Nick sat there with Harry, but his mind was miles away. Harry glanced up from his papers, noticing Nick hadn't flipped through his own stack in the past ten minutes. He raised an eyebrow, curious. "You good? You've been staring at that page like it's gonna solve world peace. What's on your mind?"
Nick sighed and leaned back in his chair, rubbing his temples. "It's Amelia. She's been acting so distant lately, like she's already made up her mind about the divorce. Says she wants to wait till my dad's situation clears up before going through with it, but honestly, I don't get it."
Harry squinted, listening as Nick continued, his voice weighed down with confusion. "She's got all these reasons, you know? She keeps telling me I won't be able to love her kids the way she does because they aren't mine, and that our marriage won't last because of it. But I've changed, man. I've shown her I'm willing to step up, be a real dad to them. And still, she's holding back."
Harry's brow furrowed, trying to follow the emotional rollercoaster Nick was laying out. "So, wait... you're telling me you've been putting in the work, showing her you care about those kids, and she's still talking about leaving?"
Nick nodded, frustration building in his voice. "Exactly. That's what's been messing with my head. But there's more to it." He hesitated for a moment, unsure of how much to share, but the confusion eating at him wouldn't let up. "Last night, Amelia got drunk, right? And out of nowhere, she starts saying that it's not just the kids who need me, that she needs me too. She even... I mean, we almost..."
Harry's eyes widened. "You almost what?"
"We almost slept together," Nick admitted, running a hand through his hair. "But she passed out before anything could happen. Now I don't know what's real. Is she pushing me away because she's scared, or does she really not want this marriage to work? I'm stuck, man. I don't know what to believe."
Harry shook his head, trying to process everything. "Nick, that's some heavy stuff. But honestly, it sounds like Amelia's just confused herself. I mean, if she's feeling jealous when other women, like Rowena, come around you, that's gotta mean something, right? She still cares."
Nick raised an eyebrow. "...."
Harry chuckled nervously, realizing he'd just said too much. "Uh, you know, like that time when Rowena was trying to cozy up to you at that event. Amelia wasn't having any of it, man. She definitely didn't like seeing another woman all over you."
Nick narrowed his eyes. "And you didn't think to tell me this sooner?"
Harry gulped, realizing he'd stepped on a landmine. "Okay, maybe I should've mentioned it earlier. But I also might've let it slip to Amelia that if I got fired, someone else—like a pretty secretary—might take my spot. Just to, you know, make her think twice about letting you let me go."
Nick's jaw tightened in irritation. "You pulled a trick like that on her? Man, you're lucky I've got bigger problems right now, or you'd be out of here."
Harry held his hands up defensively. "I know, I know, it was a dumb move. But think about it—if she didn't care about you, she wouldn't have gotten riled up. That jealousy, that's proof she's still got feelings. She's just scared of getting hurt again."
Nick's anger simmered down as he mulled over Harry's point. He knew Harry was right. Amelia's emotions were all over the place, but underneath it all, there was something keeping her tied to him. "Maybe. But it doesn't change the fact that she wants out."
Harry shrugged. "Well, sometimes actions speak louder than words. What if instead of talking about staying together, you just show her what it could be like? You're planning that gala dinner for Zhao Corp, right? Why not use it as a chance to remind everyone, including Amelia, that you two are still married?"
Nick frowned. "She'd never go for that. Announcing us as a couple would just piss her off."
Harry leaned forward, an idea forming. "Okay, maybe not an announcement, but what if you let your wedding rings do the talking? Show the world—and Amelia—that you're serious about your marriage."
Nick paused, considering it. "Rings, huh?"
Harry grinned. "Yeah, man. Get matching rings. Let the symbol speak for itself. Every time she looks at it, she'll be reminded of your commitment. I bet she'll start seeing things differently."
Nick smirked slightly, feeling the first glimmer of hope he'd had in a while. "You might be onto something, Harry. Alright, order the rings. Something simple but meaningful."
Harry saluted playfully. "Consider it done, boss."
***
Later that day, Nick was caught off guard when he spotted Rowena back at work. He blinked, wondering if he was seeing things. He had fired her, right? And yet, there she was, acting like nothing had happened.
"What the hell is she doing here?" Nick muttered under his breath.
Before he could march over and ask her himself, Mrs. Zhao intercepted him. "Nick, dear, Rowena is staying," she said matter-of-factly, as if the decision was already made.
"Staying? Mom, I fired her for a reason. She crossed the line with Amelia. How can you back her after that?"
"It's fine," Amelia suddenly interrupted, stepping into the room. "Everyone deserves a second chance. I don't have an issue with Rowena as long as she stays professional. Besides, I barely know Adam. Maybe Rowena can be the bridge between us."
Nick glanced at his mom and then his wife, noticing how tired and worn out she looked. Amelia had been in deep discussion with Professor Lewis for hours about their research, which seemed to be hitting some serious roadblocks.
Nick sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Alright. But no more petty drama. We need to focus on what's best for the company."
He gave Amelia one last look, realizing how much was weighing on both of them. "And you, Rowena. You can work again as long as you follow the conditions. Bring my wife a hot cup of coffee and a healthy snack every day as a proper apology."
Rowena's eyes widened, but she couldn't argue. Meanwhile, Amelia didn't protest, thinking it was only fair payback for all the years Rowena had bullied her back in college.