Chapter 3

I'd joined the company right after college, so I was one of the old-timers around here.

Last year, Sophie, who'd lost her job and had nowhere to go, came to me, hoping I could use my connections to help her land a new gig.

We'd been close roommates in college, and I knew her family wasn't well-off. She had a younger brother still in school.

If she couldn't find a job to keep her in this big city soon, she'd probably have to go back to that small, remote town, get married, have kids, and say goodbye to all her dreams.

So I introduced her to this company and showed her the ropes in this industry.

She was so touched, thanking me over and over, saying she'd never forget what I'd done for her.

Barely half a year had passed, and Sophie was already acting like she could walk all over me.

I glanced at the car keys, a McLaren.

I took a sip from my cup and teased, "Charles couldn't even shell out for an assistant for you? That's cheap."

Sophie's brows furrowed. "Who said that? I haven't found the right assistant yet," she replied.

"Is that so? Ms. Bennett, do I look like your assistant? If not, why don't you go get it yourself?" I shot back.

I ignored her and fired up my computer to get back to work.

Seeing that I wasn't moving, Sophie looked like I'd embarrassed her. She leaned in and slammed my laptop shut with a loud thud.

Sophie snapped at me, "Do you even listen? The livestream is about to start, and I need that outfit."

The laptop crashed to the floor at my feet and snapped in half.

Everyone in the office turned to stare.

Sophie got nervous, looked around anxiously, and stepped back. "What? Why is everyone staring at me? She didn't put it away properly, so it's not my fault."

I stood there for a moment, staring at my busted laptop, the same one that's been my loyal sidekick since my first day here.

Annoyance flashed across my face. "Sophie, have you forgotten who got you this job in the first place? Do you have any idea what I keep on this computer?"

Sophie looked a bit guilty, sneaking a glance at my laptop. Spotting how old it was, she relaxed.

"It's just a busted old laptop, not the end of the world. I'll buy you a new one, alright? I've got stuff to do, so don't try to drag me into your mess," she muttered.

Sophie didn't even bother to humiliate me by asking about her coat anymore. She spun around and tried to make a quick exit.

I couldn't help but laugh in exasperation and grab her wrist. "I've got a meeting with Goldcrest soon, and everything I need is on that laptop. So, how are you going to make up for this?"

Sophie's face went ghostly pale.