Chapter 17
In the blink of an eye, a year had passed.
Daphne had flourished in the Finance Department, her exceptional professional skills and team–oriented attitude earning widespread recognition and praise from her colleagues.
One day, her manager, Mr. Brown, called her into his office,
“Daphne, your performance over the past year has been remarkable,” Mr. Brown began. “From project execution to teamwork, you’ve consistently demonstrated outstanding capabilities. The company has decided to promote you to Assistant Manager of the Finance Department.”
A spark of joy lit up Daphne’s eyes, but she responded with humility.
“Thank you, Mr. Brown, for your trust and encouragement. I’ll continue working hard to live up to the expectations of the company and my colleagues.”
Not long after her promotion, Daphne was assigned a new task–representing the company at an important financial conference.
Recognizing the significance of the opportunity, she immediately immersed herself in preparation.
The night before the event, she held a final discussion with her colleagues in the office.
“Daphne, with so many big names in finance attending, are you nervous?” Maia, a coworker, asked.
Daphne smiled confidently.
“Nervous? A little, of course. But I believe that with thorough preparation, we can showcase the company’s strengths and leave a lasting impression,”
On the day of the event Daphne dressed in an elegant business suit and exuding
No network available now. Please check your network. confidence, walk
During the roundtable forum, she boldly raised her hand to speak, engaging in in–depth
Years of Longing
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discussions with the other attendees.
Standing up, Daphne declared with poise,
“I believe that in today’s economic climate, the development of financial technology is key to driving industry transformation. Our company has already achieved significant results in this area, and we will continue investing in it to provide more convenient and efficient
financial services to our clients.”
Her insightful comments resonated with the attendees, sparking animated discussions and drawing admiring glances.
Outside the venue, Matthew arrived late and paused as a familiar voice reached his ears. His heart tightened.
Pushing open the door, he spotted the speaker on stage–it was Daphne, the woman he hadn’t seen in a year.
His heart raced uncontrollably, unable to believe that their paths would cross again in the professional world of finance.
He hadn’t imagined, even in his dreams, that Daphne would be here.
On stage, Daphne shone brilliantly, just as she had the first time they met. Every fiber of her being seemed to radiate light.
“Mr. Roberts, the woman on stage is Ms. Walker,” whispered a vice president from a smaller company beside him. “She joined Walker Group last year and has quickly become one of their rising stars.”
Matthew nodded silently, his emotions in turmoil.
Since their encounter on the beach and Jonathan’s stern warning, Matthew hadn’t dared to intrude on Daphne’s life.
He never expected to see her again like this–or that she would have grown into such an accomplished professional in such a short time.
During a break in the conference, Matthew maneuvered himself into the seat next to Daphne.
Chapter 17
She was engrossed in listening to another speaker and didn’t notice his presence until he
greeted her softly.
“Hello, Ms. Walker.”
Startled, Daphne turned to face him, a flicker of surprise and confusion crossing her eyes.
“Aren’t you the man from the beach…?”
“Yes, that’s me,” Matthew interjected with a faint smile, his expression holding a depth of unspoken emotions.
“What’s wrong? Worried I’m here to cause more ‘trouble“?” he asked playfully.
Daphne shook her head lightly, a complex smile playing on her lips.
Leaning closer, she whispered in his ear, “My brother says you’re… a bad man.”
Her voice was quiet but carried a mix of wariness and amusement, enough to make Matthew sense the guardedness in her tone.
Hearing her words, a hint of tenderness and helplessness flashed in Matthew’s eyes.
He replied softly, “Perhaps we could start over–get to know each other as friends.”
