Chapter 37: Chapter 37

Chapter 37:

“The house was originally hers. When she gives it to me, it’s out of kindness, not duty. I ought to repay her regardless,” Roderick said.

Judie, clearly frustrated, let out a sigh. “Will you even pay her back? You haven’t taken care of the house yet, and now you’ve lost even more money. Why are you still talking about paying her back? Let me tell you something. If you don’t secure a house soon, I’m leaving you!”

Judie’s words sparked a quick response from Roderick. “I’ll get the house, I swear. Don’t talk about divorce so easily like that,” he said.

Though abandonment wasn’t a new concept for Roderick, the fallout from his split made him crave stability.

Stability above all else. His achievements might have been modest, but he was no stranger to hard work. Despite losing his job as a courier, there were always options like food delivery or labor work available.

After ending the call, unease gnawed at Eileen. With both Apex Group and Fulcrum Group standing firm, the eighty million final payment was out of the question. There was no way Roderick would be released like that. Even with Judie’s network, a few tens of thousands would barely make a dent in such a significant deficit.

But Roderick had indeed been released. This puzzled Eileen. Restless, she spent the night turning over in bed, clueless.

Come dawn, a message from Bryan arrived, asking her to pick him up. She quickly had her breakfast and headed out. Bryan was waiting at their usual spot, and together they made their way to the office. As they emerged from the elevator, they couldn’t help but notice Vivian occupying Eileen’s desk, her makeup flawless, donned in a light pink dress. Her smile broadened at the sight of Bryan, though it faltered upon laying eyes on Eileen.

“I thought you were off for a week. What brings you back so early?” Vivian asked Eileen.

Eileen eyed the desk taken over by Vivian. “The office is swamped, and I can’t afford to waste time on minor issues,” Eileen responded with a level of respect.

Your update hub: gⱯlησνℯℓs․cøm Bryan’s eyebrow lifted at the mention of minor issues, a slight smile touching his lips.

“I see,” Vivian replied, her smile subtle. She approached Eileen, linking arms with her. “Now that we’re colleagues, I’m here to assist with your tasks. However, my primary duty is to ensure Bryan’s needs are met, so you’ll be relocating to another desk.”

Her gaze drifted to the secretary’s office, aware of the many eyes on them. “Perhaps you could move to a desk in the back office?” she suggested.

Bryan spoke up before Eileen had the chance to reply, casting a brief, unreadable glance at her. “I already have a plan for her new location. Concentrate on your responsibilities.” He then said to Eileen, “Come with me.” He led the way to his office.

Eileen freed herself from Vivian’s hold. “I’ll head in first,” she stated, following Bryan.

Vivian, left outside, pressed her lips together tightly in frustration.

Inside the office, Eileen faced Bryan, who was removing his suit jacket to hang it over his chair before taking a seat.

“Your duties will now focus solely on work-related tasks and driving me; Vivian will handle everything else,” Bryan explained, drawing a key from a drawer and placing it before her. “The office next door is yours now.”

This new office provided the entire secretary’s area and was meant for the executive assistant.

Until now, Eileen had worked directly outside Bryan’s office to attend to him promptly, leaving the adjacent office vacant. Accepting the key, Eileen nodded. “Understood.” She paused, then ventured, “Was it you who covered Huey’s and my medical bills in Lakedale?”

“What else would it have been?” Bryan shot back. “Do you think Marcus suddenly developed a conscience?”

Eileen was about to inquire about whether he had also assisted Roderick with his release when Vivian entered, bringing in coffee. “I made you some coffee. Give it a try and let me know if it’s better than last time’s,” Vivian said, maneuvering past the desk to Bryan and setting the coffee down on the table with a smile.

Bryan’s expression tightened ever so slightly, his gaze becoming more intent. He turned to Eileen. “You can start moving to the new office now.”

“Okay,” Eileen responded, casting a fleeting look toward Vivian as she left. The resolve in Vivian’s eyes was unmistakable to her.

Packing up didn’t take long; Eileen’s possessions were few, and with a colleague stopping by to discuss work and offering assistance, she was settled into her new office in under five minutes. Her new workspace, though smaller than Bryan’s, shared the same minimalist and refined aesthetic.

Karla Griffith, who had helped her move, couldn’t help but comment, “Miss Curtis, your new office is quite nice.”

Eileen, arranging documents on her desk, responded without much thought, “It’s just a place to work. It doesn’t really matter where it is.”

She hadn’t been in the office for five days, and her work had accumulated. Looking at Karla, she asked, “What do you need me to do?”

“This needs Mr. Dawson’s signature,” Karla said, presenting a document. “It’s urgent. We need it signed today. It’s for a resource order that’s hard to get. After it’s signed, we have to fax it to the supplier for confirmation and delivery.”

Eileen glanced towards Bryan’s office, still occupied by Vivian. “I’ll handle it later. You can go back to work now,” she said.

