Chapter 9
Helene froze at Edwina’s sudden line, a cold sweat prickling down her back.
중 57%
She knew if Edwina ignored Rupert and dug in her heels about aying on as executive assistant, and if the situation spiraled all the way up to Gloria and Darius, there would be no clean ending to it
Helene had already gone to great lengths to distance herself from the whole affair, but she knew it wouldn’t be that simple.
Sull, fine. Edwina knows what’s good for her, she thought. Sheobably heard the hot shot team outside and felt outclassed.
She’s just a small–town girl. Without Dad and Mom, she’s nobo. Step outside the Simmons bubble and people will look down on her. Nothing to worry about. Kelvin will be mine.”
Helene’s eyes gleamed, though she kept her face arranged in troubled concern, looking every bit the considerate colleague.
“Rupert, she’s my friend,” she said. “I’m the operations manager; he’s a junior researcher. That isn’t right. I should be the one handling the research”
Rupert shut it down. “You’re an top university grad. Sticking you on research would be a waste. Market research is a better fit for Edwina.
Edwina’s face didn’t move.
Helene stepped out of the office, all reluctant grace, and addressed the team with a careful smile. “Starting today. I’ll be working alongside you for a while.
“If 1 mess up, please call me out. Also, I brought snacks and cake for everyone.
Right then, the elevator slid open and a few men in suits pushed but a gleaming cart. The crowd buzzed.
“This is Louis Vuitton’s dessert. I heard only people who spend seven figures a year with them can get it.”
I can’t believe I’m about to eat LV’s exclusive dessert as a regula nine–to–fiver.”
Helene gave a cool, perfectly polite smile that still radiated I–can–be–topped pride. “Please, enjoy.”
Edwina followed her out a beat later.
gerit.”
Everyone’s eyes stayed glued to Helene. No one bothered with Ewina, and she didn’t care. She didn’t say a word, just walked away, leaving them nothing but her retreating back.
“What’s her deal? Why is she acting so stuck–up?” someone muntered.
“Didn’t even go to college, and she’s acting like she’s better than
Helene jumped in quickly. “Don’t be mad at her. She hasn’t been the office, so she’s probably not feeling great
“She’s always like that, she added softly. “Even when I try to talk her, she ignores me
It sounded like she was covering for Elwina, but she was really inting her as cold and rude.
Sure enough, the team’s dislike deepened.
Edwina couldn’t care less. The less she saw of Kelvin, the better ve Helene all the space she wanted to show off. Edwina genuinely hoped her sister would snag Kelvin soon.
She pressed the elevator button and heard footsteps behind her wo sets. Familiar.
1/3
12-26 Thu, Jan 1 AQU
Chapter 9
Her mind clicked. Kelvin and Ivier”
She slipped into the corner in one suooth move.
A second later, there they were near the GM’s office. Kelvin narrowed his eyes, scanning the hall.
“Kelvin, you looking for something?” Peter asked.
“Nothing Must’ve misheand Kelvin said after a beat.
4.57%面
He’d had the sense, as he’d walked up, of footsteps and breathing right here. Now it was quiet. Maybe an employee just left. he thought.
“By the way, what’s the latest on that ‘miracle doctor?” Kelvin asked.
Peter drew in a breath, nerves showing, and shook his head, embarrassed. “Nothing. Not a single Irad.”
What about Vine Network?”
Vine Network was the world’s biggest information marketplace, operating outside any government’s control. Every transaction had to be vetted by VN for compliance and legality.
We searched Vine Network too. Put up a million dollars. Still couldn’t get a facial recognition hit, Peter replied.
Kelvin thumbed the rosary bracelet on his wrist, movements slow, voice softening “All right. No worries.” From her corner, Edwina arched a brow. Tm not into lurking by doors. I just happened to run into them.
Still, checking me through the site I built? Kelvin, you’re something else.”
Edwina knew her identity as the Simmons heiress wouldn’t stay hidden for long.
If I can stretch it one more day, I will, she thought. ‘Call it buying Helene time to lock down Kelvin. Oh, what a “thoughtful” big sister I am.
Kelvin spoke up again. “Go get this quarter’s sales report from Rapert.”
“On it,” Peter replied.
He paused, then said, “The Gibson heiress started her internship today. Darius arranged it. It wasn’t really something we could turn down.
“You want to take a look? Pretty sure she showed up with someone, so it’s two of them.”
Kelvin’s eyes narrowed. He pictured Helene’s blank doll face, and his mood iced over.
He had zero tolerance for stupid. “No. Keep her out of my hair, and make sure she stays away from my grandma,” Kelvin
“Got it” Peter replied
Once they were gone, Edwina finally took the elevator to six Gion Group, Market Research–aka the department nobody
wanted.
She stepped in. The place was tiny, smaller than the chief of stal office. Three people total one gaming, one streaming a drama, one fixing her lipstick. Not a hint of hustle.
When they noticed someone walk in, a polished woman with my written all over her, halfway through her makeup, glanced up and smirked. “Well, look at that. Another poor sucker lumped in here”
2/3
16 Thu Lan 1
Chapter 9
“Hello, I’m Edwina Lennox,” she said. Tm reporting to the Mark Research Department at Maberly Fashion“
57%
The man seated at the front, clearly the department head, barely looked up and waved her off. “Yeah, got it. Grab any seat
This is strange, Edwina thought. Gibson Group runs like a macne. How do they tolerate a team this sloppy, this undisciplined
She found an empty chair and sat. Beside her, a girl who looked bike an intern was feeding papers into a printer. Edwina glanced over. Market research reports from two years ago.
The girl noticed her looking and gave a small, polite smile. “So, he asked, “which department are you an executive from? Get exiled here or something?”
“Exec?” Edwina shook her head. “I’m new”
Surprise flickered in the girl’s eyes. Seeing Edwina’s confusion, she leaned in to explain. “Tm Madeline Gardner, assistant to the brand manager at Maberly Fashion.
The guy you just spoke to is our manager, Leander Payne.”
She dropped her voice. This might technically be part of the apparel division, but it’s basically useless to the group now. Leander and that woman over there were both demoted and tossed here.
“If you don’t have backing in the company, or you rub the wrong people the wrong way, this is where you end up.
,
“Maberly Fashion can’t even hold a candle to Nocturne Designs,
Edwina finally understood. This department was a holding pen for people who had fallen out of favor.
“Doesn’t Kelvin intervene at all?” she asked.
Madeline nearly jumped. She pressed a finger to her lips fast. “Shh, shh. You don’t say the boss’s name like that in the office.”
“The group’s huge,” she added more quietly. There’s no way Mr. Gibson can keep an eye on every corner.
She sighed, turned back to the printer, and kept churning out the useless reports. This is it, honestly. You just wait it out till your contract expires”
Their whispering finally got on Leander’s nerves.
He pointed at Edwina and flicked a file onto her desk. “Since you’re so eager, you can handle field research at the clothing stores. This is the last thing headquarters still lets our department touch.”
33
AD
Comment
Send gift
No Ads
THE
