Chapter 3

The next day, the moment I stepped off the elevator at the office, I could feel something was off.

Back at my desk, there was a personnel transfer notice waiting for me.

Vivian Lane, transferred to executive assistant in the president’s office.

Effective date: today.

I looked at those lines and felt no surprise.

Last night on the beach, Adrian had already told me himself. The rest of the company clearly just didn’t know yet.

All morning, the office floor was unnaturally quiet.

Near noon, I went to the break room for some water.

I’d just reached the door when I heard someone inside, keeping their voice low.

“How long has she even been here? Less than a year, right? And she’s already in the president’s office?”

“Claire’s been with Mr. Blackwood since before the company even existed, and she’s still only an executive manager. How does that girl get to skip ahead?”

“Who knows. Guess she’s got talent. If you could get something going with Mr. Blackwood, you’d move up too.”

The voice cut off abruptly.

The person turned around and met my eyes.

The break room went silent in an instant. A few of them went pale and instinctively dropped their heads.

I said nothing, just walked in with my cup and filled it halfway with warm water.

Right then, there was a thud behind me.

I turned around.

Vivian’s cardboard box had hit the floor…files, a notebook, and bits of office supplies scattered everywhere.

She stood in the doorway, her eyes red.

And Adrian was standing right behind her.

Clearly, he’d come in person to walk her over to the president’s office.

Vivian looked deeply wronged, her voice trembling.

“There’s really nothing going on between me and Mr. Blackwood!”

“I’ve explained it so many times... Why won’t any of you believe me?”

As she spoke, she turned to look back at Adrian, and the tears spilled over at once.

“Mr. Blackwood, I’m used to people talking about me, but I don’t want you dragged into the rumors too.”

“If no one here accepts me, then I don’t have to go to the president’s office.”

“Just let me stay in my old position. I feel like I still have a lot to learn anyway.”

Adrian’s face darkened in an instant, and the next second, his gaze landed straight on me.

“Ms. Prescott.”

He stared at me and asked, almost through gritted teeth, “As the head of the department, did you know about all this?”

I set down my cup and looked at him calmly.

“I did.”

Adrian’s expression turned even uglier.

“So this is how you let them spread rumors?”

“Ms. Prescott, do you have any idea? Talk like this can destroy a person’s whole career.”

Everyone in the break room paled, and one of them couldn’t help but jump in.

“Mr. Blackwood, just now Ms. Prescott didn’t…”

I raised a hand to stop her and spoke quietly.

“Mr. Blackwood is right. I’ve been too lax as a manager.”

Then I turned to Vivian.

“Ms. Lane. Oh, forgive me…Mr. Blackwood’s new assistant now. I’m sorry for the trouble I’ve caused you.”

The break room was terrifyingly quiet. Vivian froze in place, forgetting even to let her tears fall.

I looked around at the others, my tone perfectly even.

“Let me also say this openly. There is nothing going on between Mr. Blackwood and Ms. Lane.”

“Ms. Lane’s transfer to the president’s office is a normal personnel decision.”

“Mr. Blackwood is the company’s top decision-maker. Who he chooses to assist him is his own prerogative.”

“I trust Mr. Blackwood’s judgment, and I respect the company’s decision.”

When I finished, I looked at the files and supplies scattered on the floor.

I didn’t bend down to pick anything up. I just took half a step to the side, stepped over them, and walked straight out.

Adrian watched me, his brow slowly furrowing.

Behind me, not a single person spoke.

It wasn’t until I was far down the hall that I heard Adrian call my name.

“Claire.”