Chapter 6
1203 Words
Rose's body went rigid as she stared at the hospital documents Victor slid across the desk. She blinked a few times, trying to clear her vision, before forcing a tight, thin smile.
"Yes, he's my son."
"Your son?" Victor asked, his tone mocking.
Rose nearly choked on her breath at his tone. Her mind spun out of control. Had he been digging into her past? Did he already know the whole truth? Panic clawed at her chest, but she forced it down immediately. She needed to look professional. She couldn't show even a flicker of nervousness in front of this man.
"Yes, sir. My son. I don't believe this has anything to do with my employment contract. May I be excused now? I'll go make your coffee."
Victor didn't say a word. But his gaze was sharp and ice-cold, locking her in place, making it hard to even breathe. The silence stretched for a few agonizing seconds before he finally spoke again.
"You're right. It doesn't. And I don't care about your private life. Don't get the wrong idea—I just want to make sure my money isn't being used for anything shady out there."
The insult hit deep, but Rose kept her expression completely blank.
"You can go."
Rose gave a tight nod and turned to leave. She didn't care what kind of woman he thought she was anymore, or how much contempt he held for her. In the eyes of Victor and his family, her reputation had already been ruined seven years ago. Right now, the only thing that mattered was earning enough money to pay for Noel's medical treatments.
Rose walked out to the executive floor's pantry. After brewing a cup of black coffee, no sugar—exactly how she remembered he liked it—she walked back into his office.
"Your coffee, sir."
"Just leave it there."
He didn't even look up. His eyes were glued to the stack of documents on his desk, treating her as if she were completely invisible.
Rose placed the cup quietly on the corner of the desk. Without a sound, she turned and walked back to her own cubicle to get to work.
She pulled out her chair and sank into it, letting out a heavy sigh. Before her fingers touched the keyboard, she glanced at the firmly shut door of Victor's office. She shook her head, forcing the useless thoughts out of her mind. She had to stay focused and professional. Personal matters had no place here.
Hours flew by. When she checked her watch, it was already lunchtime. But Victor's door remained shut; he hadn't come out once. Rose hesitated, her stomach rumbling loudly from skipping breakfast.
As the sharp ache in her stomach grew worse, she finally stood up. She walked over and knocked on his heavy wooden door.
"Come in."
Rose opened the door slowly. Inside, Victor was still hunched over his laptop, unmoved from the position he’d been in for hours.
"Sir, may I take my lunch break?"
"Mm."
It was just a brief grunt. Rose immediately backed out and closed the door. She didn't bother wondering if he was going to eat or not. Starving herself and fainting on her first day wasn't an option. Feeding herself was the priority.
She took the elevator down to the employee cafeteria to save money. The place was packed, but she managed to grab a tray. She walked over to an empty table in the farthest corner, sitting alone. She didn't have any friends here yet, and honestly, she doubted she ever would.
But as she started eating, her mind drifted right back to the man upstairs. She knew his bad habits all too well. When Victor got buried in paperwork, he always forgot to eat. To make matters worse, he had severe chronic stomach issues. Years ago, she was the nagging one, always packing his meals and calling him repeatedly just to make sure he finished them.
Rose stopped chewing. Did Joana do the same for him now? Did she even care about his health?
She shook her head vigorously, annoyed at her own stupidity. It wasn't her business anymore. That was all in the past, and her role now was strictly as his subordinate.
Once she finished her food, Rose stood up to head back upstairs. But when she reached the elevator lobby, a massive crowd of employees was already waiting in a long, packed line. Hating the idea of a long wait and a cramped elevator, she decided to take the emergency stairs instead.
Climbing the steps one by one, she carried a small plastic bag with a bun and a bottled drink she’d bought for a late-afternoon snack. But the moment she stepped through the heavy door onto the executive floor, she froze.
Victor's office door was open, and Joana was just walking out.
Rose immediately ducked her head, turning her body toward the wall to hide her face. She held her breath.
Fortunately, Joana didn't seem to notice her. The sharp click of her high heels passed right by Rose without stopping, heading toward the private elevator. Only when the sound completely faded did Rose straighten up and let out a shaky breath. With her elegant but cold appearance, Joana hadn't changed at all in seven years—still arrogant, carrying that same cruel aura.
Rose walked back to her desk. Setting the plastic bag on the corner, she stared at it with a bitter smile.
"Stupid," she whispered to herself. "Why do you even care about another woman's husband?"
Suddenly, Victor's office door swung wide open.
Rose instantly sat up straight. Victor stepped out, his black suit jacket fully buttoned. He held a thick file in his left hand, his eyes locking onto her immediately.
"Get ready. We're leaving now," he said bluntly.
Rose blinked in confusion. "Where to, sir?"
Victor stopped right in front of her desk, his jaw tightening. In the workplace, Victor despised questions—especially unnecessary ones. He looked down at her with a cold, judgmental glare.
Seeing the flash of irritation in his eyes, Rose's memory sparked. She quickly spoke up before he could snap.
"The 2:00 PM meeting with the construction client."
"So your brain actually works," Victor sneered, turning on his heel toward the executive elevator. "Bring the project files on your desk. You're driving."
Rose froze. Her limbs went completely stiff.
"Sir... I don't know how to drive."
Victor stopped dead in his tracks right before the elevator. Slowly, he turned around, his anger no longer masked. He exhaled a heavy, exasperated breath, clearly losing patience with his new assistant's incompetence.
"You don't know how to drive?" his voice dropped, dangerously low and sharp. "Then what exactly do you expect, Rose? Are you asking your boss to chauffeur you around?"
Rose swallowed hard. A suffocating silence fell over the executive corridor, leaving her completely frozen under his piercing glare.
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