I stood in the passenger pickup zone at Halcyon City Airport for half an hour, waiting for my flash marriage husband, Alexander Sterling, to pick me up. We had been married for a year, but I had never even seen his face. A year ago, my grandfather was seriously ill, and his only wish was to see me married, so I agreed to this arrangement. Since then, we had lived completely separate lives.
He had never called, never texted, never treated me like a wife. Just as I was getting worried, a silver sports car pulled up in front of me. My cousin Dylan rolled down the window. “Why are you here?
” I asked. “Of course your cousin came to pick you up. Why the reluctant face? ”
“It’s not reluctant.
I just didn’t expect you. ”
“Then who did you expect? Has Alexander ever reached out to you in the past year? He hasn’t even made one phone call, and you think he’d show up?
Get in the car. It’s too hot outside. ”
While we were playfully tugging at each other, a black car drove past and slowed down. A man inside looked at us, his expression darkening before he drove away.
I didn’t know it then, but that man was Alexander. He texted me shortly after: something came up, he couldn’t make it. What could be more important than picking up his own wife? That afternoon, I reported to Ashford Group as Alexander’s personal PR manager.
What I didn’t know was that he was also known as Lion Torrance, the man I’d married. Lillian, the head of the PR department, took me to the top floor to meet him. She tried to pry into my background, asking why I suddenly transferred to headquarters and whether I knew Mr. Sterling.
I didn’t like her blunt probing and told her a PR professional should have better emotional intelligence. Her face fell. While waiting, Lillian tried again. “Mr.
Sterling’s wife is flying back to Halcyon City today. He set aside all his work to pick her up. Such a loving couple. ”
Great.
Even the CEO went to pick up his wife, but my own husband wouldn’t show his face. The elevator doors opened, and Alexander stepped out. I introduced myself formally, and to my surprise, he only asked if I knew anything about design. I said a little.
He flipped through my portfolio, paused on the last page, and then told Lillian to take me around and give me a task. That was it. Passed on two questions. Colleagues whispered that he was usually so strict.
Lillian handed me their most difficult client, a pianist named Brandon. Colleagues said he was picky and sleazy. When he walked in, he sat right next to me, staring without blinking. I quietly inched away.
“Mr. White, hello. I’m Claire Thorne. I’ll be handling the details of the dinner’s background music with you.
Is there something holding up your decision to collaborate? ”
He made an offer and I promised to set aside time at the dinner to promote his national tour as a bonus. He seemed tempted, but then he said, “Too many words. I don’t want to read.
Come closer and read the terms to me. ”
I kept my distance and began reading, but his eyes roamed all over me. Suddenly, he leaned in and reached for the necklace around my neck. I jerked back and offered to order him one and send it to his office after the meeting.
“I don’t think Ashford Group is sincere about working together. In that case, no point in continuing. ”
He looked like he had me cornered, even with a hint of threat in his eyes. Just then, the door pushed open.
Alexander walked in expressionlessly and stood in front of me. “The deal is off. Mr. White, you have no basic respect for Ashford Group’s female employees.
We have no interest in working with someone like you. ”
Brandon stormed out in a rage, slamming the door. Alexander turned to Lillian. “You didn’t check Brandon’s character before trying to sign him.
If trouble arises, Ashford would be the one taking the blame. As PR professionals, your job is to solve the company’s crisis, not create them. If you don’t even have that basic capability, go to finance and collect your severance. ”
I felt a flicker of gratitude toward him.
That night, my cousin and my best friend Diana planned a welcome-back dinner for me. Dylan kept making sarcastic comments about my absent husband. I sent Lion Torrance two messages asking if he was held up and suggesting we reschedule. Both disappeared into the void.
“What kind of man is this? Standing us up over and over. Just divorce him already,” Diana said. “Don’t make it worse.
Maybe something came up. ”
Coming out of the restroom, I ran into Alexander. His face was terrible, like he was boiling with rage. “Mr.
Sterling, what a coincidence. Are you here for dinner, too? ”
“Business meeting. ”
He turned and left without looking back.
