would happen when he arrived. Cason’s presence aside, her classmates had a knack for snide remarks, and she
didn’t want Herman to be the butt of their jokes.
Monica leaned over and whispered to Anastasia, “Let’s make up an excuse and get out of here, shall we?”
The reunion was like a mirror, reflecting various aspects of society. People fawned over those who were doing well, while those
who weren’t were shunned and ridiculed. That’s just how it went.
Anastasia shook her head. Now that Ms. Sherry had spoken, all she could do was tough it out. She made a small excuse: “I
need to use the restroom.”
Someone joked. “There’s a restroom right in this suite, Anastasia. Don’t you dare make a run for it.”
With a frown, Anastasia headed for the restroom and immediately rang Herman back.

He answered promptly. “Anastasia, what’s up?”
“Where are you now?” she asked.
“On my way to Le Manoir Prestige, Herman’s voice drifted from the other end of the call. “I should be there in about ten minutes.”
Anastasia quickly said, “We’re about to wrap things up here. You don’t need to come. Monica will give me a lift home later. It was
just a prank by the
others, don’t take it to heart.”
“No worries, I’ll swing by and pick you up on my way” Herman reassured her with a chuckle, “Don’t stress about it.”
He could guess what might have been happening at the reunion, even without being there. If he didn’t show up, Anastasia might
have felt awkward.
Hearing his gentle voice, his reassurance truly put Anastasia at ease. “Drive carefully,” she said.
“Will do.”
After hanging up, Anastasia breathed a sigh of relief and returned to her seat.
Demi immediately asked, “So Anastasia, when’s your hubby showing up? He’s not standing us up, is he?”
“He’ll be here in a few minutes.” Anastasia knew what they were thinking. They worried that she would keep Herman away, not
letting him meet everyone.
Anastasia was a straightforward person. She didn’t care about phony honor. She and Herman were legally wed, they had
nothing to hide. Realizing this. Anastasia felt a sense of calm return.
Everyone was eagerly anticipating something, their eyes darting towards the door every now and then. This made Cason even
more irritated. About ten minutes later, the suites door suddenly swung open. Everyone perked up and turned towards the door,
only to find a waiter coming in to change the serving dishes
Just as their attention drifted away, a gentle voice echoed from the door. “Anastasia.”
They all looked back to find Herman standing in the doorway.

Dressed in a tailored suit straight from work, Herman looked striking. His suit fit him perfectly, accentuating his charismatic aura.
With his handsome features and impeccable charm, he outshone everyone else in the room.
A female classmate gasped, ‘Wow, he’s really handsome.”
“No wonder Anastasia has been shielding him from us. If I had a husband this good–looking, I’d keep him at home too.”
The moment Cason laid eyes on Herman, his sense of superiority vanished. His gut told him that Herman was a formidable
opponent.
Cason was a top–tier professional overseas and had turned down high–paying offers to be a legal consultant, choosing to return
home instead. This was his first encounter with someone who exuded such a strong presence.
Anastasia stood up, smiling “You’re here.”
Herman walked over to Anastasia’s side. Together, they looked like a match made in heaven. Anastasia introduced him to
everyone “This is my husband,
Herman.”
Herman greeted everyone politely. “Nice to meet you all”
When everyone came to their senses, a classmate commented enviously. “Anastasia, your husband is so handsome. He could
be a movie star”
Even without money, his looks alone were enough to make him admirable. It was just human nature to appreciate beauty.
Anastasia smiled, and Cason suddenly challenged Herman “Mr. Salstrom, I heard you work at Elysian Technologies. Which
department are you in? It’s
notoriously hard to get into that company. Two years ago, when I was overseas, I met the CEO of Elysian Technologies, and
we’re somewhat acquainted. I’m also pretty familiar with many of the leaders at Elysian Technologies, but I can’t seem to recall
anything about you”
His words had an undertone, suggesting that Herman wasn’t exactly big cheese at Elysian Technologies. Cason hadn’t really
met the boss of Elysian Technologies, to be precise, he’d only ever caught a glimpse of his back. They weren’t chummy or
anything. He was just trying to show off a bit in front of Anastasia

Herman had scanned the room as soon as he walked in, and he caught the hostility coming from Cason. In this crowd, Cason
stuck out like a sore thumb. Being a guy, Herman could sense there might’ve been something brewing between Cason and
Anastasia
Herman cracked a small smile and said, Tm in the R&D department.”