“That’s it?” Noah chuckled dryly, his frustration bubbling to the surface. “Just a ‘thank you’?”
“What more do you expect?” Sadie retorted, her confusion evident. “What else should I say?”
Noah paused, caught off guard by his own escalating annoyance. He didn’t really know what he expected her to say; it was her nonchalant demeanor that irked him.
Seizing the moment, he pulled her a bit closer, his expression serious. “You never fail to stir things up, do you, Sadie? You knew you were sick, but that didn’t stop you from showing up at this dinner anyway. So, you think the company’s incapable of closing a deal unless you’re involved?”
“You’re being unreasonable, Noah!” Sadie snapped, her frustration flaring. Noah had heard Kyla admit she practically dragged her to this event. Yet here he was, conveniently overlooking the real culprit, placing all the blame directly on her. Was he really accusing her of bringing this on herself?
Exasperated and done with the confrontation, Sadie broke away from his grasp, flagged down a taxi, and disappeared into the night without a backward glance.
As the taxi disappeared into the night, Noah’s face twisted into a terrifying grimace. The anger radiating from him was palpable, his frustration boiling over as he delivered a sharp kick to the railing. The sound of leather slamming into metal pierced the quiet, reverberating ominously.
From a distance, Kyla had observed every moment of the altercation, her eyes fixed on the unfolding drama. As Noah and Sadie parted ways under a cloud of discord, a smug smile slowly spread across Kyla’s face.
After allowing Noah some time to cool down, Kyla approached him with deliberate steps, her voice dripping with feigned remorse. “Noah, you can’t hold Sadie responsible for her reaction. It was my fault-I made a mistake today, and it upset her. I’ll make it right tomorrow; I’ll apologize to her first thing at the office.”
She lowered her gaze, letting the shadows of her lashes fall over her cheeks, her voice soft.
“No need,” Noah snapped, his voice icy, tinged with an irritation that was almost imperceptible. “She’s the one who put herself in this mess. She could’ve just spoken up if she wasn’t feeling well, couldn’t she?”
Kyla’s expression tightened, her features hardening. Though Noah seemed to be chastising Sadie, it was clear that concern, not disdain, colored his words.
She stole a glance at her phone. The call had ended. A cold smile curled her lips again. The dim light from the screen highlighted her flawless skin, but it failed to mask the cunning glint in her eyes.
Minutes ago, in the back seat of the taxi, Sadie had every intention of closing her eyes and finding a moment of respite. But the shrill ring of her phone shattered the silence.
It was Kyla calling.
With annoyance knitting her brow, Sadie instinctively reached for the reject button. However, in her haste, her finger grazed the touchscreen, inadvertently accepting the call instead.
Noah’s voice burst through the speaker, his words hitting her like a cold, unexpected slap. The raw accusation in his tone left her stunned, a chill creeping down her spine. So, he truly believed that all her misfortunes were solely her own making!
A sharp pang of betrayal twisted in her chest, as if her heart had been cleaved in two, bleeding out silently. Her grip on the phone tightened, her knuckles whitening with the strain, yet her eyes remained dry. She stubbornly refused to spill any tears.
The following day, Sadie walked into the Wall Group offices as if nothing had changed. Yet, as she settled into her routine, Tina approached her with a probing stare.
“Sadie, what exactly is your relationship with Mr. Wall?” Tina’s voice was laced with curiosity, her gaze piercing.
Sadie felt a knot tighten in her chest, but she masked her discomfort with a casual shrug and questioned, “What do you mean by that?”
“Mr. Wall whisked you away like a knight in shining armor!” Tina declared, her voice rising with theatrical flair as she mimicked Noah’s tone. “You’ve got two options, Mr. Crawford. Drink yourself to death or sit back and watch your company collapse! How amazing is that?” Her eyes sparkled with unabashed admiration as she blinked rapidly, clearly enthralled by the story.
Sadie hadn’t anticipated that the rumors would circulate through the office so swiftly, thrusting her once again into the relentless whirl of office gossip. Back when she married Noah, only a select few were privy to their union. Now, with Kyla’s return, Noah must be even more determined to distance himself from any association with her.
