Rita’s words brought the lively scene to an awkward halt. The crowd exchanged glances, their expressions a mix of confusion and curiosity. Rita took a sip of her wine, her brows knitting together as she scanned the room. “What? Why’s everyone so quiet?”Derek cleared his throat, breaking the silence. “Rita… Logan, he’s started dating someone new.”Rita’s heart sank, her grip on her wine glass tightening. She forced a smile, trying to sound nonchalant. “Oh, is that it? I thought something serious had happened when he changed his number. Just dating, huh?”Despite her casual tone, a wave of jealousy washed over her. Logan had always had women around him, and she thought she was used to it. But this time, he had been gone for so long…”Yeah, he’ll probably get bored soon and move on,” Derek chuckled.Rita nodded slightly, choosing not to say more.***As the year-end approached, the company hit its busiest season, with meetings stacking up.The event planners and the admin manager met with Camila to discuss the upcoming annual gala. The venue had been booked months in advance, and now it was all about the finishing touches. Camila quietly flipped through her notes, picturing the event-lighting, sound, stage setup-every detail had to be perfect.Camila was new to organizing such a big event, and the pressure of managing something for over a thousand people was getting to her. Departments were eagerly signing up to perform, competing for generous rewards. Some even registered multiple acts. Her colleagues nudged her to join in, saying she didn’t need to dance; singing would be enough. Just her presence on stage would draw votes.Camila claimed to be tone-deaf, butno one bought it, thinking she was just being humble. They were convinced that with her lovely voice, even a simple love song would charm the tech crowd and possiblywin first place for their department.With everyone’s high hopes, Camila couldn’t back out and had to go along with it. She took a deep breath, adjusted her mindset, and prepared to sing. But as soon as she started, it was clear something was off. Her voice was beautiful-clear and pleasant. But every note seemed a bit off-key! The sweet melody they anticipated turned into something quite comical and awkward.Camila realized it too, her face flushing with embarrassment.Later, her team organized a dance routine, but Camila, swamped with work, couldn’t join the rehearsals and had to sit it out. Sᴇaʀ*ᴄh the ƒindNoᴠᴇl.nᴇt website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.The day before the gala.Camila packed her suitcase, placinga stylish bikini inside. The company had booked a plush spa resort for the gala, spanning three days and two nights. Besides the formal event, the rest of the time was for relaxation-a much-needed break for everyone. “All packed?” Connor asked, wrapping his arms around her waist gently.Camila zipped up her suitcase. “Yep, all set. Need help with yours?”Connor shook his head. “I’m good. Let’s get some sleep; we have an early start tomorrow.”In the middle of the night, Connor woke up. He carefully got out of bed, not wanting to wake Camila. Silently, he walked to the wardrobe, gently opened Camila’s suitcase, and switched out her bikini for the one he had picked for her.