[Cornelia looked so innocent, but turned out her private life was such a mess.]
[Who knew how many people she'd been with, maybe she did something to get transferred to the HQ.]
[A CEO's assistant was supposed to represent our company's image, we can't keep someone like her.]
This scene was just like the one from a few years back.
It’s easy for these people to ruin a hardworking, somewhat pretty gir
, just making up stories about her being promiscuous, humiliating her, and then everyone will blame her.
Vaguely, Cornelia felt like she was being cornered in her home again.
Some people pulled her hair, hitting her while doing it. Others pointed at her nose, constantly cursing her.
"You're so young and you're doing such shameless things."
"Let her go, let her go far away, never come back."
She kept trying to explain, but no one believed her. They only wanted to believe what they had already decided.
"Cornelia, is this true?"
Ben's voice pulled Cornelia out of her unbearable memories.
He had only worked with Cornelia for a little over a month, and he wasn't too familiar with her. He remained neutral about today's events.
Ben didn't just read those messages and assume she was a promiscuous woman like the others. He came to ask her, and Cornelia was already grateful for that.
Cornelia forced a smile, "Has President Hartley arrived?"
Ben, "He just got here."
Cornelia took her laptop with her cold hands and went to Marcus's office.
He stood by the floor-to-ceiling window, smoking with his back to the office door. Cornelia couldn't see his expression, only his tall and straight silhouette.
She gently placed her laptop on his desk, "President Hartley, someone in the company is spreading rumors about my private life, and I need to take two minutes of your time to explain."
Marcus replied without turning his head, "I'm not interested in your private life, but if there's a chance it will affect the company's image, then I'm sorry, we can't keep you."
Cornelia felt like she had fallen into an ice cave because of his words, "President Hartley, please let me explain before..."
Before she could finish, Marcus coldly interrupted, "You say it's a rumor, then provide evidence to prove it. I'll give you two hours to handle it, or how can I trust your ability?"
That was all Cornelia wanted to hear, "Thank you, President Hartley!"
Marcus had hit the nail on the head. If she couldn't master her own affairs, how could she merit the position of the CEO's assistant?
She had to approach him, making the first move, cutting off any chance for him to lend credence to the circulating rumors.
Otherwise, she risked not only her livelihood, but also tarnishing her professional reputation irreparably.
Back then, she was young and had no way to fight back against the slander and humiliation.
Now, she couldn't be the little girl who let others bully her anymore.
After leaving the CEO's office, Cornelia immediately went to the company's information security department, asking the relevant staff to find the person who posted the message as soon as possible.
Thanks to Ben's call, they cooperated with her.
In just a few minutes, the staff found the name of the person who posted the message.
Cornelia caught up and listened to Ben, "It's lunchtime, let's go to the cafeteria together."
Marcus was very picky about his food, and his meals were usually prepared by a special person. All the vegetables, fruits, and meat that he ate came from their own farm, and he rarely ate outside food.
Cornelia had been working by his side for a month, and this was the first time she saw him come to the company cafeteria for lunch.
It wasn't lunchtime yet, so there were no other employees in the cafeteria.
Cornelia eyed a window seat, but Marcus snagged the middle spot. So, she relented and sat with him.
Although it was just the company cafeteria, the facilities and dishes were much better than many high-end restaurants. Almost anything you wanted to eat could be found here.
Faced with so many delicious options, Cornelia was at a loss for what to eat. Just then, Marcus's personal chef brought out a feast of dishes, filling the table with mouthwatering food.
Ben couldn't help but drool and said, "Man, we're in for a treat today."
Cornelia, a bit distracted, said, "I'm gonna go wash my face."
She went to the restroom, splashed cold water on her face, and then practiced smiling in the mirror until she nailed the perfect smile. Only then did she leave.
As she walked out of the restroom, she bumped into Ben and said, "Ben, thank you!"
Ben, a bit puzzled, asked, "What are you thanking me for?"
Cornelia replied, "If it weren't for your phone call, the information security department might not have listened to me."
Cornelia had only recently been promoted to special assistant and was still on probation. After the scandal, many people thought that Marcus, a perfectionist, would definitely kick her out. As a result, no one would take her opinions seriously because of her position.
Ben explained, "That call was actually from President Hartley. You should thank him."
At this point, Ben felt guilty because at the time, he had believed the post and hadn't thought about helping Cornelia.
Comments
The readers' comments on the novel: Impulsive Vow to an Enigmatic Husband
Beautiful novel. Can we have a continuation of Zavier and Skyler's story? Them getting back together? Short story.......