She had just arrived and had already overheard the news about the collapsed deals and his erupting temper.
“Miss Roswell,” a colleague whispered, her face pale, “Mr. Fox is in a rage. The contracts fell through. You should go in there.”
“I know,” Khloe replied with unnerving calm, and pushed the door open.
Though Trey was still seething, his anger visibly subsided the moment he saw her. “You’re here.”
“I was with an important client yesterday when your assistant brought the documents to me. I had to leave in a hurry for the meeting.”
Her tone held the right touch of helplessness. “You know my position here is unofficial. Signing on your behalf is a sensitive matter. If anything had gone wrong, not only would I be unable to bear the responsibility, but it could also implicate you.”
She let out a soft, weary sigh. “I just didn’t expect our partners to be so inflexible. A single day’s delay, and they wouldn’t grant any leeway.”
Her words carried no forced remorse. Instead, they were a clear, sharp reminder of the reality: she hadn’t been shirking her duty; he had never given her the authority to fulfill it. And the partners’ impatience had been unreasonable.
Under her steady, guileless gaze, his fleeting suspicion that she had sabotaged the deals on purpose completely dissolved.
Khloe had always put the company’s interests first. She had even taken the initiative to meet a client yesterday. How could she deliberately undermine things? The reality was, he simply hadn’t considered how impossible her position was without any real authority.
And he had been the one who was distracted-squandering critical time with Angela while the company was on the brink of its public listing.
The more he reflected, the more a pang of guilt twisted in his chest. He had wronged Khloe.
“Trey, this is a crucial period for the company,” she said, seizing the perfect moment. “Why not grant me some temporary signing authority? If another urgent matter comes up, I can resolve it without delay.”
His eyes flickered with surprise. Khloe had never asked for power before. Even when she needed to access sensitive company data for her projects, she had always done it under his supervision.
“Is that a problem?” she asked lightly, feigning retreat. “If you don’t feel comfortable, then forget I-“
“It’s not a problem. I trust you.” He cut her off, not wanting her to see the hesitation he knew had flashed in his eyes. “But full signing authority requires board approval. I’ll give you partial access for now.”
“That works.”
Her lips curved in quiet satisfaction. She had known he wouldn’t yield so easily. But even partial access was enough to copy what she needed. To dismantle Trey’s empire, patience was key.
She moved quickly, downloading two years of core company data-financial records, client portfolios, and proprietary algorithms. With these files secured, every future bid, every step toward the IPO, would be under her control. The power had silently shifted.
At noon, Khloe’s phone buzzed. It was a call from Trey’s mother, Stella Oakley.
“Alicia is craving your cooking. I’ve already spoken with Tray. Get over here now!”
The line went dead. It was a command, not a request.
Khloe wasn’t the least bit surprised. From the day she had entered the Fox family, Stella had treated her as a live- in servant.
Despite having a full staff of maids, Khloe was expected to personally cook and clean for her in-laws every single week. Even Trey’s sister, Alicia, would demand meals only from her, forcing Khloe to make daily deliveries.
For Trey’s sake, she had endured it all for two years.
But now, staring at the darkened screen, a cold glint flashed in her eyes. She set the phone aside, unhurriedly opened her laptop, and began reviewing the company’s project plans.
One file, marked in red, caught her attention-a cornerstone project she had built from the ground up. The client director trusted no one but her to handle the final negotiations.
After a moment’s thought, she went to Trey’s office, only to be told by his assistant that he had rushed out after an urgent call, pushing back all his meetings.
She dialed his number, but it was Angela’s saccharine voice that answered.
“Khloe, are you looking for Trey?”
“Ms. Thompson? You’re with him?”
“Oh, don’t misunderstand,” Angela said, her tone dripping with false reassurance. “We’re at the hospital. Pete had a little fall and hurt his leg. It’s nothing serious, just a scrape. Trey is helping him with the antiseptic right now. Should I have him call you back?”
“No need. Pete’s well-being is the priority. You two take your time.”
Without waiting for a reply, Khloe ended the call.
On the other end, Angela’s face tightened with irritation. How rude.
When Trey returned with a perfectly cheerful Pete, she handed him the phone, her expression neutral. “Khloe called. I answered it for you. Do you want to call her back?”
He hesitated, but Pete immediately tugged on his arm. “Daddy! My leg hurts!”
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.