Chapter 171



“A mutual enemy?” Sarah’s gaze swung to Boris, her voice laced with incredulity. “Do you really think we’re equals?”

Boris, although inwardly disdainful of Sarah’s dismissive attitude, masked his feelings well. He replied with measured caution, “Actually, my mother is a Hayes. We’ve just returned to the city to re-establish ties with the Hayes family, which explains why you might not recognize me. However, you’re certainly aware of Kallie’s connection to the Hayes family. Frankly, we can’t stand her. We’re baffled by the methods she’s used to ingratiate herself with my grandfather. He’s grown old and easily manipulated, bending to her every desire. Just earlier, she was at the hospital, sweet-talking him into leaving her a part of his estate.”

“What?” Sarah’s composure shattered.

The Hayes family, while not as prestigious as the Reeves family, still held considerable wealth and social standing. Sarah knew Kallie was favored by them, yet she had dismissed it as mere benevolence, akin to caring for a docile pet. The thought of Jerome taking Kallie seriously hadn’t crossed her mind.

Sarah’s voice spiked with disbelief. “Has he lost his senses? Why would he leave anything to Kallie? What could possibly be so enchanting about her?”

Boris exhaled a sigh of resignation. “Even though we’re anxious, there’s little we can do about it. My grandfather has made up his mind. Truthfully, we share your sentiments. We believe Kallie is undeserving. But I think we can collaborate and leverage this situation to our advantage.”

Sarah eyed Boris warily before responding, “Tell me your plan first. I might think about it.”

Boris leaned in and quietly shared his scheme.

Sarah’s reaction was a mix of thrill and readiness to proceed.

Reading her mind, Boris stated pointedly, “If you’re unsure, we can drop it. Regardless of my grandfather’s decision to leave part of his fortune to Kallie, I am still his descendant. My share remains unaffected. It’s just disheartening to see someone from outside the family receive a portion. Furthermore, if Kallie gets those assets, it will cement her status in elite circles. Should she choose to trouble Jake, she could very well succeed. The choice is yours.”

Boris then turned to leave.

Sarah got up swiftly. “Give me a moment to consider.”

Actually, Sarah’s original plan closely mirrored Boris’, though his was more ruthless. The individual supporting her was known for their rigid nature, rarely altering established plans. Sarah reasoned that if she covertly adopted Boris’ approach, it might just succeed. The goal was ultimately the same. She just wanted to witness the outcomes.

Drawing in a deep breath, Sarah declared with a peculiar sparkle in her eyes, “I’m willing to collaborate with you, but on one condition: it has to work.”

“Don’t worry,” Boris responded with a grin. “There’s no reason for me to antagonize you. Here’s to a fruitful partnership.”

After departing from Jake’s villa, a smirk played on Boris’ lips. His targets were not limited to Kallie alone. Given the close bond between Brent and Kallie, if Kallie faced trouble, Brent would likely not remain unaffected. He merely hoped Sarah would live up to his expectations.

Following a hospital visit to see Jerome, Kallie headed over to the Hayes Group.

It was evident that Brent and Jerome were in sync, quickly setting up Kallie’s new office.

As Kallie entered the Hayes Group, murmurs and covert glances followed her.

“A mute as a consultant? That’s absurd.”

“Does she use sign language to communicate? That’s quite comical.”

“Are you really badmouthing her? The Hayes are shielding her now. Watch your words, you might regret it.”

“What? Is Mr. Hayes going to fire me over a mute? I detest people who get in through connections.”

Overhearing these comments, Irene couldn’t help but steal a concerned look at Kallie.

Kallie remained calm and unbothered, flashing Irene a reassuring smile when she caught her gaze.

Irene finally spoke. “Kallie, about what they were saying…”

Kallie nodded and made a gesture, signaling that she had heard everything but didn’t see the point in getting angry over it.

Irene, visibly distressed, huffed, “They don’t even know you, talking about you behind your back like that. It’s just too cruel.”

Kallie just shook her head and let out a soft sigh. With a simple gesture, she conveyed that their bitterness was understandable. From their perspective, she had usurped a position they felt entitled to. However, she wasn’t going to waste energy arguing about mere words. Instead, she’d prove her worth in time.

Observing Kallie’s composed response, the mockery from those around intensified.

“Seriously? Is she deaf?”

“I think so. Didn’t you hear? Some people who can’t talk are also deaf. They don’t speak because they can’t hear.”

“That’s interesting. We could insult her right to her face, and she probably wouldn’t bat an eyelid.”

Irene turned around and fixed a fierce glare on the speaker.

The speaker, unfazed, merely tilted his head arrogantly and met Irene’s stare. “Irene, how does it feel to be an assistant to someone who’s both deaf and mute?” he taunted.

“Ricky, now that your main rival’s out of the picture, do you reckon the manager’s job is in the bag?” Irene retorted without missing a beat. “If I hadn’t left, the manager’s role wouldn’t have been yours. Now that I’m out of the way, you’re probably over the moon. Think of this job as my parting gift to you. Enjoy it, because opportunities like this won’t come around again.”

“You!” Ricky Molina was seething with anger to the point where he nearly threw a punch at Irene.

However, Ricky restrained himself, aware that they were still within the company premises.

The onlookers were casting peculiar glances his way.

Fuming, Ricky shot back, “My future is going to outshine yours! I can’t wait to see you and that deaf mute get kicked out.”

Just then, Kallie quickly turned around with a smile. She swiftly typed a message on her phone and activated the text-to-speech function to play the audio for Ricky. “I’m sorry to burst your bubble, but I’m not deaf. I caught every word. Plus, I’m your superior. Should I be upset about the things you’ve said behind my back?”

Since Kallie’s arrival at the company, Ricky had been badmouthing her. He had assumed she was either hearing-impaired or too timid to assert herself. He certainly hadn’t anticipated her confronting him like this.

Ricky’s eyes flickered uncertainly. “Superior? I don’t acknowledge your authority anyway.”

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