“Ms. Larson, I hope you don’t misunderstand. I’m merely looking at the facts objectively. If my tone came across as harsh, then I’d like to apologize for that. If there are no other matters, please get back to work. I need to talk to Amelia about some other issues.”
Carter invited Jennifer out of his office.
Jennifer stood up. Shooting a frosty glance at Amelia, she walked towards the door.
She paused at the door and turned around. “Mr. Scott, I have a lunch appointment this afternoon. Since Amelia is a company employee, I’d like to bring her along. Surely you can’t disagree with me on this.”
Before Carter could reply, Amelia agreed. “Ms. Larson, I’ll join you on your lunch appointment.”
“Good, just don’t pull any tricks up your sleeve. We need to make profits, not pay for incompetent slackers.” She opened the door and left.
Carter scrunched his brows and said apologetically, “Amelia, don’t listen to her.”
Amelia shook her head. “Mr. Scott, I won’t think too much about it. She does have a point, though. The company shouldn’t be paying for slackers, and I did take a pretty long leave after only working for a few days. It’s natural for others to feel uncomfortable about it. But don’t you worry Mr. Scott, I will pour in a hundred percent of my effort to prepare a satisfactory questionnaire for you. I’ll prove to everyone that you didn’t hire me for my looks but my abilities.”
Carter smiled gently.
He gestured for Amelia to sit down. “Amelia, don’t be so nervous. The company is progressing well, and everyone has their own assigned work. While you were absent, your department colleagues very enthusiastically covered your workload. They didn’t want you to tire yourself out on account of your pregnancy. You just need to thank them properly later.”
“No wonder my desk has been so clean! So they helped me to complete all my work! It looks like you have an eye for hiring people who are both capable and kind. Don’t worry! I will work even harder for colleagues like them.”
Carter’s gentle smile was comforting and soothing.
Amelia was caught up in his gaze for a moment before she realized what she was doing. Calming herself down, she replied, “Mr. Scott, if there’s nothing more, I’ll get back to work. After all, I still have a lunch appointment with Ms. Larson later.”
Carter nodded.
When Amelia reached the door, Carter’s voice rang out behind her. “Amelia, I’ll follow you to the lunch appointment. They’d meant to invite me anyway.”
Amelia replied, “Mr. Scott, you’re the head of this company. Of course, you can attend if you please. You needn’t inform me especially.”
When she got back to the design department, her colleagues were clamoring for gossip on her fate in the company. Suddenly there was a loud noise, and everyone shot back to their seats.
Jennifer had entered and was the culprit behind the loud noise.
“Everyone, this is working hours. I hope you’re actually working during the mandated hours. A company will soon become a mess if rules are ignored,” Jennifer said with a strict tone.
Jennifer’s curves were accentuated in her power suit. Coupled with her tactfully applied makeup, she was extremely gorgeous. She looks indisputably innocent and sexy at the same time. Even when she’s stern, it’s hard for people to hate her.
She’s simply too beautiful. This is an age where looks are prized above others. Even if she scolds others fiercely, no one can really bring themselves to hate her.
Amelia looked at Jennifer’s get-up. I must admit she’s a woman who’s not only beautiful but also incredibly talented; otherwise, she wouldn’t become the director in such a short span of time.
When everyone looked like they were busying themselves with work, Jennifer appeared pleased and looked at Amelia. “Amelia, are you free now? Please come to my office.”
She immediately left after her orders.
Amelia got up as Jessica sent her an encouraging gesture. Amelia said wryly, “I’m just going there to discuss some matters, must you be so dramatic? If the boss sees this, you’ll be in hot soup again.”
That elicited some laughter from the others.
Amelia left the design department and entered Jennifer’s office.
“Ms. Larson, you were looking for me?” asked Amelia.
Jennifer pointed at the chair in front of her. “Sit. We need to talk.”
Amelia sat down and said calmly, “Ms. Larson, please tell me whatever it is you have on your mind. I have to get back to work soon; after all, I’ve been on long leave and have a lot of work to complete.”
Jennifer set down the fountain pen in her hand and contemplated the woman sitting in front of her. Suddenly she said, “Amelia, you’re really a very beautiful woman.” Just like a foxy b*tch.
Amelia was stunned at the compliment and answered politely, “Thank you for your compliment, Ms. Larson. But you are definitely more beautiful than me.”
Jennifer crossed her arms and spoke in a haughty tone. “Amelia, you’re the wife to the sole heir of Clinton Corporations, am I right?”
Amelia’s smile was still plastered on her face, though her gaze had cooled down considerably.
“You investigated me?”
“I won’t consider it an investigation; I was merely curious about the woman who had Carter wrapped around her little finger. Well, I supposed I’m not surprised. After all, you look just like a temptress. You know, the kind of woman who enjoys leading men on. And how could they not fall for your tricks?”
Amelia stared at her coldly. “Ms. Larson, I hope you can be more civil. While you are humiliating me, you’re actually dragging yourself through the mud. You’re a rich heiress with a good education; don’t ruin your own image once you open your mouth.”
