Chapter 120

Chapter 120

At lunchtime, Kristin still hadn’t managed to write her self–critique.

She didn’t even know what she was supposed to be critiquing herself for.

And those words in her essay essentially boiled down to one sentiment: “According to your words, I must be wrong, but I don’t know where I erred.”

“Mr. FitzGerald, aren’t you going to grab some lunch?” Kristin asked tentatively and pushed the office door open, seeing Rhett buried in his work.

Rhett put down his papers and raised an eyebrow.

Lisa had somehow managed to deliver a self–critique that pleased him in record time.

In the encrypted email was Lisa’s pledge of allegiance, which listed people she had seeded throughout the company on Nicola’s orders, spanning various departments.

Rhett knew Lisa had kept some names to herself, a safety net of sorts, but he had enough to work with. The rest didn’t matter to him.

In light of the gift Kristin had brought him on her first day, Rhett decided to let her off the hook this time and take her out to the executive dining hall for lunch.

But, as fate would have it, Kristin’s phone chose that exact moment to ring.

Kristin shot up and dashed to the side to take the call.

“What are you in the mood for at noon?” James hadn’t left Silvergrove City and was planning to take Kristin to Harborside Haven.

Kristin bit her lip and declined. “We have a cafeteria at the office.”

“After three minutes, meet me downstairs.” James said, giving no room for rejection.

“I’m not going.” Kristin said bravely, refusing.

“Are you sure? The doctor said that I need to be involved in Summer’s treatment plan,” said James, his voice stern.

Kristin intensified the pressure on her lip, turning it pale.

James knew just how to threaten her with Summer.

“You can’t do this,” Kristin attempted to reason with James, but he was not the type to be reasoned with.

12:03

Chapter 120

“Come down, don’t make me say it a third time.” With that, James hung up.

Kristin turned back nervously to face Rhett, stuttering, “Mr. FitzGerald, may I go out to

have lunch?”

Rhett stood at his office door, his expression dark and the air around him heavy with disapproval.

It was clear who had called Kristin.

James had stayed in Silvergrove City instead of returning to Crescendo Town or going to Harborside Haven, solely to keep pestering Kristin.

“Is your reflective essay done?” Rhett asked, his voice low and serious..

Kristin sensed Rhett’s anger and wondered if she had done something wrong again. His moods were unpredictable and hard to gauge.

“No… not yet.”

“If not, you’re not leaving,” Rhett said, glancing at the paper on her desk with only a few defiant words, as if telling him she did nothing wrong.

“For two hours, is this all you’ve got?” Rhett frowned, clearly displeased, yet his gaze lingered on her handwriting.

Her script was elegant yet strong, shockingly beautiful.

Kristin looked down nervously, gripping her fingers tightly. Had she upset Rhett again?

York, standing nearby, saw an opportunity to chime in, “Kristin, your work efficiency is way too low!” He began to scold her on Rhett’s behalf, but his words trailed off as he caught sight of the paper on the desk. Kristin’s reflective essay was a few words that flowed beautifully across the page. Setting aside the content, the handwriting was stunning, even more appealing than that found in calligraphy workbooks. “Kristin, your writing is really beautiful.”

“Just so so.” Kristin was at a loss for words.

“No wonder you were the top scholar. With handwriting like that, the examiners must have been reluctant to deduct any points,” York said with a smile.

Kristin paused, looking down with a hint of pain in her heart. She once stood shining brightly on high too.

After she was incarcerated and expelled from university, her high school teacher had

Chapter 120

visited her, repeating her sympathy for Kristin’s result.

Kristin was a rare talent. Had her life not been ruined, she would be out of reach for many by now.

Rhett darkened his gaze and shot York a look. “Move her desk in here. I don’t keep freeloaders around!”

Rhett was cold with his words but did the unbelievable thing that dropped York’s jaw. He had been Rhett’s assistant for years and had never made it into the CEO’s office. Now Kristin’s small desk was getting a VIP pass!

“York will get you lunch. He lost a bet and said he’d be your runner for three months,” Rhett said with a raised eyebrow. “And you’re not leaving early! Stay late and work on that reflective essay!”

York was so intimidated by Rhett that it was clear exploitation.

“Why not write it after hours? Besides, Kristin didn’t do anything wrong.” York protested, attempting to coax Rhett into letting her go for lunch.

