Chapter 68

Looking for something to do, she stood up to approach Nina, but the young woman across from her, whose name was Tillie, whispered, "Where are you going?"

"To see if Designer Shepherd needs help with anything," Liliana whispered back.

Tillie shook her head frantically. "She already hates you. If you go over there, she'll just find a way to make your life miserable." It was clear Tillie spoke from experience.

Liliana sat back down. "So, how do I survive this?" she asked, seeking advice.

Perhaps out of a shared sense of misery, Tillie was happy to share everything she knew. The two of them leaned over their monitors, whispering conspiratorially.

Across the room, Nina saw them and fumed. She took out her phone, snapped a picture, and sent it off.

[Look at the kind of people the company is hiring for me. It's her first day, and she's already slacking off!]

The recipient, Sylvia, enlarged the photo and confirmed with a jolt: it was Liliana.

Nina was someone Sylvia had met while doing a staged charity event at an orphanage. Both were successful in their respective fields, and they had quickly become friends. Sylvia stared at the photo for a long moment before replying.

[You don't like her?]

Nina's response was immediate: [Of course not. I personally interviewed several assistants last week, and before I could even make my choice, she was just dropped on me. People who get in through the back door never have any real talent.]

Sylvia: [She certainly doesn't look the part. If you really can't stand her, I have an idea.]

Nina: [What is it?]

Sylvia: [My boyfriend bought me a condo that needs renovating. Assign the project

to her, and I'll find a way to take care of the problem for you.]

Design assistants had a

three-month probationary period. If they offended a client or made a major mistake during that me, they could be fired on the spot. A severe enough screw-up could ever get them blacklisted from the industry.

Nina felt a flicker of unease: [That's against the rules. I can find a legitimate reason to get rid of her.] A pretty face like that was bound to mess up eventually. She could just wait her out.

Sylvia was persistent: [What's against the rules? She got in through connections, which means someone is protecting her. You can't afford to offend them directly, but I'm the perfect client to handle this, aren't I?]

Remembering the design director mentioning that Liliana had been brought in by Mr. Sewell, Nina knew she couldn't act rashly. After a moment of hesitation, she agreed.

Sylvia closed the chat window and looked up at Cedric, who was busy with a stack of documents.

"Cedric, would it be alright if I renovated your condo?"

Cedric's hand, holding a pen, paused for a fraction of a second. "Do whatever you want," he said, his jaw tight and his brow furrowed.

"You've been in a bad mood for days. Is something wrong?" Sylvia asked, her voice soft and gentle, a stark contrast to her usual professional tone.

Cedric's foul mood had persisted for days, and he couldn't seem to shake it. He lifted his gaze to meet hers. "If you were unhappy with your job, what would you

do?"

"I'd tell you directly," Sylvia said, knowing him better than anyone. After twelve years, she knew he

detested mind games. She was net

masten of hiding her own schemes, presenting herself to him as a straightforward and capable woman. It was why he kept her by his side.

But her answer didn't improve his mood. The person frustrating him was Liliana Family matters and work matters werent so differen Why couldn't Liliana just say what was on her mind? It had been nearly a week, and he hadn't heard a word from her.

He pinched the bridge of his nose, about to say something more when a knock sounded at the door.

"Come in," he said, his voice flat.

Timothy entered, holding a large envelope. "Mr. Forrest, a courier delivered this for you."