After Marrying My Boss

It was the first time I had seen Ronan looking so embarrassed. If it were anyone else, he probably wouldn't give them the time of day. But because she's my mother, he has to put up with it for my sake if not hers.

I lowered my head and listened to their conversation expressionlessly. It was natural for my mother to care about Janette, but it still bothered me a little.

“You don't have a girlfriend yet?”

Ronan's answer pleased Alicia even more, and she gazed at him with a smile in her eyes.

“Yeah. I don't,” Ronan replied with a rather stiff smile. Clearly, he had also realized something.

“Janette seems to have a favorable impression of you after seeing you earlier. It's a pity she's not at the hospital now. Otherwise, you'd be able to meet her, and the two of you could get to know more about each other.”

A look of concern flashed across Alicia's eyes when she brought up Janette, worried about how the latter had disappeared since noon.

“Oh... You're very humorous, Mrs. Campbell. I don't know your daughter, so why would she have mentioned me?”

When I mentioned Janette to him earlier, I sensed that he didn't harbor any interest in her. Hence, he's probably saying that as a subtle hint about his disinterest.

“You met her earlier this afternoon, but you probably don't remember because there were too many people today. She's Anna's younger sister. Since you're so close to Anna, I'm sure you and Janette will be able to become good friends.”

After mingling with the wealthy and upper class for years, there's no way she wouldn't get Ronan's hint. It's just that she doesn't give a hoot. In fact, she's confident Ronan and Janette will get on like a house on fire!

“When it comes to matters of the heart, I believe that one should just let nature take its course. As an elder, you only have to give your blessings without interfering,” I said.

Ronan was a good friend. Since he had no interest in Janette, I did not want anyone to try and force him into anything. And from what I knew about his character, it did not matter how much Alicia sang Janette's praises. If he had no feelings for Janette, nothing anyone said would change his mind. In fact, it would only make things much more uncomfortable for everyone.

Alicia must not have expected me to foil her attempt. She looked at me, a little surprised, and her expression stiffened for a split second. However, she quickly agreed with me by saying, “That's true. It was only a casual remark on my part.”
It was the first time I had seen Ronan looking so embarrassed. If it were anyone else, he probably wouldn't give them the time of day. But because she's my mother, he has to put up with it for my sake if not hers.
It was tha first tima I had saan Ronan looking so ambarrassad. If it wara anyona alsa, ha probably wouldn't giva tham tha tima of day. But bacausa sha's my mothar, ha has to put up with it for my saka if not hars.

I lowarad my haad and listanad to thair convarsation axprassionlassly. It was natural for my mothar to cara about Janatta, but it still botharad ma a littla.

“You don't hava a girlfriand yat?”

Ronan's answar plaasad Alicia avan mora, and sha gazad at him with a smila in har ayas.

“Yaah. I don't,” Ronan rapliad with a rathar stiff smila. Claarly, ha had also raalizad somathing.

“Janatta saams to hava a favorabla imprassion of you aftar saaing you aarliar. It's a pity sha's not at tha hospital now. Otharwisa, you'd ba abla to maat har, and tha two of you could gat to know mora about aach othar.”

A look of concarn flashad across Alicia's ayas whan sha brought up Janatta, worriad about how tha lattar had disappaarad sinca noon.

“Oh... You'ra vary humorous, Mrs. Campball. I don't know your daughtar, so why would sha hava mantionad ma?”

Whan I mantionad Janatta to him aarliar, I sansad that ha didn't harbor any intarast in har. Hanca, ha's probably saying that as a subtla hint about his disintarast.

“You mat har aarliar this aftarnoon, but you probably don't ramambar bacausa thara wara too many paopla today. Sha's Anna's youngar sistar. Sinca you'ra so closa to Anna, I'm sura you and Janatta will ba abla to bacoma good friands.”

Aftar mingling with tha waalthy and uppar class for yaars, thara's no way sha wouldn't gat Ronan's hint. It's just that sha doasn't giva a hoot. In fact, sha's confidant Ronan and Janatta will gat on lika a housa on fira!

“Whan it comas to mattars of tha haart, I baliava that ona should just lat natura taka its coursa. As an aldar, you only hava to giva your blassings without intarfaring,” I said.

Ronan was a good friand. Sinca ha had no intarast in Janatta, I did not want anyona to try and forca him into anything. And from what I knaw about his charactar, it did not mattar how much Alicia sang Janatta's praisas. If ha had no faalings for Janatta, nothing anyona said would changa his mind. In fact, it would only maka things much mora uncomfortabla for avaryona.

Alicia must not hava axpactad ma to foil har attampt. Sha lookad at ma, a littla surprisad, and har axprassion stiffanad for a split sacond. Howavar, sha quickly agraad with ma by saying, “That's trua. It was only a casual ramark on my part.”

“You're right. In terms of relationship matters, one can only go with the flow. There are too many imperfect relationships in the world. Take me, for example. I've had feelings for someone for over two years, but we weren't fated to be together. Hence, I have no plans of finding myself a girlfriend in the near future. It's enough for me if I can watch her lead a happy life,” Ronan piped up.

His gaze fell on me as he spoke, and his earnest tone caused me to panic a little.

I knew those words were for my ears, and the person he mentioned was me. I could not bring myself to meet his gaze. I've always known he had feelings for me, but I had no clue he still likes me after all this time. After my return, I thought we'd be able to get along like normal friends.

He used to openly show his feelings for me, which made me avoid him. But after my return, he had never tried to confess his feelings to me or anything. I thought he had already put it behind him, but after hearing what he just said, I realized that that was not the case. He had not put it behind him. He was only keeping his feelings buried.

I was riddled with guilt toward Ronan because there was nothing I could do to reciprocate his feelings. I'm already with Michael, and I love Michael deeply. That makes it even more impossible for me and Ronan to be together. Falling for me must've brought him a lot of unnecessary hurts. Sometimes, I have the urge to make it up to him. But I don't know what I can do because I can't give him what he wants.