Chapter 5: Do I Make Myself Clear?

"Mr. Stefan, good morning," Kai greeted as he entered Stefan's office. Dorothy's face lit up with a warm smile, pleased to see him again.

Kai returned her smile warmly. "Young Mistress, I hope you ate well and had a good night's rest."

Dorothy nodded happily.

"I'm glad to hear that. I'll arrange for someone to give you a tour and explain everything you need to know about this place. I’d love to do it myself, but it's always busy around here," Kai explained. Dorothy nodded in understanding.

Kai turned to Stefan, his demeanor turning serious. "The meeting is set to start in a few minutes. I'll get everything prepared. We’ll be expecting you," he said sharply, nodding firmly at Griffin before leaving.

Dorothy watched as Griffin and Stefan busied themselves organizing files. She wanted to offer her help but hesitated, unsure of how it would be received. So, she kept to herself and waited. Once they were finished, Griffin wheeled Stefan out of the office, but before leaving, he turned to address Dorothy.

"Mr. Stefan requests that you don't touch anything until he returns. Amarie will be here shortly to give you a tour and guide you around. Please wait for her," Griffin instructed. Dorothy nodded. She tried to flash Stefan a small smile, but he looked away as Griffin wheeled him out.

Dorothy almost scoffed. "Don't touch anything until I get back," she muttered, mimicking his tone as she sank into a chair. She sat idly, waiting for the guide. A few moments later, a knock sounded at the door, and a young, dark-skinned woman with a tough demeanor stepped inside.

"Hi, you must be Dorothy," she greeted, walking toward her. "I'm Amarie. Kai asked me to show you around and guide you through the company. Shall we?" Her tone was brisk and professional.

Dorothy nodded and followed her out of the office.

"This is the interns' department," Amarie said as they walked into a large office filled with employees working diligently on their laptops.

Dorothy looked around, amazed at how organized and harmonious the workspace was.

"This is the beverage room," Amarie continued, showing Dorothy a cozy space with coffee machines and snacks. "Work starts at 7 a.m., so some people might feel sluggish early in the morning. They can grab free coffee, water, or any beverage of their choice. There's also snacks for those who skipped breakfast at home."

The room was empty, as it was almost noon and everyone was energized.

"This is the communication room. These employees handle the technological aspects of the company."

"I would have shown you the boardroom, but Mr. Stefan is busy with clients. He wouldn’t appreciate that," Amarie added with a knowing smile.

Next, they arrived at the cafeteria. "This is where the workers come to have lunch," Amarie said. The space was vast, and the aroma of freshly cooked food filled the air. Dorothy could smell baking bread and simmering sauces.

"The food here is prepared by trusted cooks. It doesn’t just smell amazing—it tastes amazing too," Amarie remarked.

"What about Stefan? Does he eat here?" Dorothy asked curiously.

"Rarely. But this is Mr. Kai's and Mr. Griffin's go-to spot. They usually sit in a separate area," Amarie replied.

"Oh," Dorothy mumbled.

Amarie spent hours showing Dorothy around the company. When she finally checked her watch, she exclaimed, "I've spent so much time here! I have another engagement, so I’ll leave you now."

"That’s fine. Thank you for everything," Dorothy said, waving as Amarie walked away. She sighed, feeling exhausted from the long tour, and made her way back to the office.

After climbing stairs, taking escalators, and visiting countless offices, Dorothy felt parched. She headed to the beverage room to grab water but stopped in her tracks when she overheard some employees gossiping.

"What do you think of Mr. Stefan's wife?" one woman asked as she prepared a cup of tea.

"I think he could’ve done better," another replied.

"What do you expect, Mariah? Nine years ago, when Mr. Stefan was so handsome, he could’ve had anyone. Remember Miss Bianca?" a man chimed in.

Standing by the door unnoticed, Dorothy frowned in confusion. Who was Bianca?

"I remember her," another woman gushed. "She was stunning. I thought she and Mr. Stefan would marry and have adorable kids."

Dorothy felt her heart sink, though she didn’t understand why.

"Mr. Stefan's wife is so unattractive. She can’t even style her hair properly or wear a bit of makeup," Mariah scoffed.

"And does she even shower or have a skincare routine? Her complexion is so pale," another added, and the group laughed.

"Don’t speak too harshly. She’s from the Florence Household. She’s Clarissa’s sister," someone pointed out.

"But Clarissa is gorgeous. Are we sure they’re even related?"

Dorothy had heard enough. The comments made her lose her thirst. She turned to leave when one remark stopped her cold.

"The old Stefan would never settle for someone like her. But now he’s just a useless, crippled mute. It’s what he deserves!"

Rage boiled within Dorothy. Without thinking, she stepped into the room.

"But the 'useless mute man' is the reason you can pay your bills," she snapped. The group froze in shock.

"Mrs. Everest, we didn’t know you were here," one of them stammered nervously.

Dorothy smirked and stepped closer. "So what if I wasn’t? Is this how you talk about your boss behind his back?" Her voice was stern, her expression fierce—something she hadn’t known she was capable of.

"I… I…" They stammered, unable to form coherent sentences.

"You should all be ashamed of yourselves. I don’t care what you say about me, but you will never disrespect my husband. I want each of you to go to his office, kneel there until he returns, and apologize. Do I make myself clear?"

When they didn’t respond immediately, she raised her voice. "I said, do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, Mrs. Everest," they replied in unison.

Dorothy scoffed and turned to leave but froze in her tracks when her gaze met a pair of piercing blue eyes.