妻子与冒名顶替者

Chapter 23

A Few Days Later.

Nova waited until her colleagues had left before quietly slipping into the underground parking lot, as she usually did. Steve's car was parked in the usual corner.

"You seem to be in a good mood," Nova said with a hint of a smile as she opened the car door and got inside.

"What makes you think so?" Steve replied, smiling as he turned down the music's volume.

"Usually, you're busy reading documents while waiting for me, but today you're listening to music. I'm guessing you've solved the company's market share issue."

"That's right," Steve nodded, a satisfied smile on his face. "Not only that, but we've also developed a new product that's selling well. At this rate, the company's profits might not just hold steady this quarter; they might even increase. Plus, there's another reason to celebrate."

"And what's that?" Nova asked curiously.

"Think about it," Steve teased, clearly not planning to tell her directly.

Nova thought for a moment. "Is it because it's Friday?"

Steve looked puzzled. "Why would Friday be worth celebrating?"

"Friday marks the end of the workweek, which means we have two days off."

"That makes some sense, but no." Steve shook his head.

"Did you secure a new partnership with another company?" Nova guessed.

"Nope." Steve shook his head again.

Nova thought hard, then finally sighed in defeat. "I give up. Just tell me."

"Today marks one month since we met. We first met on the streets of Chicago a month ago."

Nova paused, then suddenly realized, "Oh, right, it is." She softly agreed, feeling a wave of emotions. An anniversary of meeting—it seemed more like something couples would celebrate. The thought made her blush.

She lowered her head, silently asking herself: What exactly is her relationship with Steve now? Their interactions were far beyond the typical boss and employee, even closer than friends. If she never regained her memory, would she continue this way with Steve? And what if Steve found a girlfriend one day...?

A whirlwind of emotions overwhelmed Nova, leaving her unsure of how to handle these complex feelings.

"Nova, Nova." Steve's voice snapped her out of her thoughts.

"Sorry, what did you just say?" Nova looked up, a bit dazed.

"I said we're here. You seemed lost in thought and didn't get out of the car. I called you several times, but you didn't respond. What were you thinking about?" Steve asked with concern.

"Ah, nothing," Nova replied, flustered, as her heart raced seeing Steve's close-up face. She tried to calm herself down.

"Uh... I was just thinking about..." She suddenly noticed the fountain at the entrance and had a flash of inspiration. "I was thinking about learning how to swim since you have a pool."

"Great idea. I can be your coach."

After changing into her swimsuit, Nova grabbed a yellow duck-patterned float and headed to the pool. The sun shone on the clear water, making the pool sparkle like countless gems.

Nova jumped in; the water temperature was perfect. She lay her head and arms on the float, letting her body naturally hang in the water, feeling the buoyancy. She closed her eyes comfortably, like a cat basking in the sun.