That night, Lion Torrance never showed up. The next day, I compiled a list of alternative pianists to replace Brandon. When I went into Alexander’s office to hand it over, my eyes landed on a divorce agreement on his desk. Alexander was getting a divorce?
But didn’t he go pick up his wife yesterday? “What are you looking at? ”
I met his icy stare and broke out in a cold sweat. “Get out.
Don’t look at things you’re not supposed to see. ”
I hurried out, my heart pounding. At the company gala, I led Scarlett, an actress and close female friend of Alexander’s, to her seat. The moment she saw it, she lost her temper.
“I’m Alexander’s woman, and you put me in such a remote spot. Are you deliberately targeting me? ”
“Ms. Moss, you’re overthinking it.
Every seat was carefully considered. ”
“You’re incompetent and making excuses. I’ll have Alexander fire you. What’s your name?
”
Somehow, Alexander had already arrived. “Alexander, you’re here. My seat is so far away, I can’t even see the back of your head. I want to sit with you, pretty please?
”
“Sit according to the seating arrangement. If you don’t want to, you can leave. ”
Scarlett froze, embarrassed, wishing she could disappear into the floor. Near the end of the gala, I went backstage to wrap up.
Scarlett was blocking the door with a glass of red wine. “Miss Moss, is there something I can help you with? ”
“Stop pretending in front of me. Don’t think you can be arrogant just because Alexander backs you.
Remember your place. A lowly PR girl daring to order me around? ”
I tried to walk past her, but my foot caught. She deliberately stepped on my hem with her high heel.
“Who said you could leave before I finish speaking? ”
“Move your foot. ”
“Trying to scare me? Go ahead and tattle.
You’ll be the one getting kicked out. ”
“I’d advise you to rein it in, Miss Moss. Your new drama just started promotions. You wouldn’t want to ruin it under your own heel tonight.
”
“You think a little PR can throw her weight around in showbiz? ”
“I can’t. But the cameras probably caught your little tantrum. If the public finds out you’re nothing like your screen image, it might affect more than just ratings.
”
Furious, she threw the wine in my face. Then she raised her hand to slap me. I caught her wrist. “Stepping on my dress, throwing wine, trying to slap me?
Do you really want to destroy your pure girl image? ”
I let go of her hand and walked away. Behind me, her hysterical voice rang out: “Just wait! This isn’t over!
”
Alexander came backstage later. I heard he didn’t defend Scarlett but scolded her for affecting the gala. In the end, he had his driver take her home. I was struggling to wipe wine stains off my white dress.
Alexander appeared out of nowhere. “You drive me home. I’ve been drinking and can’t drive. ”
He had me drive to KL, a world-famous luxury brand I loved.
He insisted on buying me a dress, saying as his personal PR, I couldn’t afford to lose face. The sales assistant greeted us eagerly and commented, “This dress truly suits you. Mrs. Sterling is such a beauty.
”
“You’re mistaken. I’m not Mrs. Sterling. ”
Alexander’s phone rang.
“Mr. Sterling, regarding the divorce agreement you asked me to prepare, it still needs Mrs. Sterling’s signature. I’ll text you later.
”
Then his phone rang again. It was his grandmother. “Alexander, aren’t it the company gala tonight? Why are you calling Grandma?
You’ve been calling her Claire. What’s her full name? Oh, so you’re asking about Claire. I’ll tell you just this once, so listen carefully and don’t forget again.
Your wife’s name is Claire Thorne. ”
Alexander was stunned for a moment. “Grandma, it’s late. I’ll come see you another day.
”
He hurriedly ended the call and glanced at me nearby, assuming it was just a coincidence of the same name. The Claire in his memory was nothing like the woman before him. Days passed. Scarlett posted a long tweet falsely accusing me of threatening her backstage at the gala, including a photo of her bruised wrist.
The topic trended quickly, and my name appeared on the trendy list. Colleagues went from whispering to openly pointing fingers. I turned off my phone, stood up, and headed for Alexander’s office. His deputy was there, offering to clarify the truth to the public.
