Ellison And Joycelyn: A Love Beyond The Rules

Chapter 40

Chapter 40

The office buzzed with a mix of tension and routine when Selene broke the monotony with her signature cheeky grin Leaning forward conspiratorially, she teased. “Joycelyn, the way you were acting just now–if I didn’t already know you had a boyfriend, I might have thought there was something going on between you and Mr. Grant”

Joycelyn’s heart skipped a beat, the playful accusation hitting too close to home. Her cheeks flushed, and she quickly averted her gaze.

Her thoughts whirled in a chaotic loop.

I need to stay away from him from now on. Selene’s already picking up on something–I can’t let my guard down now! Joycelyn resolved silently.

Before Joycelyn could respond, Aurelia Finch, their no–nonsense team leader, glanced over with a wry smile. “Selene, quit stirring the pot. Poor Joycelyn looks like she’s about to faint. Next time, how about I assign you to present to Mr. Grant directly! Give you a chance to get close.”

Selene immediately waved her hands in protest. “No, no, no! Aurelia, please spare me. I’m terrified of him!”

Joycelyn finally let out a small laugh, though it was more from relief than amusement. “Next time, I’ll gladly pass the honor to you,” she said, half–joking.

Anything to avoid him, she thought to herself, the mere idea making her stomach tighten.

The office was unusually quiet that afternoon until a sharp chime broke the monotony.

Linda Lorne, their ever–demanding department head, had suddenly issued a new directive in the group chat: [Plan a grand birthday party. Everyone must draft a detailed proposal.]

[Submission deadline: Before tomorrow noon.]

Joycelyn frowned as she read the message, irritation flickering across her face.

It was the first time Linda had reached out in days, resurfacing after her latest debacle.

The collaboration Linda had worked so hard to secure had been unceremoniously shut down by Ellison, and the involved partner company was now embroiled in legal trouble. Joycelyn didn’t need details to know Ellison’s handiwork was all over it.

Still, Linda had escaped relatively unscathed–apart from her authority being halved and shared with Aurelia. Yet here she was, back to assigning busywork.

Jocelyn remembered overhearing Ellison on the phone that morning. His voice, calm but firm, carried through the corridor. “The surveillance in the private room has malfunctioned,” he had said. Although it was merely a passing comment, Joycelyn could deduce that this was why Linda escaped relatively unscathed.

She didn’t dwell on it for long. After all, the incident had been her own slip–up, and Ellison stepping in to handle the fallout was a gesture she hadn’t expected. If anything, she felt grateful–he had taken the trouble to protect her dignity and settle the score on her behalf.

As for Linda, her direct supervisor, that was a different matter altogether. Their relationship, strained yet functional. required careful balancing. Linda was far from someone Joycelyn could challenge or risk alienating. For now, diplomacy was her best weapon, even if it meant swallowing her pride and playing along.

Chapter 40

“A birthday party? Linda’s snagged another side gig through her connections, and now she wants us to pitch in for her benefit Selene was the first to speak, her voice tinged with annoyance.

It was clear she wasn’t thrilled about the prospect of added workload.

After all, no one among the working class would willingly play the lackey.

That was, until Linda dropped the bombshell: It was a party for Ellison’s birthday, and they were all expected to make extra effort:|

to herself, ‘Ellison’s birthday?”

thumb hovering over the name Ellison displayed on the screen. “Our Mr.

the company for two years and had never once

so,” Aurelia chimed in, always

although I’m not sure of the exact date,” Aurelia remarked.

the surprise lasted only a second before two thoughts surfaced

succession.

a gift? Joycelyn couldn’t ignore the thought. It lingered, tugging at her with a strange mix of curiosity and hesitation.

she’d caused him plenty of

him somehow, but Ellison’s resources and capabilities

fate seemed to have handed

quickly searched

her frozen in disbelief. She blinked at the questionable suggestions flooding her screen, the faint smile on her lips vanishing in

through Joycelyn’s thoughts. “She’s probably using this as an excuse to suck Mr. Grant and claw her way back to relevance. Meanwhile, we’re the

ty to

back, we’re still stuck

than a knife!” Selene clutched her chest in mock despair. “If only I had connections! If I’d

sighed dramatically, completely ignoring the fact that Linda’s assistant, Anna Davidson

think everyone is as exceptional as Linda? You’re destined to be nothing more than her underling,” Anna shot back sharply, her voice

if she lived solely to execute her every

Rie, 11 Feb

Chapter 40

rolled her eyes. “Oh, please. Like you’re any better. At the end of the

I’m the director’s assistant,” Anna retorted, her smugness palpable. Unlike you, who lacks Joycelyn’s

521

a bootlicker. Save your drama for someone who cares.

Joycelyn interjected with a calm smile. Completely irreplaceable”

something productive Like drafting a couple more birthday proposals for your dear Director Lome. Her tone was measured, but the hint of sarcasm in her

declared, crossing her arms with a smug grin. “Of course, you can’t compare. The CEO never celebrates his birthday, and only those close to him would know the date. When the time comes, you’ll all be left green with ey Her words hung in air, brimming with self–importance, as she cast a condescending glance around the

them. Without another word they chose

air shifted, as they moved on, uninterested in wasting any more energy on her

quickly typed out a message to Ellison: [When’s your

and he glanced down to see Joycelyn’s name flashing

never cared much for birthdays had, for once, opened

a shocked emoji followed by a

decided to be direct and asked: [What do you want for your birthday?] Ellison read her message, his gaze lingering

in a matter–of–fact tone:

before she could stop herself, she sent

the screen, uncertainty hanging in the air.

subtlety or surprise–just the dry simplicity of two people, as straightforward as ever Ellison put his phone down, getting back to his work with little more than a flicker of a response to

own tasks, focused on the project that

that Linda had mentioned; instead,

for that task.