“It’s strictly professional-a classic boss and subordinate dynamic,” Sadie asserted, her voice a soft murmur as she cast her eyes downward, veiling the flicker of sadness that threatened to surface. “Mr. Wall is renowned not just for his generosity but also for his unwavering loyalty. Were any of you compelled to drink against your will, he’d undoubtedly defend you, too.”
“Huh?” Tina’s jaw dropped, her expression morphing into one of incredulity. She searched for something to counter Sadie’s impeccable defense, but finding none, she hesitantly backed down, her skepticism lingering in the tense air.
Sadie sank into her seat, her mind swirling with chaotic thoughts. Could Noah possibly harbor lingering feelings for her? This tantalizing possibility fluttered through her consciousness briefly before she firmly squashed it. No, Noah didn’t love her; she couldn’t let herself succumb to baseless daydreams.
Inside the CEO’s office, Samuel dutifully completed his rundown of the day’s agenda for Noah. Then, he hesitantly broached the subject of the latest office whispers that were circulating.
Noah’s face remained impassive, his features set in an icy mask that seemed to chill the very air around him. The atmosphere grew heavy, laden with tension. Samuel, standing rigidly before him, felt a nervous sweat bead on his forehead, his hands slightly trembling.
“Do I seriously have to tell you how to deal with these simple matters?” Noah’s voice sliced through the silence, sharp and unforgiving, without even a glance in Samuel’s direction.
Disappointment crept into Samuel’s heart. It appeared that Noah was truly indifferent to his wife, Sadie. Samuel realized there was little he could do to mend the fissures in their relationship.
“Mr. Wall, please be at ease; your wife has already cleared up the misunderstandings,” Samuel hastily assured, adopting a professional demeanor to mask his inner turmoil.
As Samuel was about to depart, Noah’s voice halted him abruptly. “What did she say?”
Noah’s inquiry was flat, emotionless, yet Samuel detected an underlying current of something intense, something not quite definable.
“Well, she said…” Samuel paused, scrutinizing Noah’s stoic facade as he chose his words carefully. “She said that the two of you have nothing more than a typical boss-subordinate relationship. She praised your compassion and protective nature, insisting that you’d defend any employee just as fiercely against injustices.”
With each word, Samuel’s enthusiasm grew; he couldn’t help admiring Sadie’s tactful maneuver-it was a masterstroke, painting Noah as an approachable and benevolent leader. However, Noah’s countenance abruptly shifted; his mood soured as he slammed a pen against the desk with a sharp crack. “Get out!” he bellowed, his voice booming with authority.
Samuel recoiled, wasting no time as he made his exit from the ominous atmosphere of the office. Left alone, Noah slumped into his expansive chair, his features twisted into an ominous scowl.
Outside the office, the echo of high heels on the polished floor signaled someone approaching. Kyla, donned in a sleek Chanel suit, paused at the doorway of the CEO’s office. “Samuel, is Noah inside?” she inquired with a knowing smirk, her voice laced with playful tease, already aware of the answer.
When Kyla appeared, Samuel’s face lit up with relief, as though he had just spotted a lifeline. His smile was wide, almost ingratiating. “Miss Wade, perfect timing! Mr. Wall’s in a foul mood. You’re the only one who can handle him. He could use your soothing presence.”
After a soft knock on the door, Noah, mistaking the visitor for Sadie, adjusted his tone to something more commanding. “Come in,” he called out.
However, it was Kyla who sauntered in, her presence marked by a wave of her potent perfume. As the fragrance enveloped him, Noah’s expression shifted subtly; his brow creased slightly, betraying a flash of irritation. He had always had an aversion to strong perfumes, deeming them somewhat pretentious.
“What brings you here?” Noah questioned, his voice cool, masking his growing annoyance. Despite his cool demeanor, his thoughts inadvertently wandered to Sadie-the simple, refreshing scent of her shower gel lingering in his mind, sharply contrasting with the perfume now filling his office.
Kyla, sensing the tension, swept a strand of hair behind her ear and offered a soft, reassuring smile. “Noah, Samuel mentioned you were feeling out of sorts, and I couldn’t help but worry,” she said, her voice laced with concern. “Is it still about the incident with Sadie and the drinking? I messed up. I wasn’t thinking straight. I’m really sorry,”
Her words were smooth, her demeanor empathetic, yet internally, she harbored a flicker of resentment towards Sadie. It was Sadie, after all, who had inadvertently cast a shadow over her standing with Noah. At her words, Noah’s frown only deepened.