“Handle it quickly,” Alexander said, his tone showing no favoritism toward Scarlett. After leaving the CEO’s office, I contacted the gala venue manager to request surveillance footage. The footage from that location that night was gone, as I had expected. But I asked about other camera angles, and the manager copied everything for me.
Fast-forwarding through the footage, I spotted a paparazzo filming the backstage entrance. I went to his office and found his page full of gossip and tabloid clips. “You know better than anyone how much truth is in your commentary. Technically, that’s all defamation.
If you’re willing to give me the video, I’ll bring you ten times the profit. Otherwise, you’ll soon receive a lawyer’s letter from Ashford Group. If we get the video, we’ll arrange an exclusive interview with Ashford Group. ”
He handed over the video.
I cut the key footage and sent it along with a document about the defamation to Scarlett’s agent. Ten minutes later, Scarlett posted an apology. Public opinion flipped instantly. The whole incident took less than two hours from start to resolution.
“Well done,” Alexander said when I reported back. After I left, he looked at the post on his computer, his eyes flickering. Maybe I should give her a chance to explain in person. He opened a drawer, took out the already prepared divorce agreement, and fell into thought.
That evening, my cousin picked me up from work. Over dinner, I drank a few too many and quickly got drunk, venting about my absent husband. “Why won’t Lion Torrance answer my messages? He stood me up twice in a row, not even an explanation?
If he doesn’t want this marriage, then end it. Be straightforward. ”
My phone rang. Caller ID: Lion Torrance.
“Are you finally going to meet Claire? ” Diana answered. Her face went pale. “Claire, Lion Torrance says he wants to meet tomorrow night to discuss divorce.
”
“What? Did he say why? ”
“No. He hung up after saying divorce.
”
“I’m fine. Lion Torrance and I don’t have feelings for each other. Divorce is normal. ”
I tossed and turned until dawn.
The next morning, I rushed to the company and slipped into an elevator just as the doors were closing. “Good morning, Mr. Sterling. ”
As I took out my phone, I saw a text from Lion Torrance with the meeting address and time.
Days of pent-up anger surged. Then a notification came from Alexander’s pocket. We exchanged a confused glance. What a coincidence.
Alexander had other plans for me: a business trip to Lakewood City to deal with a fur exhibition facing strong opposition from anti-fur activists. I focused entirely on work and completely forgot about meeting Lion Torrance that evening to discuss divorce. On the plane, Alexander leaned back in his seat with his eyes closed, his brow deeply furrowed. He had claustrophobia.
“Mr. Sterling, are you okay? ”
“I’m fine. ”
His face was frighteningly pale.
“Mr. Sterling, are you unwell? Should assistant Ethan take you to the hospital? ”
“Just a headache.
I have medicine in my bag. Would you like one? ”
“Hmm. Don’t tell anyone about this.
”
I nodded like a pecking chick. That night, I turned on my phone and saw more than thirty missed calls from an unknown number. A lawyer introduced himself as Lion Torrance’s representative. “Claire, it’s already 9:00.
When are you coming? ”
“Tell Lion Torrance I don’t have time to meet today. ”
“What about the divorce? ”
“He stood me up first.
”
Alexander’s phone rang in the next room. “Mr. Sterling, sorry to bother you. Ms.
Claire said she doesn’t have time to meet today and will discuss the divorce another time. She also said this is payback for you standing her up twice. ”
“Payback? What right does she have to talk about payback with me?
” Alexander laughed in bitter anger. “Fine. If she won’t sign, don’t push it. I’ll handle it myself later.
”
The next morning at the exhibition hall, anti-fur protesters flooded in, carrying signs and shouting. In the chaos, someone pushed me from behind. I fell, slamming my elbow hard against the edge of a step. Gritting my teeth, I grabbed the microphone.
“Everyone, please calm down. We invited you here to show you that our fur exhibition is definitely worth seeing. I hope you’ll stay and watch. You won’t be disappointed.
