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Novel Catalog
Chapter 85
Veronica couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Matthew was arranging for her to work at the Spinfluence Group?
“There’s no need to be so surprised,” Matthew said, his voice dripping with disdain as he glanced at her. “It’s what Grandma wants.”
“Can I choose not to go?” Veronica asked, her voice tinged with frustration. She really didn’t want to work at Spinfluence. The idea of seeing Matthew both at work and at home was unbearable. The man was already enough of a headache as it was; spending more time with him would drive her mad.
Ding!
The elevator doors opened, and Matthew stepped out with long, purposeful strides. He didn’t even look back as he answered her, “No.” His tone was final, as if there was no room for negotiation.
Veronica stared after him, exasperated. “What the f*ck?”
She followed him out of the elevator and saw him getting into his car, Thomas waiting at the driver’s seat. The backseat door was wide open, and for a moment, Veronica wondered if Matthew was so used to having Thomas wait on him that he couldn’t even remember to shut the door himself.
She walked over, tapping on the door. “Your door’s still open,” she called, slamming it shut with a decisive thud. Then, with a forced cheerfulness, she waved. “See you!”
Keep the peace at all costs, Veronica reminded herself. Now that she was living under Matthew’s roof, the last thing she wanted was to make him angry enough to kick her out. Rent was expensive, and if she could stay here, she could save money and send it to her foster parents to improve their quality of life. It was the best option for her.
Inside the car, Matthew shot a dark glare at the door that Veronica had slammed shut. Through the rearview mirror, Thomas saw how embarrassed his boss was and caught on. He rolled down the window and called out to Veronica, “Where do you wish to go, Miss Murphy? I can give you a ride.”
“Ha! Thank you, Mr. Ritter, but I can walk,” Veronica replied with a smile, determined to avoid any further interaction with Matthew.
Thomas glanced at Matthew in the rearview mirror, unsure how to proceed. But Matthew’s cold response was simple: “Let’s go.”
“Of course, Young Master Matthew,” Thomas replied quickly, rolling up the window and starting the car, driving off.
Veronica, feeling more than a little victorious, made her way out of the building. The elevator from her penthouse took her directly to the lobby of the Twilight Club, but the club was still locked up since it hadn’t opened yet. She couldn’t exit through the front doors, so she headed for the basement floors.
Matthew had his own parking spot, so he always exited from the second-floor basement. As for Veronica, she had fewer luxuries. She rented a bicycle through her phone to get to work.
At Xavier’s company, Veronica met up with him in his office. After chatting for a while, she went to the secretariat to learn the ropes from the executive secretary. She spent the morning familiarizing herself with the company rules, regulations, and background before diving into research on the company’s revenue.
By noon, Veronica was fully immersed in her work. The day had passed by quickly.
A whistle broke her focus, and she looked up to see Xavier standing in the doorway, a crooked smile on his face. “It’s time for lunch. Let’s go.”
Veronica glanced at the clock and realized it was indeed lunchtime. She packed up her things, and they headed to the elevator together.
Xavier was dressed in a sharp white suit, and when he wasn’t smiling, he exuded the cold demeanor of a CEO. But when he did smile, his youthful handsomeness combined with a roguish charm, making him unexpectedly likable.
“What do you wish to eat?” he asked as they stood in the elevator.
Trying to avoid Matthew’s company, who she knew was probably around the area, Veronica quickly suggested, “Let’s go to Wakey Bakey.”
Xavier raised an eyebrow but didn’t object. “Sure. That sounds like a good idea.”
The two of them made their way toward the fast-food restaurant, laughing and chatting along the way.
Meanwhile, in a car not too far away, Matthew and Tiffany were en route to a restaurant. As the car slowly crawled along the busy road, Tiffany noticed two figures on the sidewalk.
“Isn’t that Veronica?” Tiffany remarked, her eyes narrowing. She sighed dramatically, “They have such a good relationship. Look at them—talking and laughing together. Veronica must like Xavier a lot.”
Matthew, who had been staring out the window, followed Tiffany’s pointed finger. He saw Xavier and Veronica laughing, clearly enjoying each other’s company. Then, Xavier casually draped his arm around Veronica’s shoulders, pulling her into a loose embrace. Veronica didn’t pull away, and in fact, looked quite comfortable in his arms.
Matthew’s face immediately darkened. His eyes narrowed, and the calm demeanor he usually wore slipped into something more threatening.
Tiffany, seeing the change in his expression, smirked and leaned back into her seat. “You don’t seem happy about this.”
“Whatever for?” Matthew muttered, clearly irritated, as he leaned back and closed his eyes, pretending to be indifferent.
Tiffany’s lips curled into a playful smile, but she was restless. Her fingers twirled nervously with the hem of her skirt. “My… period is half a month late. I wish I could talk to you more about it, but I have something to do this afternoon. You’ll have to let Thomas send you.”
Matthew’s eyes flickered slightly, but he gave nothing away. Tiffany noticed the change in his demeanor and couldn’t help but feel a sense of satisfaction.
“Okay,” Tiffany responded, her voice now softer as she looked out the window. “Let’s talk later.”
As the car continued down the street, the moment was interrupted as the red light changed and they sped through the intersection.
Back at Xavier’s company, Veronica was deep in thought as she walked into Xavier’s office in the afternoon. He appeared to be lost in thought himself, staring blankly at his desk.
“What’s the matter?” Veronica asked, concerned.
“Well,” Xavier said slowly, rubbing his temples, “the organizations in Bloomstead are holding public welfare activities, and my dad would like us to send someone to Almeida to oversee it.”
“To Almeida? That’s pretty far.” Veronica paused for a moment, considering it. “If there’s no one else to go, I suppose I could go. But I won’t be able to accompany you.”
Xavier’s face lit up. “Are you sure?”
“I’m the newbie here,” Veronica replied with a wry smile. “There’s still a lot I don’t know how to do, but if you need help, I’ll do my best.”
Xavier raised an eyebrow but smiled at her response. “I knew you were the right person for the job.”
Veronica hesitated, thinking of the distance. “I must warn you though—Almeida is really far. I don’t know if I can make it alone.”
Xavier waved her concerns away. “Don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine. I’m used to handling things on my own.”
Veronica gave him a small, reassuring smile. “Alright, I’ll handle it then.”
With that, Xavier sat back, clearly relieved. He had someone capable on his team.