“Don’t stress over it. Nobody’s perfect-we all mess up now and then,” Noah stated, his voice steady, betraying not a trace of emotion.
Kyla’s smile faltered, her heart sinking as she realized he hadn’t denied her assumption about his reason for being upset. A sense of alarm echoed through her thoughts-Noah’s affection for Sadie was evidently more profound than she’d anticipated. No, she couldn’t stand by and watch Sadie claim everything that was hers!
Masking her turmoil, Kyla adopted a more compassionate demeanor. “Even so, I should show Sadie my sincerity through actions. Since Sadie hasn’t been feeling well, perhaps it’s best if she takes some time off to recover, don’t you think?”
Noah paused, considering her suggestion with a thoughtful frown before nodding in agreement. “Alright, we’ll follow your advice.”
In the bustling secretarial office, Sadie was immersed in her tasks, organizing piles of documents with diligent focus. It was her duty day, and she was responsible for compiling all the office documents and delivering them to Noah.
Contemplating the recent tensions with Noah, Sadie felt a pang of unease. After much deliberation, she approached Samuel with a tentative air, her voice low and respectful. “Samuel, could you please assist me in delivering these documents to the CEO’s office? I just…”
Samuel cut her off, his expression uncomfortable. “I’m afraid that’s not going to happen. Mr. Wall prefers not to have others handle his documents, especially the crucial ones that need his personal approval.”
Sadie’s expression froze, her disappointment palpable. Struggling to find the right words, she stood there, momentarily lost. Despite the turmoil swirling within her, she recognized the importance of professionalism. With a resigned sigh, she inhaled deeply, mustering her resolve, and strode towards the CEO’s office.
Just as her hand was poised to knock, the door swung open with a soft “click.” The immediate waft of perfume enveloped Sadie, causing her to lift her gaze abruptly. There, framed in the doorway, stood Kyla, her features enhanced by flawless makeup. Dressed in an impeccably tailored Chanel suit, Kyla exuded an aura of sophistication. Yet, her smug expression was particularly glaring. Sadie’s hand hung suspended in the air, her face draining of color.
Kyla, oblivious to Sadie’s reaction or choosing to ignore it, strode confidently to the heart of the secretarial office. With a brisk clap that sliced through the murmurs, she beamed a practiced smile and announced, “Everyone, may I have your attention, please?” The office fell into a curious hush, all eyes drawn to Kyla.
“Here’s the situation,” Kyla began, her smile unwavering and her voice dipped in a soothing cadence. “I realize now that my decisions yesterday may have unintentionally slighted both Sadie and Mack. To convey my genuine regret, I’ve ordered milkshakes for everyone. I hope this can smooth over any hard feelings.”
Her words were met with a ripple of cheers, the office buzzing with appreciative murmurs for Kyla’s thoughtful gesture.
Meanwhile, Tina leaned closer to Sadie, her voice a hushed undertone. “Sadie, doesn’t it seem like Kyla is a bit cunning? If she truly meant to apologize to you and Mack, wouldn’t a private moment have been more appropriate? It’s pretty obvious she’s turning your struggles into a publicity stunt to make herself look good.”
Sadie managed a wry smile in response, her eyes narrowing slightly. True to her style, Kyla knew exactly how to put on a performance, shaping the story to fit her needs.
As if on cue, four burly bodyguards dressed in black uniforms made their entrance, carrying two enormous tubs of milkshakes. The spectacle drew intrigued glances and whispered speculations from every corner of the room.
Kyla lingered at the threshold of the secretarial office, her smile radiant and warm as she oversaw the bodyguards placing an array of colorful milkshakes on the desk. With a flourish, she began distributing the sweet treats gracefully.
“Thank you, Kyla!”
“Kyla, you’re an absolute treasure.”
“Kyla, this is beyond thoughtful of you.”
As she basked in the glow of admiration, Kyla’s smile widened, her eyes twinkling with the pleasure of being the center of attention-the puppeteer in her own grand play.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.
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