It was the first time she could be friends with a guy. Atlas was a friend who made her hopeful that she could build a deep friendship like the one she had with Olive, who she had known since her teenage years.
Alice thought about consulting Atlas later about what Uncle Colton had said.
While she was lost in thought, they arrived in front of Alice’s house.
“Alice, are you going to go inside?”
As Alice was about to thank him and enter, Atlas stopped her.
“Are you going in or not?”
“I have something to say, so stay a bit longer.”
The moment Atlas grabbed her shoulder, Alice suddenly felt uneasy.
“Can’t you tell me later? I really need to go in quickly.”
Her heart was pounding ominously.
“Alice, I like you.”
“I like you as a friend too.”
“I like you as a woman.”
Uncle Colton’s words seemed to echo in her ears again.
In front of Alice, who was turning pale, Atlas continued his confession.
“I think it was from the very beginning; I fell for you at first sight because you’re so beautiful. I was scared to confess because I thought our friendship might end. But since we’re graduating soon, I felt I would regret it if I didn’t express this feeling, so I’m confessing with the help of alcohol.”
So that’s how it was; without knowing, she had felt relieved thinking he was just a male friend she was dating for the first time.
“Alice Wesley, you were a woman from the start. I never thought of you as just a friend. Every time you looked at me so beautifully, it drove me crazy.”
Alice regretted that she had been too naive until now. She had foolishly believed that friendships could exist between men and women.
Alice also thought that the pure feelings of liking someone should be acknowledged and respected.
However, she no longer had the emotional capacity to accept it.
She couldn’t accept it or brush it off as a joke. She felt a strange sadness and a sense of collapse. Atlas’s hand on her shoulder felt heavy.
“I’m sorry.”
The only thing Alice could say was that she was sorry.
After rushing into her house as if to escape, Alice avoided Atlas for the remaining days of winter break. As soon as the break started, she changed her phone number.
Perhaps because of Uncle Colton’s words that lingered in her memory, Alice became busy hiding herself from that moment on.
Her closet was filled only with long clothes.
Was she trying to hide her emotional scars, her face, or both?
As she pondered how to look less attractive, she ended up with the current disguise.
The vague disguise didn’t help much.
By hiding herself, she could escape people’s attention. The incidents that frequently occurred with men also disappeared.
Strangely, after covering herself up, Alice felt like she was living as her true self. Now, her disguised appearance felt more comfortable.
Alice entered the company lobby after habitually checking if her makeup was still intact.
What should I do after work today?
Muttering to herself as she passed through the gate, Alice exuded a professional aura.
Like any other office worker, she was already thinking about leaving as soon as she arrived.
Before marriage, she hadn’t waited for quitting time like this…
As her married life continued, Alice felt more and more that accepting Ryan’s proposal was a great decision.
The luxurious penthouse was waiting for her, and the work-life balance was secured thanks to the housekeeper’s aunt.
While the improved quality of life was comfortable and nice, the freedom from her mother’s obsession was the most satisfying.
The pressure mixed with concern she received every dinner, the forced selection of photos of men for blind dates felt like a distant memory.
Just as she was picturing her after-work plans, someone suddenly wrapped their arm around hers.
“Hey! Alice, are you heading to work now?”
It was Vera, her friend, and colleague, who started at the same time. With a starbox coffee in one hand, the fat under her eyes stood out as she smiled brightly.
When no one at Mobid Holdings welcomed Alice, Vera was the first to approach her.
At first glance, her slightly upturned cat-like eyes and distinct features made her seem aloof, but she was actually a down-to-earth and honest friend.
“Vera, is it true that you haven’t even started the week yet?”
Alice nodded in agreement, shifting her gaze to Vera’s extravagant outfit that rejected the ordinary.
As expected, it was a very Vera outfit. Dark brown shoes, a brown skirt, a feminine blouse with a yellow ribbon, and earrings that sparkled brightly from her ears.
The bright yellow blouse seemed to declare, “I am Vera Rowan!”
“Is that a blouse I’ve never seen before? The color is so Vera-like. I could recognize you from afar.