”
The crowd gradually settled. The lead model took the stage and announced that the fur displayed was all made from faux fur, synthetic fibers. They hadn’t announced it earlier to preserve the mystery. Thunderous applause filled the hall.
The exhibition was a complete success. As I reached the elevator, Alexander’s deep voice came from behind. “Claire. You’re injured.
I’ll have the hotel doctor take a look. ”
Just then, my cousin Dylan called. I spoke to him in a soft, affectionate voice, complaining about my sprained arm. Alexander stood aside, quietly listening, his eyes gradually darkening.
That must be her husband on the phone. She only acts like that with someone she likes. My wife won’t even meet me. She even stood up our divorce negotiation for him.
How ridiculous. “Keep an eye on her. After the medicine is applied, take her back to her room. ”
A powerful typhoon forced us to stay two more days.
At a celebration banquet, colleagues raised their glasses to me. As I reached for the wine, Alexander spoke. “Claire was injured yesterday. It’s not good for her to drink.
Just have some juice. ”
Everyone was stunned. Was he concerned about me? After the banquet, a sudden downpour started.
I couldn’t get a taxi. Then a Rolls-Royce pulled up in front of me. Alexander’s car. “Get in.
The rain is too heavy. ”
I hesitated, then got in. The car was so quiet I could hear our breathing. I caught his gaze in the rearview mirror and felt my face heat up.
“There’s a towel in the backseat. ”
Thank you, Mr. Sterling. So, he was worried I’d get his car wet.
Relieved, I quickly dried my hair. “Mr. Sterling, what brings you here? ”
“Art exhibit.
”
The rain grew even heavier, mixed with hail. The car couldn’t drive. We went into a nearby mall to wait out the storm. “Mr.
Sterling, I’ll look around the mall. You go ahead when the rain lightens. ”
“Claire. Are you afraid of me?
”
“No. I just don’t want to hold up my boss’s schedule. ”
“Good. Then help me pick out a gift.
”
“For whom? ”
“Family. ”
He turned and walked into the mall. I sighed and followed.
Shopping with my boss was probably the most stressful one-on-one situation I’d ever faced. “Sir, madam, how may I help you? ”
“A gift for a family member. A lady, petite, long brown hair.
”
He must be buying for his wife, but aren’t they getting divorced? I blurted out “pearl” without thinking. The salesperson showed us white, pink, and purple pearls. I was drawn to a black pearl necklace.
“Mr. Sterling, I think this would suit Mrs. Sterling, elegant and classy. ”
His face visibly darkened.
“Mr. Sterling, did I say something wrong? ”
“My grandmother is nearly 70. Elderly ladies don’t usually like black.
”
Grandmother? He said family, and it’s his grandma. No wonder he looked like he wanted to kill me. “Mr.
Sterling, these pearls are perfectly round with an A-grade luster, dignified and elegant. They should suit the elder Mrs. Sterling very well. This classic collection symbolizes health and longevity, an excellent gift for an elderly lady.
”
“Wrap it up. ”
I breathed a quiet sigh of relief. I really need to learn more about Alexander. Can’t mess up like that again.
Back at the hotel, a call about an advertising shoot came in. The spokesperson, Alexander Sterling, hadn’t shown up, and his phone was unreachable. The product was a charity launch by Randy Group; all profits would be donated. Any delay would cost Ashford.
I got the list of models and called everyone. Too short notice. All were booked. The set fell deathly silent.
I bit my lip and walked up to Alexander. “Mr. Sterling, I read the shoot plan. The Alexander Sterling scenes aren’t many.
If you can convince Randy Group, I’d like to try. I have some experience in freelance modeling. ”
Alexander nodded, and the staff quickly ushered me to the makeup room. Half an hour later, I walked onto the set fully made up, and every eye turned to me.
The photographer quickly pulled me in front of the camera. I’d done plenty of freelance modeling for Diana’s agency, so I was comfortable in front of the lens. “Your outfit speed rivals a pro. Every expression and pose is on point.
