Chapter 8

Jeremy Smith, Joshua's assistant, was very efficient. He found Queenie's résumé in half an hour. Queenie looked obedient and pretty. Aside from her good looks and excellent academic record, Joshua found nothing remarkable. Finding a job was a significant event. Queenie clearly didn't know how to showcase her strengths on a résumé. She failed to convince the interviewer to grant her an interview. So, it was no surprise that her résumé went unnoticed. But it showed that Queenie wasn't a scheming person. Recalling her question last night, Joshua realized he might have overthought it. Given his surname and the prominence of Newman Group, it was natural for her to make the connection. Born with a silver spoon in his mouth, Joshua faced intense competition and had to be exceptionally shrewd to reach his position as the CEO of Newman Group. His habit of overthinking led him to misinterpret Queenie. After reviewing the résumé, Joshua put it away, got changed, and headed to the office. In the underground garage, he heard Queenie talking to someone before he reached his car. "I've had it removed four times already. If you know someone who can help, please introduce me. I'm going in two days." "Why tell him? It's my own business anyway." "Yeah, I can't keep this one anymore. I have no idea how this happened." Queenie's words hit Joshua hard. He wondered if Queenie was talking about abortions. He couldn't believe this woman had no self-respect for herself. Joshua could've overlooked Queenie's past. But now that she was his wife, he had to make things clear. Thinking of this, Joshua called out to Queenie from a distance. When Queenie heard Joshua's voice, she promptly put away her phone and looked at him. "Mr. Newman? What are you doing here?" It was a weekend, so it should be Joshua's day off. She wondered why he was dressed in a suit. Joshua didn't know what Queenie was thinking but felt her question sounded guilty. If he hadn't had matters to attend to, he wouldn't have discovered her secret! He respected her privacy regarding family matters. But this was different. It concerned their relationship. As the CEO of Newman Group and the only heir of the Newmans, he couldn't afford to make a fool of himself. "Is there anything you want to tell me?" Joshua approached Queenie. Towering over her, he used his height advantage to stare down at her. Queenie didn't understand what he meant. She didn't know Joshua was heading out and wasn't intentionally waiting to catch a ride with him. She quickly said, "Nothing. I have something urgent to deal with at the shop. I'll make a move first." Fearing that she might trouble Joshua, Queenie hopped onto her little electric scooter and buzzed away. Watching her retreating figure, Joshua was stunned. No one had ever managed to walk away unscathed under his intense scrutiny before. Queenie was surely something else. He shouldn't have felt guilty for misunderstanding her last night. It seemed like she wasn't as innocent as she appeared. Maybe she was even more cunning than he was. With this thought in mind, Joshua decided it was better to make things clear with her and quickly drove to the office. Soon, Queenie arrived at her shop. Today, the renovations were finally complete. Her wealthy friend, Joanne White, came with a team of housekeepers to help. "I'm co-owning this shop with you, so you've done enough with the renovations. Take a break today. I'll handle the rest." Queenie was still concerned. She looked at Joanne and said, "You just returned from picking up supplies. You should rest." "I'm not tired. We need to get the shop ready today. Tomorrow is a Monday, and we're opening!" Joanne was excited. This was their first business venture since graduating, and they couldn't afford to slack off. They had been roommates in college. Joanne's family had been in business for generations. Seeing Queenie struggle to find a job and knowing she had a talent, Joanne suggested starting a business together. They were close friends, and Joanne was straightforward. She didn't mind shouldering most of the responsibility as long as Queenie contributed her skills. That was how this shop came to be. "Oh, by the way, I've arranged for someone to come and fix your scooter later. Honestly, it's about five years old. You should get a new one." Joanne put on an apron, rolled up her sleeves, and started cleaning. She didn't seem like a pampered princess at all. However, Queenie was reluctant to sell off her scooter. She had saved for three months to buy it back then. She thought she could wait until the shop was doing well before considering a replacement.