Chapter 3

“Assistant Skylar! This contract must be sent out before ten! Who will take responsibility for millions in losses if we miss the deadline?!”

It was Mr. Davis, the Marketing Manager. Always composed, he was now frantic with rage.

Immediately following was the voice I’d heard on the phone:

“Mr. Davis, don’t shout, you’re scaring me…” Her cloying, sticky voice was like un-melted syrup.

“The CEO just fell asleep! What’s more important than his rest? You go back first, and when he wakes up, I promise I’ll tell him right away…”

“When he wakes up, things will be way past due! He can rest after signing the contract, the CEO wouldn’t be so irresponsible, now move.”

“Oh, why are you like this? Hmph! I’m standing right here, let’s see who dares to go in!”

I stood by the elevator door, watching Skylar, dressed in a cutesy, doll-like outfit, acting like a human roadblock, her entire body spread-eagled against the CEO’s office door.

Mr. Davis’s forehead throbbed with bulging veins. He wanted to go forward but hesitated, given the gender difference. He could only raise his voice and shout into the office: “Mr. Hayes! Mr. Hayes! Sign this! It’s super urgent!”

“It’s no use, Mr. Davis,” Skylar giggled, covering her mouth. “I guessed you guys would argue, so I put noise-canceling headphones on the CEO beforehand! Top-of-the-line too!”

She blinked her big eyes, wearing a “Look how smart I am, praise me” expression, but then instantly switched to a pained, teary look of grievance:

“Why doesn’t anyone care about the CEO? He works so hard… I’m the only one in the whole company who cares about him…”

Rage instantly flooded my limbs.

I took a deep breath and quickly stepped forward. “What is going on here?!”

The two, who had just been at loggerheads, froze, turning to face me.

In the open office area, other employees who had been watching the spectacle seemed to have been put on mute.

The air was dead silent, all eyes fixed on me.

I walked straight past them, staring coldly at Skylar. My voice wasn’t loud, but it carried an undeniable authority. “Move.”

Her face, which had been plastered with “grievance,” changed dramatically the moment she saw me. A flicker of panic crossed her eyes.

But the next second, she somehow managed to look self-righteous again.

“Ms. Stone, I’m the CEO’s assistant, even if you…”

My patience ran out. I raised my hand, and without the slightest hesitation, shoved her away from the door.