Love's New Bloom by Simone Hastings

Chapter 12 Social Ostracization

On the second day of work, Erin was swamped at the office. She was at every designer’s beck and call. Erin and her friends who had been transferred to the design department were currently being ostracized by others in the department.

However, Dana, Milly, and Ella were lucky. All three of them had been assigned an assistant position to head designers, so even though there were people in the department who did not like them, no one dared to actually order them around.

Erin’s case was different. She finally got some time to take a break and walked into the break room to get herself a glass of water. Dana also happened to be walking out of the break room and pulled Erin to the stairwell.

After she shut the door, she asked, “Erin, did your husband come to pick you up after work yesterday?”

Erin froze. She had not told them about her divorce, nor did she want to tell them that for now. After all, there was nothing glorious about having a cheating husband.

“No, my best friend came to get me.”

Dana nodded.

“That’s good then. Did you know when I went to get coffee in the break room just now, I heard people gossiping about you? They said that they saw you in an expensive car like a gold digger and that your transfer to the design department was because you know one of the higher-ups. They also said much worse things but I don’t want to talk about it anymore.”

“Ah, just let them gossip. I am innocent! Though, with our design experience, we really aren’t qualified to be a part of Frost Corporation. I don’t know which idiot decided to let us join the team. I’m not surprised that the designers here don’t like us.”

Erin had an idea of her capabilities and where they would get her, but Dana clearly did not agree with her. She was immediately unhappy.

“Erin, how can you put yourself down like that? The four of us entered the company because we are capable and not because we had relations with the higher-ups! How can you look down on yourself like that!”

Seeing that Dana was upset, Erin decided that she should just stop trying to tell her the truth. She gave a light laugh.

“Yeah. Let’s just get back to work so they can’t say that we’re slacking off.”

about to

to you about it yesterday night, but you left early. Our boss is so generous, he gave all of us a bonus before we left.

“Yeah, I got it.”

great, let’s go back now. Why don’t the four of us go for a meal after work?” Dana

“Not today Dana, I have something to take

catch a quick breath before another pile of work was passed over to her table. She

director of design, Mr. Jones, walked over and said, “Erin, go to the director’s

she left, the

director is back from overseas? Why does he want to see her the minute he

higher-up that

director be

the elusive president, the director

…

office and knocked

“Come in.”

and saw a handsome young man sitting in front of a nearby desk. He had straight eyebrows and bright eyes as well as a defined nose bridge.

arranged to enter

Erin said, “Thank you.”

the files of your three colleagues. With your experience, to be able to enter Frost Corporation would only be because of connections! I don’t care how the four of you got in, but since you girls are in my department, you should know that we don’t keep slackers around. If you aren’t able to keep up with the work, I will not

made Erin’s face burn. She also could not believe that she got into Frost Corporations, but having the director decide that she’d gotten in due to her connections

the other three girls actually had relied on connections to get here and if she was able to do the same because of that. So, she decided that she would just stay silent

will work hard,

lack of denial made Caleb give her another glance—one that was deeply disdainful. If she had nothing to

day. I don’t want to hear any

not one to be messed with. Once she got back to her seat, everyone peeked at her, getting a sick sense of joy because Erin was looking

to the cafeteria to get some food. But once she thought about collecting her luggage later that night, she decided she would

The call connected quickly.

to apologize?” Ian asked, sitting in