Chapter 197

Chapter 197 The Glorious View

She would rather endure Joseph’s scolding than let Ellie take advantage of her efforts.

With determined steps, Chloe walked toward the elevator without looking back. Ellie hurriedly followed

after her, looking as if she was trying to stop Chloe. However, she came to a halt in front of the elevator,

observing as it came to a stop on a higher floor without emitting even a single sound. Witnessing this,

she returned to the marketing department with a smug sense of satisfaction.

A few colleagues approached her with worried expressions and asked, “Ellie, did Chloe really go to see

Mr. Joseph?”

Sighing, she replied, “Well, yes. I did try to stop her. I even told her that we could split the bonus in half,

but she didn’t care. She insisted on having the full 20 thousand.”

“Wow… She’s so greedy…”

*

Standing at the entrance of Joseph’s office, Chloe confidently raised her hand and lightly knocked on

the door. Without waiting for a response, she took a step forward and entered the room.

Several department executives were taking turns reporting the situation of their respective departments

to Joseph. Upon hearing the knock, they all turned their heads in unison to gaze at the entrance,

meeting Chloe’s defiant stare.

Her arrogant demeanor waned under the scrutinizing gaze of

the executives. A tinge of embarrassment colored her

meticulously composed face, and she awkwardly said, “Please continue. I’ll wait outside and come in

later…”

With that, she promptly closed the door with a resounding ” thud.”

The executives exchanged puzzled glances and discreetly observed Joseph’s expression. He was

sitting on a spacious leather chair, clad in a tailored designer white shirt that accentuated his perfectly

proportioned physique. His legs, hidden beneath his trousers, were flawlessly long, surpassing even

that of a professional model.

Lowering his gaze, his handsome, refined face exuded an alluring charm, and there was a subtle

triumphant smile gracing the corners of his lips. ‘Looks like the reverse psychology method works.”

A few minutes later, the executives emerged from the office, their glances toward Chloe tinged with

curiosity and

bewilderment. Chloe lowered her head with a hint of

embarrassment and avoided eye contact with them, feeling as though she had become the center of a

peculiar spectacle.

Once they had boarded the elevator and descended, she slowly lifted her head, straightened her body,

and marched into Joseph’s office. Upon entering, she wasted no time and went straight to the point,

her voice determined, “The project proposal Ellie delivered was written by me.”

“I know,” Joseph said.

“Then why did you give her the bonus?!”

“She provided some valuable suggestions for the proposal,”

he replied nonchalantly.

“Even if her revisions were good, everything was built upon the foundation of my proposal. It’s not fair

to reward her and not me,” Chloe argued.

“Well, you’re right,” Joseph said, surprising Chloe as she thought he would criticize her.

Chloe tried to read his true intentions through his deep, dark eyes, but she failed. She fell into a

prolonged silence before finally speaking, “May I know what are the revisions she suggested? If they

were truly significant to the point where my proposal would be rendered obsolete without modification,

then I’ll accept this outcome.”

Joseph leaned back into his chair, maintaining a composed demeanor, and skillfully dodged her

question, “How much of a bonus do you desire?”

Chloe hesitated, unsure of how to respond. “Can I ask for as much as I want?”

“You can tell me. Who knows, maybe your dream will come true.”

“I’m not greedy. I just want the same amount as Ellie.”

“Good answer.”

After that, Joseph had Lucas bring over a large stack of money. It was aptly described as large, as it

could not be held by a single hand and required both hands to cradle. It contained at least 30 thousand

dollars.

Lucas pushed the money toward Chloe and said, “Ms. Chloe, this is your bonus and consolation.”

“Consolation?”

“Yes,” he explained, “We’ve obtained surveillance footage that reveals what happened last night. It

appears that someone deliberately orchestrated the incident.”

Chloe was taken aback, “What? Who did it?”

“Ellie.”

“Then why would you still give her a bonus?!” Chloe exclaimed.

“Someone saw Ellie meeting with an executive from Baxon today. It’s highly likely that she intends to

leak confidential information about this project. We can’t alarm her at this moment, so we need to make

her lower her guard,” Lucas said sternly.

Chloe felt a shiver down her spine. She was well acquainted with Baxon’s way of doing things. They

prioritized their own interests above all else. If Ellie’s connection with Baxon was exposed, Chloe would

undoubtedly become the scapegoat.

Joseph had the security office make a copy of the surveillance footage, and he gestured for Chloe to

come closer. “Come take a look.”

Chloe walked over, bending slightly at the waist as she stared at the computer screen. She was

dressed in a professional suit today, and it had a low neckline.

Although Joseph was seated in a chair, he still held a slight height advantage over Chloe, affording him

a glimpse of her neckline. He took a deep breath, struggling to avert his gaze. ‘D *mn it! She’s trying to

seduce me again!‘

“Come sit over here.”

Chloe looked around but did not see any extra chairs. “Where should I sit?” she asked in confusion.

Joseph’s eyes were as dark as ink, and his voice carried a husky tone. “On my lap.”