Chapter 3 Met Laura Mom

"What does you mean, mom?" Eugene stammered, afraid that Laura's mother would recognize him.

"You're not my child, who are you?"

Eugene lowered his head; his lips felt dry. He couldn't answer the big lady's question. He regretted being too enthusiastic earlier. It was understandable since meeting Laura's mother reminded him of his own mother.

Not only Eugene but also Marvin, standing behind Mrs. Wanda Griezmann, was surprised, confused, and anxious. He regretted Eugene's overly friendly attitude. Laura had never been on good terms with her parents.

"Sorry, Mrs. Wanda, I think Laura mi—"

"I didn't ask you to speak, Marvin," Mrs. Griezmann interrupted.

Eugene felt increasingly conflicted, but he had to quickly resolve this situation. He racked his brain, searching for a way to appease Laura's mother. Suddenly, he knelt down, holding the middle-aged woman's feet.

"I apologize, Mom."

Mrs. Wanda turned her face away; she did not expect her daughter to behave like this. Tears flowed uncontrollably, as did Eugene's. He remembered his habit of apologizing to his mother for making a grave mistake. He was confident that Laura's mother would forgive her daughter's mistake.

"Get up!" the woman commanded. Eugene rose, but he dared not look at Laura's mother. "What made you change like this? I was surprised. I thought you were someone else's child."

Eugene closed his eyes, guilt piercing his heart. "Sorry, Mom," he whispered. That was all he could say to the woman.

"Who taught you to behave like this?" Mrs. Wanda asked Eugene. But he didn't answer; he just kept bowing his head. Occasionally, sobs could be heard from Eugene's thin lips. Not getting an answer, Mrs. Wanda turned to Marvin as if seeking an explanation from her subordinate.

"Sorry, Mrs., I thought Miss Laura had realized her mistake," Marvin said. "I sincerely hope you can forgive your daughter."

"Easy, it's not that simple. I know what kind of child this is; he might misbehave again later," Mrs. Wanda replied sharply, staring sharply at Eugene. "I need real proof. Not just an apology."

"What should I do, Mom, to get forgiveness from you and Daddy?" Eugene asked. Marvin and Mrs. Wanda were surprised to hear that; Eugene's actions were truly far from Laura's true nature.

"Look at this, Marvin. Because he often roams around and doesn't know what's happening in the office, you tell him what he needs to do if I accept his apology."

"Yes," Marvin replied.

"You handle her; I'll go first," the woman said, turning around. Marvin prepared to open the door when suddenly Eugene ran and hugged the middle-aged woman from behind.

"Mom, I can't start without your support," Eugene said softly.

Mrs. Wanda's heart trembled greatly; her daughter had never asked for such a thing before. But she couldn't refuse; the woman gave a brief hug and quickly left the office.

Eugene could now breathe a sigh of relief, confident that the Big Lady had left the office.

"You're really crazy, Eugene," Marvin said. "I didn't expect you to do that; you're really different from Laura. Luckily, it turned out well."

Eugene was confused by Marvin's reaction, unsure whether to be happy or scared, but he had a reason for doing so. "First, I lied to a mother, so I apologize for all the lies that will happen next. Second, she told me to take care of this company. Of course, I need her support."

Marvin nodded; he now understood the mindset of the woman before him. Eugene apologized on behalf of Laura and himself. "I didn't think you were this smart, Eugene."

"I'm not smart; I'm just trying to see myself as both Laura and Eugene. Oh yes, one more thing, I'm used to doing all this to my mother," Eugene continued.

"That's good, then. When are you going to start learning about this company and its problems?"

"As soon as possible, but I think we don't need to study here. How about we study at Laura's house? Is she okay with that?"

"Good idea, coincidentally, she's already gone to America, so we can use her house," Marvin said. "In the meantime, just study the easy stuff like this financial report. Do you understand it?"

Eugene just flashed his white teeth and said, "A little."

Marvin rubbed his forehead, thinking Eugene didn't understand company reports. "Just read it first, and if you have any questions, let me know."

After saying that, Marvin left Eugene alone. Eugene felt lonely and confused again; he had read and studied the report several times, but he still didn't understand.

Eugene found a piece of paper and began to write down the questions he would ask Marvin later. Apparently, Marvin quickly returned, and Eugene immediately handed him the list of questions.

"Don't you ever learn this during college?" Marvin asked, surprised that Eugene was asking such easy things.

"I forgot everything taught in college, besides, I only studied until the third semester," he answered with a pout. "They said I could ask anything."

Marvin sighed deeply. "Alright, I'll teach you how to read the company's financial report. Listen carefully," he said. Marvin looked like a lecturer teaching his material to his student; he was patient and diligent.

When Marvin was teaching Eugene, suddenly his phone rang, and he quickly reached for it. "Who's calling?" Eugene asked curiously.

"The finance guy, we already have an appointment," he replied. "Please review what I explained earlier. I'm leaving now."

Marvin put his phone away and walked quickly to the door. Suddenly, Eugene threw out a sentence. "Marvin, don't take too long. I'm afraid of being alone."

"Don't worry; I'll be back soon."

The door closed again, and Eugene leaned back. He never thought learning about the company's financial report would be so difficult and complicated. "I can't take it anymore," he muttered with his eyes closed. The silence in the room made him feel a bit calm.

But it didn't last long; he heard someone opening the door again. He thought it was Marvin, but it turned out to be someone else. A man stood staring angrily at Eugene.

"Hey, get out of my chair!"