You’re a natural. ”
The weight lifted from my shoulders. After the shoot, Randy Group employees crowded around me, all asking for my contact info. Suddenly, someone grabbed my wrist.
Alexander pulled me out of the circle, his face cold. “She’s with me. ”
The entire set fell silent. Did I hear that right?
Why would he say that in public? “Claire is with Ashford Group. If anyone is interested in working with Ashford, you can contact me. ”
Everyone breathed a sigh of relief.
Oh, he was just rescuing me. What was I thinking? He’s my boss. That night, I managed to get Alexander into the car, as he’d had too much to drink.
At a red light, I glanced in the rearview mirror and saw him frowning in pain. “Mr. Sterling, are you unwell? Should we go to the hospital?
”
“No hospital, just an upset stomach. Don’t drive too fast. Be safe. ”
After parking, he leaned almost all his weight on me.
Somehow I got him into the room. I dissolved a pill in warm water and tried to wake him. “Mr. Sterling, wake up.
Take the medicine. ”
“Why won’t you agree to the divorce? ”
I froze mid-step, eyes wide. So, his drinking tonight wasn’t for no reason.
It was because of his wife. “You already have another man, so why won’t you divorce me? ”
So, Alexander’s marriage wasn’t happy at all. His wife had been unfaithful.
I tried to sneak away, but he coughed and turned over, knocking the blanket to the floor. I went to cover him again. He turned once more, trapping my hand firmly under his body. I didn’t dare pull hard for fear of waking him.
Before I knew it, I’d fallen asleep leaning against the bed. I woke up thirsty in the middle of the night. The first thing I saw was Alexander’s deep eyes looking at me. His hand was midair, as if he’d been about to brush away the hair from my forehead.
Our eyes met. I gasped and instinctively pulled back. “What’s wrong? ”
“My hand got pinned.
It’s a bit uncomfortable. Mr. Sterling, it’s late. I’ll go now.
Please rest well. ”
I turned and quickly walked out, gently closing the door behind me. Alexander sat up in bed, staring at the closed door, lost in thought for a long time. The next morning at breakfast, Ethan greeted me.
“Claire, did you get Mr. Sterling safely to his room last night? ”
Alexander answered for me, then told us we were returning to Halcyon City the next day. Eager to go home, I finished all my work by noon.
During my break, I remembered a trendy bubble tea shop nearby. I ordered three different flavors and brought them back to the office. Alexander was alone. “Mr.
Sterling, I bought three bubble teas. Would you like one? There are three flavors. ”
Alexander looked up, about to refuse when Ethan walked in.
“Oh, that’s the famous tea shop. I heard the lines are huge. ”
“I’ll have the lemon one,” Alexander said. Ethan and I exchanged a stunned glance.
“Mr. Sterling will have lemon. I’ll take anything else. ”
Ethan took the pearl milk tea and wisely didn’t ask further.
I sat on a nearby chair, stuck in a straw, and took a big sip. “So good. Lives up to the hype. ”
I noticed Alexander’s eyes on me and immediately sat up straight.
“Mr. Sterling, why aren’t you drinking? ”
“I believe lunch break is over. ”
“Sorry.
I’ll get to the afternoon work right away. ”
I shut the door and ran out of the office. Alone, Alexander looked at the tea on his desk, then inexplicably picked it up and took a sip. His frown deepened.
So, she likes this kind of sickly sweet stuff. Just a cup of tea and she’s so easily pleased. Back in Halcyon City, Diana met me at the airport with a “surprise”—a handsome young model named Charlie holding a sign that read, “Welcome home, Claire. ” My colleagues gasped, assuming he was my husband.
Alexander got into the car with a dark face. At lunch, I received a text from Lion Torrance asking to meet at noon at Pearl Hotel to discuss divorce. Diana read the text, slammed the table, and stood up. “That scumbag wants a divorce, right?
Why is he texting you? Charlie, don’t leave yet. Do me one more favor. Take Charlie with you and piss him off.
”
Noon came, but Lion Torrance didn’t text. When I asked where he was, he replied, “Something came up. Let’s talk another day. ”
I was staring at my phone, annoyed, when I looked up and saw Alexander walking toward me.
