Delayed Passion: Miss Lynch's Unrequited Love-Chapter 98: Coward

Thea Lynch had no idea how she got through the night.

She lay silently on the bed, staring out the window. A gap in the window allowed the autumn wind to sweep in, lifting the heavy dark curtains.

She gazed at the swirling arcs in the air for a long time, unable to snap out of it.

It was as if she was caught in an old dream.

The scene in front of her gradually blurred, and she blinked her dry eyes. In the next moment, the scene transformed to when she was seventeen, and her vision slowly cleared.

By the time she exhaustedly closed her eyes, it was already past six in the morning.

Looking through the gap in the curtains, the thick night had faded. The sky was turning white, and traces of urban sounds could be faintly heard outside.

Her assistant had booked a high-speed train ticket for nine in the morning, and when she wanted to rest, there was already no chance.

She moved her numb body and got up like a zombie, washing up. Luckily, she had packed her things the night before. When the car arrived downstairs, she put on a coat and pulled her suitcase down the stairs.

On weekdays at this time, Coronet is never without traffic jams. 𝘧𝑟𝑒𝑒𝘸𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝘰𝓂

As soon as Thea got in the car, she leaned back on the seat to nap. She originally intended to sleep soundly, but all she heard were horns, and the car constantly stopped and started, brakes squealing, making it impossible for her to sleep.

By the time she reached the train station, it was already eight in the morning.

After queuing through security checks, Thea didn’t have time to go to the lounge, and soon after, boarding started.

It only takes over two hours from Coronet to Riverbend, but on the high-speed train, the time doubles.

Thea slept the entire journey. However, her sleep was not restful. In her dreams, there was chaos, like a spilled jar of seasonings, various scents mixed together, leaving her swaying between different emotions.

The attendant woke her up as the train was about to arrive.

"Miss Lynch, we’ll arrive at Riverbend North Station in five minutes."

Opening her eyes, Thea still carried a hint of bewilderment.

Taking a few seconds to regain composure, she nodded toward the attendant, "Thank you."

The attendant wore a standard smile, squatting beside her to remind:

"It seems your phone received a call earlier. When I called you, it automatically disconnected."

Upon hearing this, Thea glanced at the phone on the small table. The attendant moved quicker than her, handing it over.

"I won’t disturb you further."

The attendant left, giving her privacy.

Opening her phone, Thea skimmed over the call logs. At the top, it showed Sean Bell had called twice two minutes ago.

Her phone was on silent, so she hadn’t received the calls.

Thea put the phone back in her pocket, having no intention of calling back. As the train pulled into the station, she yawned, washed her face to wake up, and finally departed under the attendant’s watchful eyes.

This time, she came alone, without her assistant. Thea could only carry her luggage straight to Valiant.

Though the main purpose of this trip was to avoid problems.

But work isn’t something to be neglected, regardless of size.

She remained at Valiant’s R&D department until nine in the evening, only finishing then.

The R&D manager and two bigshots accompanied her back to the hotel. On the way, the manager couldn’t help but probe, "Group Leader Lynch, did you join Stratus right after returning home? Haven’t you considered other companies?"

"Yes." Though she hadn’t slept much, finishing work left Thea’s brain extremely active and clear-headed.

Aside from looking slightly tired, there was nothing unusual.

The manager chuckled, half-jokingly asking, "Then why didn’t Group Leader Lynch consider us at Valiant? We also have a branch in Coronet."

"I initially considered it, but Stratus intercepted me midway. Having a close relationship with President Cheng made it hard to refuse."

Thea’s tone was lighthearted, without any irritation.

"Plus, Stratus suits me better. Valiant and Stratus have different strategies, each with their strengths. I hope this collaboration won’t disappoint both companies but leads us all to progress."

Some pleasantries ought to be said, even if they’re of no practical use, they certainly make people feel better.

This is a skill Thea occasionally unlocks, deciding if she wants to say them and how many, based entirely on her mood.

The R&D manager smiled in agreement, repeatedly praising.

"With Group Leader Lynch here, if this collaboration succeeds, it will undoubtedly shake the entire industry."

"This isn’t something I can achieve alone." Thea smiled, "I’ll focus on what’s within my responsibilities and do my best."

"I believe in Group Leader Lynch. Anyway, if you have other thoughts afterwards, feel free to contact us anytime, Valiant always welcomes you."

"I’ll keep that in mind, thank you."

Back at the hotel, Thea signaled the waiter to place the luggage in the bedroom.

Once alone, she prepared the bathwater and indulged in a comfortable soak.

She slept for twenty minutes in the bathtub, awakening to the persistent vibration of her phone. Thea, groggy-eyed, picked up her phone to check the messages.

In the work group chat, Foreman Chandler asked: "Foreman Lynch, everything going smoothly?"

With water on her hand, Thea wiped it on the handle beside, "Don’t worry, everything is going well."

Foreman Chandler replied instantly: "That’s good. I heard you suddenly went on a business trip alone, worried the issue was too daunting for you to handle."

"No major issues, just a simple meeting with them."

She briefly recounted today’s work, and Chandler couldn’t help but complain: "The people at Valiant are really picky, aren’t they? What’s wrong with their R&D department?"

This was their internal R&D group, with no outsiders. Thus, Chandler spoke his mind.

"It’s not a big problem, these matters could be resolved online, yet they had you travel so far, such a hassle."

"No worries, I’ll head back tomorrow night."

After chatting with Foreman Chandler, Thea left the bathroom, and it was already close to ten o’clock.

Sean Bell’s calls always hit the mark timing perfectly, calling just in time.

Thea had long blocked his number.

Sean Bell used a less frequently used number, which Thea had received once before, though not saved, she remembered it.

Because the middle four digits were easy to remember, peculiarly matching her birthday.

Thea casually pressed the answer and speaker buttons, tossing the phone aside.

"Why are you in Riverbend?"

Sean Bell’s voice was loud, causing Thea to frown, feeling the speaker was perhaps unnecessary.

"What do you want?"

She didn’t explain, Sean Bell should have already found out everything he wanted to know upon realizing she was in Riverbend. She found no need to respond, wasting words.

But upon closer listening, his tone was more urgent than usual. Quite rare, really. Normally, an indifferent and rude person like him who isn’t interested in anything, could also rush.

Probably afraid she would evade again due to last night’s matter.

Her image in their minds was thoroughly set, even standing firm for years — a coward who loves to flee when things happen.