Justin Holden frowned slightly, "I’m fine with anything."
"It’s you getting married, not . What do you an by anything? Am I supposed to marry them all and just put them around the house?"
"You’ve already made up your mind anyway, just arrange it as you wish."
His words were indifferent, without any interest.
Zoe Holden had ntioned more than once that her best friend had been secretly in love with him for a long ti and wanted to match them up.
The photos she sent were just going through the motions.
"You little... "
Zoe was helpless. Seeing her brother nearing twenty-seven without having settled down, she was getting anxious.
The cousins his age in the Holden family already had one or two kids. But look at him, spending all his ti at the law firm, so busy that you barely see him all year.
Winning all those cases isn’t much use; the family isn’t short of money, it’s short of children.
Can he bring new mbers into the family by fighting legal battles?
Their parents were abroad and couldn’t care less. It fell to her, as the elder sister, to arrange blind dates for him.
But Justin wasn’t her biological brother; he was a child adopted by the Holden family. She couldn’t push things too hard for fear he’d stop coming ho if they fell out.
"The law firm is busy; I’ll hang up first."
Justin’s tone was cold as he hung up the phone.
Jean Ellison and Vic returned to the company and happened to run into the Editor-in-Chief.
The office felt dead and the atmosphere was tense; colleagues kept their heads down, not moving at their workstations.
"Editor Sutton."
Jean greeted politely, carrying her bag, ready to head to her workstation.
Leah Sutton had her arms crossed in front of her chest, dressed in a textured white suit, with a branded scarf tied around her neck.
"So people got in here through connections; I don’t say anything about that, but taking leave every few days — is it taking the job seriously?"
The company had recently hired soone, and everyone knew who she was talking about.
"I’m sorry, Editor-in-Chief. I’ve had so things to deal with lately. I’ll try not to take leave in the future."
Jean stood up and sincerely promised.
There was no point in denying whether she had used connections. She had a record, and if Officer Locke hadn’t helped her, she wouldn’t even have found a decent job.
"Jean really had things to deal with."
Vic put down his cara, leaned back in his chair, and spoke up for Jean.
"Which one of you doesn’t have personal matters? Sinclair, didn’t your kid recently get hospitalized with a fever? And Mia, doesn’t your mother-in-law have Alzheir’s and need care?"
"Why don’t you all just go ho? I’ll go out and do the interviews and write the stories myself, how’s that?"
No one said a word.
Leah looked at Jean, unimpressed, and her anger grew as she surveyed the office full of inept staff.
Not one of them could produce a good story. Was the company in the business of charity, giving this bunch a salary?
"You all need to think hard about what you’re doing here. If there’s no improvent this month, there will be layoffs. The least capable know who they are."
"It’s not my decision but headquarters’."
Leah released her arms, with a firm stance, her chin slightly lifted, her gaze precisely sweeping over everyone, before turning and heading to the second floor.
Her personal office was on the second floor, with its outer walls entirely made of glass, offering unobstructed views. Sitting at her desk, she could see everyone on the first floor.
Likewise, employees on the first floor just had to look up to see Editor Sutton’s stern face.
Jean opened her office computer to gather material for her story, overhearing so colleagues whispering nearby.
"Why is the Editor so angry?"
"She just had a eting with headquarters; our performance last month was the worst. And this is not an Asia ranking, it’s global."
"That’s bad."
"Like you didn’t know. With the news we’re putting out, nothing special. It’s all about harvests or good deeds. Who’s interested?"
"Don’t we have any sensational news?"
"We do, Celestial Spire. I hear many prominent figures engage in drugs and prostitution there. Do you dare to do an undercover report?"
Jean paused her work and asked the colleague next to her.
"Celestial Spire?"
The colleague nodded, asking her in a low voice.
"Yes, Jean, are you interested? I have a mbership card that I can lend you."
"If soone can get this news, they’d save the whole company. Our performance next month would be top three, if not top five."
"Moreover, I heard next month’s bonus is doubled, up to forty thousand."
Jean remained silent,
The club was near the apartnt she rented, easy to pass on her way ho from work.
Perhaps it was worth a try; she might even get an explosive story.
With this idea, she first had to inform the Editor-in-Chief, as was protocol.
Jean headed to the second floor and saw Editor Sutton on the phone.
She was leaning against the marble desk, laughing cheerfully, seemingly unaware anyone was there.
"Really? Then you decide, I’m not picky about restaurants."
"What should I wear to et him? After all, it’s our first date alone. Maybe I should dress a bit sexy; don’t n love seeing black stockings?"
"Alright, I know. He hasn’t dated in a while; I’ll make sure to be reserved."
Jean stood at the door for quite so ti. Only after she finished her call did Jean knock.
"Co in."
Leah’s eyes lit up when she saw Jean, not waiting for her to start speaking about work, "Just in ti, you’re here. Help decide which of these outfits looks best."
She picked up the tablet from the desk, her fingers sliding it a few tis.
All were high-end outfits, including a deep V-neck gown reaching down to the navel, a strapless red short dress, and a nude lace jumpsuit.
In short, all were revealing and sexy styles.
The man she had coveted for so long — she was determined to win him over this weekend.
Jean was at a loss for advice as Leah swiped the tablet the wrong way, revealing a screenshot of a lingerie purchase.
The little fabric was quite revealing, and it showed she had already placed the order.
Jean blushed, awkwardly saying, "Editor, it seems you and your boyfriend have a great relationship."
Leah was stunned for a mont, then laughed.
"Yes, we have always been close."
She had been fantasizing for many years, each boyfriend a substitute for soone else.
She had to imagine those n were him to even make love.
"Editor, I have a new idea."
Jean casually pointed to a pink outfit and said it looked great before moving on to her main topic.
Leah leaned on the desk, busy texting, a shy smile she couldn’t suppress.
"If you have an idea, go do it. No need to ask ."
She waved her off, and Jean had no choice but to leave her office.
Leah didn’t co downstairs until the end of the workday.
She glanced around, not seeing Jean or Vic, "Where are those two, off handling personal business again?"
"Editor, they went to Celestial Spire to dig for explosive news."
"What did you say?"
Leah gasped, her face turning pale, her hand perched on the desk’s edge clenching up.
There’d been soone from a company who secretly infiltrated Celestial Spire before, now comatose in a hospital. According to the club’s manager, the reporter had stepped wrongly on the stairs and fallen.
But just a few steps; was it even possible for soone to fall to the point of half-dead?
Reviews
All reviews (0)