“Alright. Oh, Miss Warren mentioned she’s hosting a dinner tonight. Are you coming?” Karla inquired, her enthusiasm evident. “We don’t know Miss Warren well, but it seems like you two are close. If you’re there, it’ll make us feel more at ease.”

Eileen pondered this, wondering why she and Vivian were considered close. She offered a wry smile, shaking her head. “Given the workload, attending seems unlikely.”

Karla’s face fell, though she quickly attempted to look on the bright side. “Miss Warren is really going out of her way this time. She’s invited a couple of senior team members from each department. It’ll be quite the gathering; it probably won’t be awkward.”

Considering the size of the company with its numerous departments, Vivian’s invitation list would easily include twenty to thirty people. It was clear Vivian was making an effort to foster positive relationships within the company.

After a while, Vivian exited Bryan’s office, and Eileen finished organizing her workspace. She was on the verge of bringing the documents to Bryan for his signature when Vivian stopped her.

“Do you have something for him?” Vivian inquired.

Eileen gestured toward the document in her hand. “This needs Mr. Dawson’s signature.”

Without hesitation, Vivian said, “You can hand it to me. I’ll take care of these smaller tasks from now on.”

Despite her smile, Vivian’s eyes held a hint of caution and vigilance.

Eileen nodded with a small smile. “Please ensure it is signed quickly; it’s rather urgent.”

“Okay,” Vivian responded, watching Eileen head back to her office. Just then, Vivian’s phone rang.

The call was from her mother, Debby Warren. She set the document down on her desk and stepped into the hallway to take the call.

“Vivian, you’re our family’s pride. What’s this about you becoming his secretary?” Debby’s discovery of Vivian’s position had left her displeased.

Vivian reassured her. “Mom, there’s no need for concern. I’ll decide what I want to do.”

“But I’m worried about you. Bryan might be decent, but remember, you’re putting yourself out there by being so forward, and that could backfire.” Debby’s voice was tinged with frustration.

“I’ve made my share of errors. If I don’t take action now, I risk losing Bryan forever. If you truly care about me, Mom, please let me follow my own path.”

With those words, Vivian ended the call, yet the warmth and concern in Debby’s voice echoed in her thoughts, starkly contrasting with Bryan’s distant demeanor. A tear slipped down her cheek. She was convinced Bryan belonged to her. He must be, she reasoned, too upset to see it.

Meanwhile, Eileen found herself buried under a mountain of documents, her workload seemingly endless.

Vivian’s presence had only helped Eileen with handling menial tasks like serving coffee and managing Bryan’s schedule. She didn’t assist with the significant work challenges at all.

To add to Eileen’s stress, with only twenty minutes left in the workday, Karla approached her in a panic.

“Miss Curtis, where is the contract needing Mr. Dawson’s signature? I completely forgot to follow up, and now we’re running out of time!” Karla exclaimed.

Eileen glanced at Vivian, who was preoccupied with her makeup, and approached her. “Miss Warren, did you manage to get that contract signed by Mr. Dawson this morning?” Eileen asked.

Vivian paused, her mirror in hand, as realization dawned. Glancing at the files near her computer, she admitted, “I forgot about it.”

After taking her mother’s call, her attention had shifted, and the matter with the file had slipped her mind.

“What? You forgot?” Karla was clearly anxious now. “This is a disaster. We’re almost out of time!”

Without wasting another moment, Eileen seized the file and made for Bryan’s office. However, as she neared the door, Vivian hastened to block her path.

“You can’t go in there. Bryan’s on a video call and has made it clear he’s not to be disturbed,” Vivian said.

Eileen looked at her firmly. “Except under special circumstances,” she said.

Vivian, noticing Karla’s anxious state, felt the urgency of the situation. She pressed her lips together and extended her hand. “Pass me the document. I’ll make sure he signs it.”

Eileen, with a hint of reluctance on her face, eventually handed the document to Vivian. “Make sure it’s opened to the signature page. He’ll know what to do,” she said.

“I don’t need instructions,” Vivian retorted, her tone soured by Eileen’s words. She turned and entered Bryan’s office without further ado.

Once inside, Vivian observed Bryan deeply engrossed in his online meeting. Despite being there for five minutes, Bryan had barely acknowledged her presence beyond a glance upon her entry.

Outside, Karla was nearly frantic. “Miss Curtis, it’s been over five minutes since Miss Warren went in. What’s taking so long?” she said. “If I don’t act fast, I might lose out on securing those goods.”

The clock was ticking, with only fifteen minutes left until the end of the workday. Eileen checked the time, her brow furrowing in concern.

After a brief hesitation, she decided to knock on Bryan’s office door with three sharp taps. Without waiting for permission, she pushed the door open and found Vivian standing there. Eileen’s brows knitted together in confusion. She approached, retrieved the contract from Vivian, and swiftly placed it before Bryan, pointing at the spot that needed his signature. Then, she handed him a pen.

The whole interaction lasted no more than a few seconds. Bryan, his attention still partially on his Bluetooth conversation, noticed every action she took. His quick grasp of the situation led him to sign the document promptly, without even diverting his gaze from the screen.

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