The AA Wife

Chapter 4

Sarah's POV:

The car stopped in front of the new company.

Ethan got out first and opened the passenger door.

Nora got out of the car with a smile, supported by him.

The company receptionist saw them and immediately stood up to greet them.

"Mr. Crawford, Secretary Whitfield."

No one noticed me in the back seat.

It wasn't until I got out of the back that the air suddenly went still.

Whispers broke out around us.

"Why did she tag along too?"

"She's so shameless, always clinging to Mr. Crawford."

"Secretary Whitfield is too soft-hearted. If I were her, I would have made her life a living hell by now."

I followed behind them as we walked inside.

Nora suddenly took my arm.

"Sarah, everyone doesn't know about your relationship with Mr. Crawford, which is why they misunderstand. Please don't take it to heart."

She offered a suggestion with a bright smile.

"How about I explain it to them for you?"

I looked at her coldly.

"No need."

Once Nora made my marriage to Ethan public at the new company, all my hard work there would go down the drain.

Everyone would assume I was just a trophy wife who got her position through connections.

Someone nearby sneered.

"The actual girlfriend hasn't even said anything, yet she's acting so high and mighty."

Ethan heard it and paused.

But he didn't speak up for me.

I went to my desk to tidy up, then pushed open the door to the reception room.

Knowing I was a newcomer, the client deliberately made things difficult.

"Crawford Group really hires just anyone these days. You can't even negotiate the cost down. You're not serious about this partnership at all."

I explained patiently several times.

Suddenly, the client threw the folder right next to my hand.

"Go back and recalculate!"

He threw it with great force.

The sharp edge of the folder sliced a cut onto my finger.

I grabbed a tissue to press down on the wound.

Then, I pulled out the backup proposal.

"The requirements you just mentioned can all be met by this proposal.

But the cost really cannot be lowered any further."

The client squinted at me.

"You're not angry?"

I pressed down on my bleeding cut.

"Anger doesn't solve problems.

If you have any issues, we can negotiate them properly."

The client finally agreed to the backup proposal.

Only after walking out of the meeting room did I go to the restroom to wash the cut.

When I first joined the company, I was very weak.

The first time a client gave me attitude, I burst into tears on the spot.

If a single piece of data was wrong, I would lose sleep all night.

When colleagues said I got into the company through connections, I would argue with them in anger.

Only later did I understand.

If I wasn't in the wrong, I could explain myself clearly.

If I did make a mistake, I would take responsibility honestly.

As for whether others believed me or not, I didn't care.

May bought me a band-aid.

She scolded me as she bandaged my finger.

"You're really slow.

When he threw the folder, couldn't you have moved out of the way?"

I smiled.

"I wasn't paying attention."

May paused.

"Don't mind the gossip in the office.

At first, I also thought you were here to come between Mr. Crawford and Secretary Whitfield."

I pursed my lips and remained silent.

She continued, "But you're the first to arrive and the last to leave every day. When there's an error in the spreadsheet, you redo it three times without a single word of complaint.

You ask for guidance repeatedly when there is something you do not understand, and you diligently make corrections when criticized."

She leaned back. "People can lie. But hard work doesn't. Besides, I can tell you're intentionally keeping your distance from them."

My eyes welled up slightly.

Ethan used to always say I was fragile and weak-minded.

I knew that, so I was trying my best to improve.

I hadn't expected that my growth and the truth behind the rumors were being quietly observed by someone.

May patted my shoulder.

"You're still young. Don't get involved with someone who's already taken. You deserve someone better in the future."

A wave of bitterness welled up deep inside me.

I nodded.

"Yeah."

As I passed the general manager's office, Ethan happened to walk out.

He looked up and saw the band-aid on my hand.

"Sarah, do you spend all your time on this job just to let others bully you?"

I asked him back in a low voice,

"Then what should I do? Tell him that I'm Ethan Crawford's legal wife and make him bow down and apologize to me?"

Ethan's face darkened.

"At least you could have called to tell me."

I let out a cold laugh.

When my sister was lying in the operating room, I had called him.

When Nora deliberately made things difficult for me, I had also called him.

But he would only coldly admonish me, "I'm not your nanny. You're an adult. Learn to solve things on your own."

I didn't care to argue with him.

As I brushed past him, Ethan firmly grabbed my wrist.

"I'll have the family doctor come over later. Stop throwing tantrums with me, okay?"

Even now, he still thought I was just throwing a tantrum.

I pulled my hand back. "No need."

His tone grew cold. "Sarah, I'm not negotiating with you."

Just then, the office suddenly erupted into chaos.

A purchase order for an important contract had been calculated incorrectly.

My name was on the authorized signature line.

The cost budget was thirty percent lower than the bottom line.

If the client held us to it, the company would lose at least five million.

I smiled.

"I wasn't the one who signed this purchase order. I demand to check the surveillance footage to find out the truth."