His face was cold, his stride aggressive. “Mr. Sterling, what a coincidence. ”
Alexander didn’t speak.
His cold, heavy gaze shifted between me and Charlie. “Hello. My name’s Charlie. ”
Charlie extended his hand, but Alexander barely glanced at it and didn’t shake.
“I have something to do. I’ll be going. Enjoy your meal. ”
That night, Scarlett waited at Alexander’s villa gate with food she’d cooked, saying she’d learned his favorite dishes from his mother.
“Stop going to my mother’s house all the time,” he said coldly. “I’m grateful you saved my mother. If you need anything I can help with, I will. But our relationship will not develop further.
From now on, aside from work, don’t contact me privately. Take this back. ”
Scarlett watched the closed gate, clutched the food container in frustration, and called a tabloid journalist she knew. “You can start.
”
The next morning, Ethan’s call woke me. “Get to the company immediately. ”
News of Alexander’s one-year secret marriage and ongoing divorce had exploded online. Everyone was talking about it.
I sat at my desk, quickly typed up two solutions, printed them, and walked into Alexander’s office. “Mr. Sterling, the core of the public discussion is your divorce. To break the rumor, the best way is to have Mrs.
Sterling appear and show the public that you have a good relationship. That would disperse all rumors. ”
“Next one. ”
“The other option is the annual Halcyon City Charity Auction, which is coming up soon.
The highlight item that night is the Garden of Eden Star, which symbolizes a happy marriage. If you win the bid, promote it as a gift for Mrs. Sterling and set up a charity foundation in her name, you can completely reverse public opinion and restore your image as a loving husband. ”
“Do it.
Ashford Group has no problem spending big on charity. I just want to see results. ”
“Understood. Mr.
Sterling, may I know Mrs. Sterling’s name? I think we’ll need it for the PR statement. ”
“You don’t need to know her name.
”
That evening, his grandmother called. “What’s this about the online reports? Did you ignore everything I told you? Alexander, what are you thinking?
Just give me a straight answer. Are you determined to divorce? ”
“Yes. I’ve already decided.
”
“Alexander, you’re going to give me a heart attack. Oh, heavens. My granddaughter-in-law, gone, all ruined by you. ”
“Grandma, my mind is made up.
Please respect my decision and let her go. ”
In the evening, Ashford Group issued an official statement denying the divorce rumors, announcing that Alexander had bought the Garden of Eden Star for five million and given it to his wife and had set up a charity foundation in her name. Public opinion flipped instantly. Media praised Alexander as romantic, generous, and a model husband.
Looking at the comments online, I breathed a sigh of relief and went to Alexander’s office. “Mr. Sterling, I’d like to take a day off tomorrow. ”
“Fine.
The company will give you a bonus this month. ”
“Thank you, Mr. Sterling. I’ll keep working hard.
”
I walked out beaming, completely unaware that Alexander was watching my back, the corners of his lips unconsciously curling into a small smile. By evening, I was still feeling down. After dinner, I told Diana I wanted to go for a walk alone. I came to a man-made lake.
A man was standing nearby. “Excuse me, sir. ”
He turned around. I froze.
“Mr. Sterling, are you out for a walk? ”
“What are you doing here? ”
“I went for a walk after dinner, got lost, and didn’t have my phone.
Do you know how to get to zone F? ”
“This is zone A. It’s a distance away. The villa area has a shuttle.
I’ll call security to drive you back. ”
“Really? Thank you so much. I’m so lucky I ran into you.
”
No sooner had I spoken than raindrops fell, then more. “Come to my place first. Wait out the rain. ”
“No need, Mr.
Sterling. I can run back. ”
“At least take an umbrella. ”
His voice carried an undeniable authority.
I couldn’t refuse again. We reached his villa. The maid brought me a towel and umbrella. I was left alone in the living room and looked around curiously.
The decor was simple but so cold. No sign of life. Not even a single photo. “Miss, if I may ask, what is your relationship with the master?
