Chapter 898

Kevin exited the elevator, and Blake was right on his heels, her arms laden with documents.

Blake, serving as an intern in the secretarial department under Cecilia, had never before been involved in such a critical situation at the company. Since Cecilia had been absent from the office for an extended period, Blake was now answering directly to Kevin.

Ever since Blake started working for Kevin, she had not enjoyed a single day of rest; it had been a grueling three months. The only thing keeping her going was the prospect of a hefty bonus come year-end; without that, she would have already left. Lately, she caught herself longing for the less hectic times.

The bursts from the cameras were blinding, making it a challenge for Blake to keep her eyes open. Standing meekly behind Kevin, she observed him, noting with a mix of respect and envy how he managed to handle the reporters’ relentless questions with such ease.

One reporter asked, “With Zach Jardin now among the global top five richest, and the Jardin Corporation as one of the strongest, what are the plans for the company moving forward?”

Another journalist added, “Rumors suggest Zach Jardin is considering leaving the country. Is there any truth to this?”

A third reporter said, “We haven’t seen much of Mrs. Jardin since your deal with YTCorp. Is she thinking about stepping down from her company duties to focus on her home life?”

Questions bombarded Blake, and she felt totally shocked. In her head, she started to list them, unsure if she could handle that kind of stress.

Kevin stayed calm and answered the reporters’ questions. “Ladies and gentlemen, you’ll get your answers from the PR department after tomorrow,” he said. “Apologies, but I won’t comment on personal questions about Mr. Jardin.” After a quick look at his watch, he continued, “That’s it for the interview today.” He gave a signal to his bodyguards, who made sure the reporters did not come inside the building with them.

Blake snapped to attention when she saw Kevin ahead. She hurried to catch up and stepped into the elevator beside him. Gripping the documents, she took a deep breath and asked, “Mr. Harrison, are we actually in the top five worldwide companies, not just the top 500, like the reporters mentioned?”

Kevin regarded her calmly. “What do you think?”

Blake’s hands flew to her cheeks, her eyes growing wide. “And the raise – is it really happening?”

“Doesn’t it seem likely?”

Kevin played a key role at the company, overseeing the entire secretarial team and having the authority, given by Zach, to hire or fire staff as needed. They had planned for many of the scenarios they were now facing, including their dealings with the Young family, but the speed at which things were happening was a surprise. For Kevin, the future direction of the company was becoming obvious.

Zach had become a constant presence in social circles, dominating local chatter. The newspapers were full of stories about him, and each day the mailman would bring a fresh batch.

The maids, eager to keep Madelyn away from the gossip, didn’t think twice about tossing the papers.

But no matter how hard they tried to keep it from her, Madelyn always ended up scrolling through the latest news about Zach on her phone.

At a grand gala, Zach strolled with Cecilia, radiant in her rose-gold mermaid gown. In their hands were glasses of red wine as they smiled for the cameras. Madelyn had witnessed Zach and Cecilia together in the spotlight in her previous life. However, this time, their picture-perfect image in the media didn’t affect her.