“No, you’re not late. I came in early.” Brandon put his coffee cup down carefully, his eyes not leaving the resume on the table. Under the bright lights of the meeting room, he was examining Vivian’s resume.
“No, you’re not late. I came in early.” Brandon put his coffee cup down carefully, his eyes not leaving the resume on the table. Under the bright lights of the meeting room, he was examining Vivian’s resume.
At the sound of shuffling papers rubbing together, Vivian carefully wiped her fingers under the table.
“Miss Cooper, why do you keep trying to join the Larson Group? What is so special about us?” Brandon slowly closed her resume and looked up at Vivian in front of him. She was still young but she was dressed beyond her years to try and seem mature.
“I want to work in the Larson Group so I can prove myself. As an orphan who was funded by the Larson Group’s talent plan, I really want to repay them. Why are you so wary of me, Mr. Larson?” Vivian asked. “Have I done something wrong?”
She looked so innocent, as if she didn’t understand anything.
Brandon smiled slightly. “No. You haven’t done anything wrong. How would you like to handle public relations for the Larson Group?”
Vivian tried to keep calm. “What’s the position, exactly?” She was worried that if she was only in public relations, it would keep her out of the c*ore business of the Larson Group, where she felt her abilities would be better suited. Vivian shifted uncomfortably in her seat.
The Larson Group had a huge, powerful public relations team, but there were so many staff. If she was stuck in the public relations department, she couldn’t get to the real power. She would only be wasting her time there. “You’ve only just graduated. Working in the Larson Group would be your first job. You can’t expect to have more than an internship at this stage in your career. If you want a more important position, maybe you should try the Turner Group. It isn’t that easy to get a top job in the Larson Group,” Brandon explained calmly.
It was obvious what he meant. If Vivian wanted to stay here, the best she could hope for was to be an intern. If she wanted a permanent position, with actual power, she’d be better off going back to the Turner Group, i
She sat there and pondered it for a bit, but then came to a decision.
She grinned across the table, and accepted it. “You’re right. I’m still young. I could do with the experience, more training it is.”
If she could stay close to Brandon, then there were plenty of ways she could get her revenge on him and Natalie. 4
The most important thing was to stay in the Larson Group.
After the interview, Brandon asked the HR department to show Vivian where she’d be working and sort out the paperwork to formally take her on.
On his way up to take Brandon the documents from the meeting, Sean saw Vivian downstairs. He asked Brandon, “How come Vivian’s looking so much better so soon? She looks fine today. She doesn’t seem to be seriously injured at all.”
Brandon had some documents on his desk he was signing. When he was done, he looked up at Sean and said, “She’s an intern in the Larson Group now. I’d like you to keep an eye on her for me.”
Sean whispered sarcastically, “Great. Yet another job for me.”
“Speak up if you’ve got any complaints, I’m all ears.” With a wave of his hand Brandon quickly signed the document.
“No, no complaints. I’d just like to say that, Mr. Larson, if you don’t trust Vivian, why have you given her a job?” If Brandon hadn’t given her a job, Sean wouldn’t have to keep an eye on her. This kind of complication wasn’t like Brandon. He normally liked things simple and direct.
Brandon closed the file and leaned back in his chair. He peered through the door and asked, “Does Vivian’s way of doing things remind you of anyone?”
Sean thought it over and then it suddenly clicked. “Like… Miss Turner?”
What the hell! Charis was dead. Charis had been dead for a long time. “You think it’s possible Miss Turner has come back… as Vivian?”
“What the hell are you talking about?” Brandon frowned and stared at Sean like he was an idiot. “It’s probably just her influence. I have a feeling that Charis had been in contact Vivian, secretly, and maybe even told her some secrets that only she knows.”
Charis was the one who had caused Brandon’s amnesia. And if Vivian was so close to her, then with Vivian by his side, Brandon might be able to find a way to know what Charis had done and even get his memories back. Besides, he only gave Vivian an unimportant position in his company.
“Okay, I get it.” Sean had no idea what Brandon was thinking of doing, but as long as he did as he ordered, he’d be alright. After all these years with Brandon, Sean had realized that if he followed this rule, nothing went wrong.
Once Vivian’s video clarifying the issue was posted online, the public opinion on the Larson Group became less and less negative. There were still a few bad comments on the Internet but nothing that could damage their reputation again.
Natalie’s meeting with a client of the W Marks Studio just ended that day.
She was just walking out of the meeting room when her phone started ringing.
The second Natalie saw the caller ID, she answered the phone excitedly, “Lydia, have you been discharged? How are you and your daughter?”
The last time Natalie saw Lydia was that day she attempted to jump off the building. Since then, Natalie had not seen Lydia and her baby.
“My daughter and I are safe now. We have been discharged from the hospital. Mr. Larson has sent a car that will take us out of Barnes. I called to thank you for what you did that day. Without you, my life would have ended on the rooftop.” Lydia’s voice faltered and a series of sniffs filled the line.
“You don’t have to call just to say thank me, Lydia,” Natalie said, her tone gentle as usual.
She didn’t ask more. Judging from Lydia’s attitude, she knew the woman was in a much better place.
Lydia inhaled deeply before continuing. “This time, my baby and I will leave Barnes for good. I wanted to meet you before leaving but everything was happening so fast.
And I know you still have work to do. So, I thought it was better not to disturb you. I’ve always considered the Larson Group as my enemy. I’m sorry. I’m really sorry.”
Lydia apologized again and again on the phone. She didn’t know what else to say but she let her sincerity be heard in the words.
Natalie was moved, “You can call me whenever you have time. It’s easy to travel to places now. Even if you go abroad, I’m sure we will have a chance to see each other again. Lydia, I wish you a safe and smooth journey.”
Perhaps it was time to board the plane because Lydia suddenly said goodbye to Natalie and hung up the phone. Up in the sky, a plane flew over and disappeared into the clouds.
Natalie stood by the window, seemingly in a trance. Then a noise from behind brought her back to reality. She looked back and found Tasha struggling to pick up documents on the ground.
“Let me help you.” Natalie squatted down and reached for the documents. Once she was done, she handed them to Tasha. “Your belly has grown a lot bigger recently.”
Tasha put a hand on her back before taking the documents from Natalie using the other. She said with worry, “Thank you. I’m getting heavier too. I can’t even pick up the papers on the ground.”