“It’ll be cold by the time it gets here. I’ll take her myself. The chefs in the executive dining area are all five–star rated. We’ll bask in your glory.” York winked at Kristin, ready to whisk her away from Rhett’s clutches.

Kristin looked forward with a glimmer of anticipation. She had heard about the gourmet meals for the executives and was thrilled at the prospect of experiencing it herself.

Rhett darkened his face and took a deep breath.

At the sight of anticipation in Kristin, he couldn’t bring himself to say no.

Picking up her phone, Kristin followed York but paused after a few steps to turn back and ask hesitantly, “Mr. FitzGerald, I have a friend, can he join us in the dining hall?”

Rhett was struggling to keep his composure.

“Suit yourself!” Not wanting to seem petty, Rhett slammed his office door shut with a bang.

York scratched his head. “Mr. FitzGerald had a rough day. He hasn’t eaten anything and had to be induced to vomit by the doctor, so his mood is understandable. Let’s just enjoy our meal.”

With that, Kristin and York headed out to experience the executive dining area, leaving the door of Rhett’s office and his dark mood behind them.

Chapter

“Has Mr. FitzGerald always been such a moody guy?” Kristin whispered.

She needed to grill York for more information on Rhett.

“Oh, you ain’t seen nothing yet. You should see him when he really blows his top. Sure, Mr. FitzGerald seems all smooth and polite most days, but cross him and you’ll wish you hadn’t. If you ever see that side of him, just run for the hills. Because he can be a real beast,” York murmured back.

Kristin just nodded, trailing behind York, and texted James. “Gonna grab a bite at the staff canteen, pulling an all–nighter. It’s on the second floor, wanna join? Heard it’s not half bad.”

She wasn’t about to give James any chance for a one–on–one.

Downstairs, in the car.

Seeing threats were useless, James clenched his teeth in frustration.

Fine! Working late again! What kind of executive assistant was always burning the midnight oil?

It was nothing but Rhett giving Kristin a hard time, wasn’t it?

How could James, the big–shot CEO of Aurora Tech, go to eat a staff meal at Rhett’s place?

No way!

“Mr. Bryce, isn’t that Vincent? Didn’t you hook him up with Eddie? Wasn’t he supposed to head over to Harborside Haven early with Nicola?” Bill caught sight of Vincent entering the company and asked, puzzled.

James furrowed his brows and stepped out of the car with a stony expression.

“Mr. Bryce, where are you off to?” Bill asked nervously.

“I’m off to mooch off Rhett’s staff meal!” James gritted out.

Vincent showing up at this hour meant he’d made a beeline for the company straight from the airport.

What else could be so important that it’d drag him back, completely disregarding the collaboration of the Harborside Haven Project?

Chapter 120

“Has Mr. FitzGerald always been such a moody guy?” Kristin whispered.

She needed to grill York for more information on Rhett.

“Oh, you ain’t seen nothing yet. You should see him when he really blows his top. Sure, Mr. FitzGerald seems all smooth and polite most days, but cross him and you’ll wish you hadn’t. If you ever see that side of him, just run for the hills. Because he can be a real beast,” York murmured back.

Kristin just nodded, trailing behind York, and texted James. “Gonna grab a bite at the staff canteen, pulling an all–nighter. It’s on the second floor, wanna join? Heard it’s not half bad.”

She wasn’t about to give James any chance for a one–on–one.

Downstairs, in the car.

Seeing threats were useless, James clenched his teeth in frustration.

Fine! Working late again! What kind of executive assistant was always burning the midnight oil?

It was nothing but Rhett giving Kristin a hard time, wasn’t it?

How could James, the big–shot CEO of Aurora Tech, go to eat a staff meal at Rhett’s place?

No way!

“Mr. Bryce, isn’t that Vincent? Didn’t you hook him up with Eddie? Wasn’t he supposed to head over to Harborside Haven early with Nicola?” Bill caught sight of Vincent entering the company and asked, puzzled.

James furrowed his brows and stepped out of the car with a stony expression.

“Mr. Bryce, where are you off to?” Bill asked nervously.

“I’m off to mooch off Rhett’s staff meal!” James gritted out.

Vincent showing up at this hour meant he’d made a beeline for the company straight from the airport.

What else could be so important that it’d drag him back, completely disregarding the collaboration of the Harborside Haven Project?