Chapter 13
The moment they spotted Anita, the three troublemakers sprang into action, eager to air their grievances.
“Anita, the new girl tossed my unfinished design in the trash!” one of them exclaimed, indignation clear in her voice.
“And she broke my cup… another whimpered, her tone steeped in melodrama as if she had suffered a grave injustice.
“Enough with the tears?” Anita’s voice sliced through the air, sharp and impatient. She had already taken a disliking to Nora, convinced the newcomer had landed her position through connections. This was the perfect opportunity to assert her authority.
With a cold sneer, she addressed Nora directly. “So, you’re bullying your senior colleagues on your first day? I’ve been in this design department for years, and I’ve never witnessed anything like this.”
With a pointed look, Anita continued, “Let me make one thing crystal clear: I don’t care who pulled strings for you–none of that matters to me. You’re either talented enough to stay, or you’re out.”
Nora barely opened her mouth to explain when one of the trio quickly interrupted, “Anita, my design was ruined, and her cup is smashed! We need a reasonable solution.”
At that moment, Sadie Price, the girl who had chuckled earlier, stood up, her voice soft yet resolute. “Anita, they used their stuff to take Nora’s seat and refused to move their things, so Nora tossed them out.”
Instantly, the trio turned to glare daggers at Sadie, who visibly trembled under the weight of their hostility, her knees almost buckling.
Anita’s icy gaze fixed on the trio. “Is what Sadie said true?”
They stammered, unable to muster a coherent reply.
“Are you trying to play the bully in my department?” Anita snapped. “The three of you–your bonuses are docked this month. Now, stop wasting my time.”
Defeated, the trio slunk back to their seat without a word.
“Nora,” Anita’s voice was as cold as ever. “Your first day here, and you’re already throwing people’s things around? If there’s a problem, you bring it to me. Tonight, you’ll stay and clean the entire office.”
Anita’s intent was clear: she aimed to remind Nora that connections wouldn’t save her here. Even if Julian himself came to scold her, Anita wouldn’t waver–she’d quit before compromising her principles. She believed in hard work and talent, not nepotism.
To Anita’s surprise, Nora offered no argument or excuses; she simply nodded in agreement. With that, Anita turned on her heel and exited the office.
The trio who had just lost their bonuses immediately approached Sadie. Ruby Myers, the loudest of the bunch, stormed over with her arms crossed and a sneer etched across her face.
“Sadie, really? You’re choosing her over us? Who have you known longer? Are you deaf? Didn’t you hear that Nora doesn’t even have any real connection to Mr. Harper? Why are you kissing up to her? It’s pathetic!”
Sadie kept her gaze down, too frightened to meet Ruby’s fierce eyes. “I–I was just telling the truth,” she stammered, her voice barely above a whisper.
“The truth?” Ruby snapped, raising her hand as if ready to slap Sadie. Sadie shut her eyes tight but stood still–clearly, she
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had faced this kind of bullying before.
One of the other girls quickly pulled Ruby back, whispering, “Let it go. Anita just left. We’ll have plenty of chances to deal with her later.”
Ruby shof Nora one last venomous glance before storming off.
Nora turned to Sadie, who offered a small, strained smile. In a low voice, she warned, “Nora, be careful around them. Ruby’s uncle is the HR director. She only fears Anita–no one else. Just stay out of their way, okay?”
Sadie’s eyes, though small, shone with a kind and innocent light, reminiscent of soft rays of spring sunlight–warm and gentle. Nora found her unexpectedly easy to be around. Unlike the others who swarmed to curry favor, Sadie had been refreshingly honest.
Thanks,” Nora replied quietly.
Sadie beamed, visibly relieved. She didn’t know Nora well, but something about her felt genuine, despite the cold exterior. Among everyone in the office, Sadie sensed that Nora was the easiest to connect with.
As the workday wound down, the staff trickled out, leaving Nora alone to carry out Anita’s orders to clean the office. She moved swiftly and efficiently, her movements precise, ensuring no corner was overlooked. Although Sadie had offered to help, Nora gently declined, determined to tackle the task on her own.
As Nora stepped outside with the trash, Anita walked by and caught sight of her. Momentarily taken aback, she observed the young heiress of the Harper family diligently cleaning the office. Nora worked with such precision that Anita couldn’t spot a single flaw.
‘Perhaps she isn’t who I thought she was, Anita mused, her perception beginning to shift.
In the CEO’s office on the top floor of the Sinclair Group, Andrew’s cold gaze was fixed on the tablet in his hands, replaying the security footage from last night at Beyond the Stars.
Ryan lounged on the sofa, his tone teasing. “Dude, how many times are you gonna watch that? Found the girl who got your ‘first time‘ yet?”
“No,” Andrew replied flatly, his eyes narrowing. It was clear to him that the footage had been tampered with. Whoever had entered his room last night had been expertly erased from the video, and recovering the deleted parts was impossible.
He had, however, managed to identify the person who had spiked his drink—a wannabe model desperate to make a name for herself. Ryan had already blacklisted her from the industry, but she wasn’t the one who had tipped off the media.
Ryan thought Andrew was overthinking things, but Andrew was sure of it. “Some model putting drug in my drink? Sure, I buy that. But calling in every major tabloid in Windiburg? She doesn’t have that kind of clout.”
Just then, Andrew’s assistant, Wesley Brooke, entered with the results of the investigation. It confirmed what Andrew had suspected. The person behind the media frenzy was none other than Wendy, the eldest daughter of the Harper family.
Ryan’s eyes widened in shock. “Wait, hold up. Wendy? Isn’t she your fiancée? I thought she was head over heels for you. Why would she try to ruin your reputation?”
Andrew’s brow furrowed in irritation. His engagement to Wendy was more a business arrangement than a romance; it was a deal struck by their families. To him, marriage was just another transaction. Get married, have a child, fulfill the obligation- that was the way of his world. Feelings didn’t come into play; it was all about maintaining the family legacy.
But for some reason, his thoughts drifted back to last night. Something about that experience had captivated him in a way 2/3
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Chapter 13
he hadn’t anticipated. ‘What if I ended up marrying that mystery woman?‘ he mused.
He quickly shook the thought from his head. He wasn’t the kind of man who got distracted by fleeting encounters. His sole focus was on keeping Sinclair Group stable and producing an heir. Temptation? That wasn’t in the cards for him. Besides, he didn’t even know what the woman looked like.
“Andrew? Hello? Earth to Andrew! What’s on your mind?” Ryan’s voice pulled him from his reverie.
“Nothing,” Andrew replied curtly, refocusing on the matter at hand. He turned to Wesley and ordered, “Get the car ready. We’re heading to the Harper estate.”
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