Please forgive my curiosity. The master has never brought a woman here before. ”
“I’m an Ashford employee. I got lost and happened to meet Mr.
Sterling. ”
“I’ve been here for years, and I’ve never seen Mrs. Sterling. ”
“You talk too much,” a deep, angry voice came from upstairs.
The maid was so frightened she didn’t dare breathe. “Security will take you home. Wait downstairs. ”
The next morning, I placed a USB drive on Alexander’s desk.
“Mr. Sterling, this is a small thank-you gift. I selected a few decorative paintings for you. I noticed your home is quite bare.
”
“I like these. Handle the rest yourself. ”
Later, I heard raised voices coming from his office. “Alexander, have you forgotten you already have a wife?
Did Serena Stilton say something to you again? You have a perfectly good wife, but you want a PR? ”
“I’ll talk to Claire myself. Remember, we have their marriage certificate.
He can’t divorce you even if he wants to. ”
The next day, the company gave me a bonus. I treated my colleagues to coffee. On my way back from buying them, I ran into Alexander and gave him a cup.
When I returned to my desk, Lillian glared at me. “Where’s mine? Did you leave mine out on purpose because I suggested you treat us? ”
“On the way back, I ran into Mr.
Sterling. He took your cup. If you don’t mind, you can have mine. ”
“If you’re going to make excuses, don’t drag Mr.
Sterling into it. His coffee is prepared by assistant Ethan every morning. He wouldn’t drink this cheap stuff. ”
“Believe what you want.
Since you think it’s cheap, I’ll take this one back. ”
As I reached for it, she deliberately bumped me, and the coffee splashed onto a decorative painting I was about to deliver to Alexander. “You bumped me,” she said. “What are you talking about?
I didn’t do anything. Don’t falsely accuse me. ”
“Someone gets a bonus and starts throwing her weight around. ”
“Fine.
Keep pretending. Let’s pull the surveillance footage and see if you bumped me. If you did, you will apologize to me today. ”
“Apologize?
Never. ”
Just then, a deep voice rang out in the office. “What’s going on? ”
Alexander walked between us.
Lillian immediately stepped up to him. “Mr. Sterling, Claire thought bought coffee for everyone except me on purpose. Now she’s falsely accusing me of bumping her.
”
“I took one of Claire Thorne’s coffees. Do you want me to return it? ”
Lillian hadn’t expected that to be true. Her face changed drastically.
“Mr. Sterling, I’m sorry. I misunderstood Claire. I’m sorry.
”
Alexander ignored her completely, walked to my desk, looked at the coffee-stained painting, and his brow frosted over. “Now, let’s deal with this painting. Whether you did it or not, we’ll check the footage. If it proves you stained Claire’s painting, you’ll pay full compensation.
I ordered Claire to buy that painting. It cost twenty million. ”
Lillian’s face went white. She trembled violently, then her legs gave out and she knelt.
“Mr. Sterling, I know I was wrong. Please give me another chance. ”
“Pay or be fired.
Choose. ”
Neither option was bearable. Security came in and took her away. Alexander addressed the office: “Ashford Group needs people who work together.
Next time someone stirs up trouble, they’re fired immediately. ”
Half an hour later, the company held an emergency press conference. Alexander and I appeared together on camera. “Today’s conference is for two personnel announcements.
First, Lillian is relieved of her duties as PR specialist, effective immediately, with no chance of rehire. Second, Claire Thorne is appointed deputy director of the PR department to assist in handling all company PR matters. ”
The camera turned to me. I took a deep breath, bowed slightly.
“Thank you, Mr. Sterling, for your trust. Thank you, colleagues, for your support. I will do my duty and work with everyone for Ashford Group.
”
After the conference, we walked out together. He looked at me from the side, the corners of his lips lifting. “Congratulations, Deputy Director Claire Thorne. ”
“Thank you, Mr.
Sterling. ”
Sunlight streamed through the corridor window and fell on his profile. Looking into his eyes, my heart raced again, beyond my control.
