Chapter 5.
Jovana snapped the cap back on her pen, her voice calm.
“Nothing much. Just counting down to our anniversary next month.
“Make sure you open that gift I got you then.”
She smoothed Armando’s tie, her eyes dropping, cold as frost.
47
Armando’s heart melted at her touch, and he grabbed her hand, his smile crinkling his eyes.
“Don’t worry, I haven’t forgotten. I’m counting the days to see what’s in that gift. I can hardly wait.”
Jovana’s lips twitched into a faint, bitter smile.
Suddenly, a whiff of sweetness caught her off guard, and her gaze flicked to the bag in Armando’s hand.
“Blondies?”
“Ha, my little foodie’s nose never misses a beat.”
Armando chuckled, playfully tweaking her nose before handing her the bag.“Dig in.”
Jovana adored blondies.
to
get them for her.
Back when they were dating, Armando would brave long lines
He’d tease her then, saying, “So easy to please. You’re low–maintenance.”
She’d just laugh and say, “I don’t care about the rest because I love you.”
Jovana fell silent for a few seconds before reaching out to take the bag.
They tasted just as they always had–sweet but not cloying.
Armando watched her for a moment before speaking up.
“Vana, that dress you liked today? Someone actually pre–ordered it. The saleslady messed up. How about I get another one?”
Jovana froze, the Blondie in her mouth turning to dust.
She thought, “So, everything has its hidden price, after all.
“It seems he’s going to use the things I love to appease his mistress now.”
She forced down the sting in her eyes.
“Sure.”
She didn’t want the dress anymore.
And she didn’t want him either.
The next day was Monday,
Jovana had barely stepped into the office when her assistant, Vonda Flynn, rushed over, breathless with shocking news.
Jovana steadied her.
F
“What’s wrong? Why are you so freaked out?”
“Jovana, it’s terrible…”
Jovana stormed into the CEO’s office, slamming a stack of files onto Armando’s desk.
“Armando, you’re changing the spokesperson I selected?
“How could you make such an important decision without even telling me?”
The thought of her hard work being casually overturned made Jovana’s chest ache with injustice.
Armando put down his own papers. Seeing her so upset, he quickly walked over, pulled her into an embrace, and gently patted her back.
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‘Don’t be upset. It’s not good for you.
“It’s my fault. I should have told you beforehand.
“It’s just that the spokesperson you picked has some issues with their personal life, so we had to make a change.”
He handed her the files from his desk.
Jovana skimmed them, her anger cooling slightly.
“Who’d you pick instead?”
“Juliette Palmer, from Skylark Media. She’s been trending online lately. Funny enough, she’s the girl we ran into at the boutique yesterday. Small world, right?”
Jovana’s mind reeled, like she’d been struck by lightning.
She stared at him, disbelief crashing over her.
Armando kept soothing her.“The marketing team did a full analysis. Overall, Juliette is a better fit for the campaign.
“What do you think?”
It felt like a stone lodged in Jovana’s throat. Her chest ached.
She couldn’t believe Armando would actually let Juliette be the face of the product she had poured her heart and soul into.
“If I say she’s not right for it, will you switch her out?”
Armando hesitated.
It was obvious he was torn, weighing her against Juliette.
Jovana let out a mocking laugh and pushed him away coldly.“Fine. Let it be.”
Her icy words made Armando freeze.
They’d had disagreements before, but they’d never resorted to cold shoulders or silent wars.
Her words left him uneasy, a knot forming in his chest.
“Vana!”
He chased after her, but she was already in the elevator.
He frowned anxiously, suddenly regretting having agreed to Juliette’s request last night.
“Mando…”
He was suddenly embraced gently from behind. Juliette clung to him, shamelessly flirting.
Armando felt a knot of discomfort in his stomach.
Still, he indulged her for a moment, brushing a kiss against her forehead.
“Be good. I told you, don’t cling to me in public. You should go back for now.”
Juliette felt incredibly wronged.
But she still managed to say,“Sorry, I just missed you so much today, and I couldn’t help it. I’ll behave next time…”
“Good girl.”
Armando softened, satisfied, and gave her another quick kiss before leaving.
Juliette didn’t push further.
She knew making a scene would make her seem clingy. Men liked women who knew their place.
But inside, Juliette was seething.
“Jovana, just you wait,” she thought.
