"Chloe's wound is not because of her trauma. There must be soone out there who's actively trying to hurt Chloe, so you and I have the right to protect Chloe by eliminating any threat," Vernon added. "Isn't that right, Secretary Johnson."
…
Diamond bit her lip. What her boss said was correct. If Chloe experienced bullying and abuse outside, even after she left her bastard husband, it would be stupid if Vernon and Diamond didn't do anything to help her.
"But…"
"Don't tell you don't want to help because you're afraid of invading her privacy? Oh co on, she clearly needs my, no, OUR help!" Vernon insisted. "Do you want Chloe to get hurt right in front of your eyes? I thought you're her best friend."
Vernon's persuasion seed to have shaken Diamond's firm belief that she shouldn't interfere with Chloe's problem and would just support her best friend emotionally (and financially if she could).
A smirk grew on Vernon's lips. He might specialize in intimidation, but that didn't an he had no skill in persuasion.
"Sir, I— I will help you to eliminate whoever that person is. But let see her wound first to see if it's worth the risk," Diamond said.
"Fair enough. I bet you'll return to imdiately after looking at her wound though," Vernon said confidently. "You can return to your desk now. But rember, Diamond, don't tell Chloe about this."
"Chloe can be too much of a doormat sotis, and refuses to tell anyone about her problem. So I will eliminate whoever hurts her in silence. I can hire so people as well," Vernon said with deep, dangerous eyes staring at Diamond's soul.
Diamond shivered from head to toe after being stared at by that kind of scary face, but she kept her professionalism, "Then, please excuse , Sir."
Vernon watched as Diamond left his office. He snorted as he found it quite funny, "At least, we're on the sa page in this one."
Of course, Vernon could use all of his connections to search for the perpetrator— the one who hurt Chloe.
But he preferred to persuade Diamond in this, so Diamond understood his worry and wanted to work with him in the future.
As much as he hated to admit it, Diamond was competent in almost every job she handled, making her an invaluable mber of his office.
'I can imagine many ways to utilize her competence to get closer to Chloe,' Vernon thought. 'But we're not on good terms right now. Sohow, she thinks that betraying Chloe and telling him about the trauma that Chloe experienced is harder to do than defying my order as her boss.'
"Why is she switching sides towards Chloe anyway? She has known for two years, compared to Chloe whom she had just known for a few months," Vernon asked himself. "Shouldn't she have unwavering loyalty towards instead?"
"What kind of charm did Chloe use to make soone like Diamond completely turn to her side?"
He fished his phone out of his pocket, checked his gallery, and then clicked on one picture taken not long ago.
It was a picture of Chloe cooking in the kitchen. She looked cute, especially with her pink apron and hair tied in a ponytail.
Vernon smiled as he kept staring at the pic and sighed before putting the phone back in his suit pocket.
"I guess I got chard too…."
**
Diamond felt even more conflicted after she left her Boss' office.
Diamond was worried about her hogirl. Because if Chloe got hurt by soone else outside and refused to tell her about it, should she stop asking and act as if nothing was wrong.
Or should she interfere and ask who dared to hurt her hogirl?
"This is difficult…." Diamond thought as she faced the dilemma. "I will have to see the wound first and wait for her explanation. I don't want to act rashly and make Chloe uncomfy..."
**
About two and a half hours later, the elevator opened, and Chloe ca out of the elevator. She was wearing a simple black shirt and jeans. On top of that, she wore a red scarf to cover the everlasting hickeys around her neck and a dical mask to cover half of her face.
Diamond didn't get up and greet her best friend as usual. Instead, she squinted at Chloe, full of suspicion.
Chloe smiled beneath her mask and greeted Diamond first, "Morning, Diamond. Is Vernon still inside?"
"He has a eting outside with a client. He told that he'll be a bit late for lunch. So you can just put the lunch in the pantry, and I'll reheat it for him later," Diamond replied.
"Ah, okay, let put this in the pantry first…." Chloe said.
Diamond's eyes followed Chloe, who went to the pantry and returned. She still wore her dical mask, even though she took off her red scarf comfortably in front of Diamond.
Chloe sat on the sofa across from the secretary's desk. She played with her phone for a second until she realized that Diamond was staring at her without a pause.
Chloe got uncomfortable and finally asked, "Um… Diamond, is there sothing wrong?"
Diamond sighed and relaxed her tense shoulder. She got up and walked towards her ho girl.
She sat beside Chloe and asked, "Gurl, why are you wearing a mask in the office?"
"Ah— I'm sick..."
"Really? But you looked fine yesterday," Diamond said.
"I—" Chloe lowered her head instantly. Because Diamond's peering gaze made her nervous. "I'm fine, don't worry about …."
"If you're fine, then you shouldn't be afraid of taking off that mask, right?"
…
Chloe felt the pressure under Diamond's suspicious gaze, and she finally took off the mask that covered half of her face.
Diamond's eyes widened, and she gasped when she saw a few long wounds that had dried and turned into scabs on Chloe's face, stretching from the edge of her lip to the tip of her earlobe.
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