Chapter 43 Keeping Her Poise
Wearing a half-smile on her face, Nicole looked impassively at the woman before her, whose face had turned crimson with embarrassment. Instead of blowing up or doing anything, she merely stood up and ran her eyes over everyone in the office. “We’ll probably be working together for several months after this. I’ll be working with everyone here at Gardner Corporation, so if you have any problems, just talk them out. I don’t like talking behind anyone’s back.” Her gaze swept over everyone before falling upon Sabrina’s face. “If you hear any rumors about me, you’re welcome to go to me directly about them. After all, we’ll be working together, so I don’t want any misunderstanding between us.”
Nicole’s words were very well-said. Instead of lashing out at Sabrina, she dealt with the situation by being modest, but such a clever move put Sabrina on the spot. As a result, Sabrina had made a spectacle of herself in the Design Department.
Nicole’s words were met with a positive response from everyone else in the Design Department. After all, the department’s focus would be on Nicole in the next few months.
With a faint smile on her face, Nicole then rose from her seat. The stern and forbidding air she had had about her just now vanished as she resumed her gentle demeanor. “I’ll be officially joining Gardner Corporation after the turn of the year. If you have any good ideas, feel free to share them with me so that we can discuss them together.”
Nicole’s words instantly drew everyone much closer to her. Compared with how Sabrina had acted like a snob behind someone’s back, her self-confident and poised manner was even more likable.
Sabrina’s face was deathly pale as she looked at Nicole. Not even Joanna could save me from the person I offended this time, she thought. She clenched her fists tightly. There had been word about Lisa coming to Gardner Corporation after the turn of the year, but who would’ve thought that she would arrive today? And yet, she chose to arrive when I was bad-mouthing her. Talk about bad luck!
Nicole didn’t plan to stay around after finishing her sentence, so she politely said goodbye to everyone, saying, “I only came here today because I wanted to know you guys, so I won’t be bothering you while you’re working. I’ll be going back first.” With that, she turned around and left right away.
Sabrina gritted her teeth while watching Nicole’s receding figure from behind. A mist had come over her eyes, and her heart kept thumping uneasily.
As soon as Nicole left, those in the office began whispering among themselves. “Tsk, talk about shooting herself in the foot.”
“How could she say those words in front of Lisa? Lisa will definitely send her packing with just one word.”
“That’s right. After all, Lisa is F&M Apparel’s Chief Designer. She’s such a prestigious person…”
The other colleagues immediately chimed in. Their voices weren’t loud, but Sabrina heard the words they said. At this moment, she only felt her cheeks burn with embarrassment. My career as a designer is gonna be finished, she thought to herself as a crimson blush came over her heavily made-up face. After pondering for a moment, she gritted her teeth, clenched her fists, and chased after Nicole in her high heels.
Nicole had just entered the elevator and was about to leave when she was stopped by someone. “Miss Lisa!” Having trotted all the way toward Nicole, Sabrina quickly stopped her when she saw that she was about to enter the elevator.
Nicole turned around. Seeing Sabrina’s reddened ears, she curled her lips into a smile and raised her eyebrows, asking, “What’s the matter?”
Lowering her eyes, Sabrina hurriedly apologized, saying, “Miss Lisa, I must’ve been out of my mind to say what I said just now. Please be the bigger person by not bothering yourself with someone like me.”
Nicole looked at the woman before her with amusement. She’s only saying this right now because I’m Lisa and can decide her fate in the company, she thought. After reaching out to press the elevator button, she entered the elevator without hesitation.
Thinking that Nicole wasn’t going to forgive her, Sabrina anxiously ran toward Nicole and grabbed the elevator door with both hands to keep them from closing. Panic-stricken, she said, “Miss Lisa, I can’t lose my job.” As she spoke, her face took on a look of anxiety.
