Chapter 3

Seraphina rubbed her temples, and Damon immediately understood she wanted to rest.

He gently tucked her into bed.

“Since you’re okay, I’ll head back first.”

“You, come with me.”

The moment my eyes met Damon’s, I knew exactly what he was thinking.

He wanted to teach me a lesson away from Seraphina, or worse, force me to leave Thorne Enterprises.

But there was no way I’d let Damon succeed.

So, I didn't respond. Instead, I looked up at Seraphina, my eyes filled with a plea.

My slightly damp, disheveled hair hung limply over my eyes, making me appear either scared or shocked.

My eyes were slightly red, and my deliberately dampened clothes were still silently dripping water, revealing the faint outline of my abs beneath my shirt.

Seraphina glanced at me, then averted her gaze, but her fingers on the blanket unconsciously curled.

Seeing this, I subtly smirked, then lowered my head, adopting a fearful posture.

Damon waited for a while, but I didn't answer. He was about to speak impatiently when Seraphina interrupted him.

“Damon, you go back first. I have some work to discuss with Asher.”

Damon clearly hadn’t expected Seraphina to ask me to stay. He frowned, about to protest.

Seeing Seraphina’s annoyed expression, he ultimately suppressed his anger, glared fiercely at me, and left.

I flinched, then huddled further into the corner.

It wasn't until Damon had been gone for a long time that I slowly relaxed.

“You’re afraid of him?”

Seraphina frowned, sitting up and scrutinizing me with an unreadable expression.

Of course, I knew how to leverage my advantages.

I timidly looked up at her, opened my mouth, but then lowered my head again, a despondent note in my voice.

“Mr. Blackwood only needs to lift a finger to undo all my hard work… Ms. Thorne, I really need this job. I can’t lose it.”

As if afraid Seraphina would press further, I grabbed a bath towel and hurried to leave.

“Ms. Thorne, thank you for helping me today. Please get some rest. I’ll excuse myself.”

Then, I politely nodded and quickly pushed open the door, rushing out.

The moment I reached downstairs, a shiver ran through me.

Before I could figure out how to get home, Seraphina’s black Lexus pulled up in front of me.

“Mr. Hayes has prepared some fresh clothes for you in the car. Please get in.”

I paused for a second, then immediately got into the car.

I had initially thought this incident would only give Seraphina a first impression of me, but I hadn’t expected her to remember me.

This was truly good news.

After that day, I acted as if nothing had happened, diligently performing my duties at work.

Even when I saw Seraphina, I remained respectful and distant, as always.

But that didn’t diminish Damon Blackwood’s hostility towards me.

Because he frequently saw Seraphina and me entering and leaving together when he came to the office to bring her lunch.

Seraphina had even dismissed him multiple times because of my arrival – even if I was just calling her to a meeting.

Especially since I not only had good looks but also a great physique.

I had never doubted my appearance; after all, it was because of this facade that my sister and I had such a smooth childhood.

Thinking of the repeated frustrations he’d suffered because of me and my striking face, Damon found me increasingly irritating.

Consequently, the harassment I received grew.

But I never took Damon’s bullying to heart, nor would I ever mention it to Seraphina.

After all, complaining would risk looking like I was trying to win her favor.

But if certain people saw it with their own eyes, the meaning would be entirely different.

One day, as I was reporting on work to Seraphina and about to leave, I didn't hear her usual instruction to dismiss me.

I looked up at Seraphina, only to find her staring at my face with a complex expression.

Our eyes met for a second, and I immediately lowered my head as if remembering something.

After a long pause, Seraphina finally spoke:

“Do you have anything to say?”

I inwardly rejoiced, but outwardly feigned confusion.

“No, not really.”

Seraphina’s expression remained complicated as she looked me over, then finally dismissed me.

As I closed the door, I shot a triumphant glance at Seraphina, who had already returned to her work.

The fish had nibbled the bait; time to throw in more chum.

Late that night, I was at my desk, eating a cold dinner.

I was fully engrossed in reviewing reports when Seraphina, who had just finished a meeting, stopped involuntarily as she saw me.

Her gaze flickered for a moment, then she walked straight past me.

But soon after, someone delivered a hot meal to my desk.

I smiled at the food on the table. This second step in my plan was going very well.

Though it came with some hardship, the seeds of discord between Seraphina and Damon were already sown. Now, all I needed to do was make that discord blossom.

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