Jennifer sneered at her. “Amelia, you have a rather sharp tongue which I really don’t appreciate. I know that Carter has feelings for you, but you’re here to work and not to seduce him. Please refrain from flirting with your boss during working hours.”
Amelia was boiling with rage.
I’ve seen slanders, but none as warped from the truth like this! She must be paranoid if she’s spouting these words.
“Ms. Larson, I’m just going to repeat myself. Nothing is going on between Mr. Scott and me. You come from an elite background, so I hope you can have a better moral fiber.” Amelia stood up and continued, “If there’s nothing else, I’m going back to work.”
Jennifer halted her angrily. “Stop right there!”
“Yes?”
“Amelia, is this the kind of attitude you use when you’re talking to your direct supervisor?”
“Ms. Larson, this is working hours, and I hope you can separate your personal grievances from your work.”
“You want me to be objective?” asked Jennifer. “Alright, get me all the blueprints from the past couple of years.”
Amelia stared at her, before nodding and leaving the office.
Amelia collated all the required original blueprints in a short while, and the stack was even taller than herself. Her colleagues in the design department couldn’t help asking, “Amelia, what are you doing with all these?”
“Ms. Larson wants to use them, so she asked me to collate them for her.”
Jessica appeared angry. “Isn’t she just making your life difficult? We already submitted these blueprints to other companies, and they’ve all been reviewed. What does she want to do with them now? You’re pregnant right now, and the way she’s treating you is just plain unreasonable.”
The male colleagues were also angry. “Amelia, we’ll help you carry them to her office.”
“Thank you,” replied Amelia as she turned to comfort an indignant Jessica. “Alright, don’t I have all of you helping me? I’m not exhausted; don’t be so angry on my behalf, or you might get wrinkles on your young face.”
Jessica couldn’t help but laugh at her teasing words.
Looking at the tall stack of documents in her office, Jennifer asked Amelia, “What is the meaning of this?”
Amelia replied, “Ms. Larson, these are all the blueprints you requested. There are more outside; if you would like to see them all, my colleagues will help me to move it in.”
Jennifer’s expression darkened. “Amelia, you must be really talented at socializing. You’ve barely worked in the company, but you seem to have your colleagues at your beck-and-call. I wonder if your seduction techniques work on all genders?”
Amelia replied, “Rapport between colleagues boils down to sincerity. If you’re calling me a temptress, I think the term suits you more as you are much more beautiful than me. You can also build rapport with them if you’d like.”
Jennifer sneered. “You can leave.”
Amelia nodded.
Shortly after she returned to the design department, she heard that Jennifer had been called into Mr. Scott’s office. Jennifer then left the office, glowering.
Jessica launched into another one of her gossip sessions. “Did you hear? Ms. Larson got called into Mr. Scott’s office. The secretary told me when she brought coffee in, she saw that Ms. Larson’s eyes were red. I’m pretty sure she was told off by Mr. Scott for picking on you. She was called in so quickly after the incident. Let’s see whether she dares to be unreasonable next time.”
Amelia just glanced at her. “Jessica, you shouldn’t gossip during working hours. I’m sure Mr. Scott had some work-related issues to discuss with Ms. Larson. You shouldn’t come up with such fantastical scenarios in your head, or you might accidentally blurt them out and become Ms. Larson’s next target.”
Jessica stuck her tongue out and replied softly, “I just don’t like the way she does things. She was only Mr. Scott’s assistant when she first joined the company. In less than a month, she’s become the director of design, and it feels unfair to me.”
A male colleague cut in. “Jessica, if you have her family and education background, you’ll be able to become a director in such a short time too.”
That shut her up.
The morning flew by thanks to the flurry of incidents.
Jennifer appeared at the door to the design department. “Amelia, let’s go.”
Time for the lunch appointment.
“Good, you’re all here. I’m joining you today.” Carter’s voice drifted in.
Jennifer turned her head. “Mr. Scott, you’re going as well?”
Carter nodded.
“I thought you’re sending me to the lunch appointment because you said you were busy? Why-” Halfway through her sentence, Jennifer looked at Amelia and understood the situation.
Her expression cooled considerably. “Since Mr. Scott wants to go, you don’t need to attend the appointment anymore.” This was directed at Amelia.
Carter merely said, “Let’s go together. It’s good to have two beauties around when we’re discussing business.”
Jennifer spent the lift ride down fuming with anger.
Carter would drive to the appointment. He invited Amelia to take the front passenger seat, and Jennifer was relegated to the backseat.
Already fuming with anger, Jennifer became even more enraged at the sight of Carter’s concern towards Amelia.
“Carter, what is the meaning of this?” Jennifer crossed her arms and asked aggressively.
“There’s no other meaning; you’re free to think what you like,” replied Carter nonchalantly.
“Carter, when I joined the company, Mrs. Scott made you promise to take good care of me,” said Jennifer.
“In barely a month, I’ve promoted you to the director of design; isn’t that pretty good care?”
“If you truly care for me, why do you let this woman work at your company? Don’t forget we’re to be married in the future; if you’re hung up on this woman, can you imagine the shame I would face?” Jennifer said pettishly.
