Chapter 3

My blood boiled instantly. “Watch your mouth, Cadence!”

“Did I hit a nerve? Are you getting angry because you’re embarrassed?” Cadence sneered at me with contempt.

“My father died twenty years ago, and my mother never remarried.”

“Your skills aren’t nearly good enough for your attempts at being my stepfather.”

Bill covered his mouth before he let out an exaggerated gasp for effect.

“Cadence, don’t get angry. How could our top salesperson possibly harbor improper intentions toward Mdm. Hall?

“He’s just a staff member. Surely, he has enough self-awareness to know his place? He probably just idolizes Mdm. Hall too much.”

His surrounding cronies chimed in, “Exactly! Don’t take this deadbeat seriously, Ms. Hall.”

“What gives this lowly worker the nerve to covet the position of the CEO’s husband?”

The room erupted in laughter.

As I stared at the ignorant fool before me, I felt a surge of nausea.

Suppressing my rage, I spoke coldly. “Caring about Mdm. Hall’s health is my duty as a subordinate and junior colleague.

“But you? Your mother’s critically ill in the ICU, yet you still have the nerve to spread rumors about her here? What a truly caring daughter!”

“You’re spouting nonsense!” Cadence’s face instantly turned ashen.

This was likely the first time anyone had openly defied her like this. Her features twisted with anger.

“Andy, right? You think earning the company a few bucks gives you the right to lecture me?

“Let me make this clear. This company bears the Hall family’s name, and so do I! Whoever I want to kick out, gets kicked out!”

She stepped forward and looked down on me with hatred.

“Don’t think I have no idea what men like you are thinking. You’re just using my mom to climb the corporate ladder.

“You know full well how you got to be the company’s top salesperson.

“Too bad my mom’s in the ICU now. Your backer’s gone.

“And that top salesperson title? Someone else will be wearing it soon.”

With that, she abruptly reached out and grabbed Bill, who had been watching the spectacle from the sidelines.

Then, she declared loudly in front of everyone, “Listen up, all of you. Bill Rozman is my man.

“From now on, anyone who dares to mistreat him or steal his sales would be going against me, Cadence Hall, as well.”

The office erupted in a chorus of agreement, “You’re amazing, Ms. Hall!”

“Bill is so lucky!”

Bill promptly wrapped his arm around Cadence’s waist as he shot me a defiant glance.

“Cadence, you can rest assured. From now on, not just any random person can touch my sales figures!”

I found the whole scene laughable as I watched them.

How could my father possibly think such trash was worthy of being part of our family?

“Cadence,” I calmly said, “I recall you have a fiance, don’t you?”