Chapter 41

Chapter 41:

“Really?” Eileen asked, well aware that Vivian’s strength lay in networking, reminiscent of how Vivian had initially tried to curry favor with her.

“Absolutely. Though Miss Warren is beautiful, lately she has been involved in minor interdepartmental tasks and dealings with Mr. Dawson, where her lack of skill has led to several errors,” the colleague commented, taking a sip of her coffee before adding in a hushed tone. “Between us, everyone still prefers having you liaise with Mr. Dawson. You’ve always been reliable, never making a single error.”

Eileen listened quietly to the gossip, offering no comment.

It seemed Vivian’s approach to winning over colleagues hinged on her social maneuvering, yielding only a facade of respect.

Her inefficiencies were a poorly kept secret, cloaked in whispers yet publicly unchallenged, partly due to the fear of reprisal. But with Bryan’s guidance, Vivian stood a good chance of improvement. Eventually, she could very well step into Eileen’s shoes.

Returning to her desk, Eileen found her workload manageable and began aimlessly browsing her phone. The first thing she saw on her social media feed was a post from Vivian, showcasing a candid shot of Bryan at work, his concentration palpable.

The seriousness displayed in his professional life was starkly different from his more intimate moments with Eileen; both aspects of him were equally irresistible to her. Yet, the sight of Bryan through Vivian’s lens stirred a pang of discomfort in Eileen, her heart sinking with a mix of pain and heaviness. She scrutinized the photo once more, her expression shifting abruptly.

She quickly rose and stepped outside, catching Judie and a few other female colleagues approaching Vivian, documents in hand. It was clear their main intent wasn’t work-related but to engage in conversation with Vivian, who welcomed the chat with open arms.

“Miss Warren, I saw your post on social media. You and Mr. Dawson seem quite close,” one remarked.

“It’s wonderful that Mr. Dawson can keep you company at work. We’re all a bit jealous!” another added.

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Vivian, basking in the praise, replied, “Though he might appear distant, he’s actually very considerate towards me privately. But don’t be too envious; each of you has someone special too.”

Judie, juxtaposing Roderick with Bryan, felt a twinge of longing for a life akin to Vivian’s. It was then that she noticed Eileen, who observed the scene with an icy demeanor.

“Eileen,” Judie whispered under her breath.

With a slight turn of her head, Vivian caught sight of Eileen. “Eileen, are you looking for something?”

“What brings you all here? Run out of tasks to do?” Eileen approached, not wanting to discuss Vivian’s social media post in front of so many people.

to turn to leave, their interest deflated. Judie, recognizing Eileen’s authority, tried to make

demeanor hinted at disdain, as if questioning Eileen’s right

on social media, I’d like

are you hearing yourself? You’re poking your nose into my affairs now? What does my social media

personally, but it involves Mr. Dawson in that picture—” Eileen began, only to be

Mr. Dawson’s private affairs? If Miss Warren chooses to share something, that’s her prerogative. Your

Bryan. The underlying message was clear—an assistant had no business meddling in the personal

with her arms crossed, wore a look of satisfaction. “My presence here isn’t solely for work;

else is merely fantasizing, lacking your standing,” Judie chimed in, layering her flattery with a veneer of guidance towards Eileen. “Eileen, it

perplexed, sensing the weight behind the seemingly light remarks. The subtext was thick in the air, yet none felt confident enough to voice their

a response, the office door swung open, and Bryan emerged, document in hand. Seeing

you

The casual roll of his shirt sleeves and the absence of a tie did nothing to

her feelings quickly, adopting a slight look of distress as she approached Bryan. “Bryan, I don’t know what has gotten into Eileen. Out of the blue, she’s asking me to take down a photo from my social media. I just captured a moment of you looking

Retrieving his phone, he quickly browsed through the social media platform, his mood shifting noticeably at

this situation with Miss Curtis may have escalated a bit.

silence, merely turned her head aside and discreetly rolled

sleeve. “Bryan, there’s no need for anger. Eileen’s been a loyal employee for quite some

Bryan’s gaze shifted, landing sharply on Vivian. “Wasn’t it you

Beside her, Judie shared

zoomed in on the photo displayed on his phone. The bidding proposal, with its details sharply in focus, was indisputably visible. “This is a confidential document of the company, now compromised because of your actions,” he

media. “Bryan, please don’t be angry. I’m deleting it right now. My friend list is small, limited to friends only. Don’t worry,

engage in a situation I’m not sure to win,” Bryan said, turning to Eileen. “Arrange a meeting with Jaxon and the rest. We’re going to have to work through the night to redo the bidding proposal. You’ll be

Mr. Dawson,”

copy of the employee handbook. We’ll handle any

on the table, Bryan underscored his point, each sound a figurative

the turn of events, Judie and the others quickly excused themselves, their

also fetched an employee handbook. On her way to notify Jaxon and the

embarrassment, avoided

discomfort, proceeded directly to Bryan’s office for a concise discussion about revising

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