The Unveiled Rose

Satisfied, Sasha hooked her arm around mine and said, "It's nothing to be embarrassed about."

When she spoke, she glanced around to ensure no one was around and pulled me into the office. After shutting the door, she said in a hushed voice, "I managed to hack into Game Department's system! I know everything now! I know what happened recently and also in the past!" But even after discovering so many secrets, she couldn't tell anyone about them. She could keep them in her heart. It bothered her so much that, after mulling it over, she decided to skip work and come to talk to me about it.

I plopped on the couch and placed my bag on the table beside me. "Are you really that good at hacking?"

Sasha sat beside me. She tilted her chin upward a little, seemingly proud of her achievement. "That goes without saying!"

She looked so pleased with herself that I found it amusing. I felt the corners of my mouth lift into a smile.

She was so young and so full of life.

Sasha wasted no time telling me about all the gossip she'd heard, and my jaw dropped listening to her.

When she was done gossiping about her colleagues, she recalled the incident two days ago and told me, "Do you remember that guy from two days ago? I didn't agree to become his girlfriend, and he found himself another woman to be his girlfriend." "Yeah, I remember." I nodded.

"They're so repulsive these days!" Sasha snorted in disdain. "We have the same group of friends. They're all unemployed. All they do is move around the city and have fun."

She continued, "Sometimes, they'd hold gatherings. I love going to places bustling with activity..."

She paused as her mind replayed a certain memory. She regretted showing up at the gathering so much.

Still, she admitted, "I went to their gatherings several times before. But each time, that guy would bring his girlfriend along and be all lovey-dovey with her!"

Sasha seethed in rage, and I patted the back of her hand to calm her down.

"I was so sick of it." She pouted, visibly upset. "Later on, they were so horribly sweet with each other that I had to hang out with my friends to stop myself from looking at them. However, they just wouldn't stop getting in my face. They did it all the time!" Sasha just couldn't understand why the couple would do something so ridiculous. "I didn't feel like going to the gatherings with them around, so I told my friends that I wouldn't show up to any of the gatherings anymore if those two were around. "In the end, they said that I was just jealous of that guy and his girlfriend!"

Sasha was so exasperated that she rolled her eyes.

I couldn't understand why her friends would say something like that. I pondered aloud, "They wouldn't say that if they were mentally sound."

"That's right!" Sasha nodded profusely. "I stop seeing it as a big deal. I didn't feel like hanging out with them anymore. It's like the only thing that exists in their world is the romantic kind of love. There's nothing else in their minds." Sasha clenched her hands and said, "Cutting ties with them was the right thing to do! I've decided that I'll work my arse off from today onward!"

Just then, Zane broke his silence. "Then, why did you come to chat with Annalise? Is this your way of being hardworking?"

A chill ran up Sasha's spine. Talking with me made her so excited and engrossed that she forgot Zane was right beside us.

She shot up from the couch and hollered, "I'll get back to work right away!"

...

After Sasha left, I busied myself drawing. When I was done, I worked overtime to color the drafts I had completed before this. This way, I managed to finish all the tasks I had set for myself today.

I relaxed on the couch and took out my phone to check the status of my account. In just a short time, I had garnered hundreds of followers and several thousand views.

I couldn't believe it! I made so much progress so quickly!