He Hid Our Love, I Became His Boss

Chapter 4

I stood in place, watching Derek rush into the stairwell.

After seven years together, when it came down to it, the person he ran to first was still Chloe.

I closed the door, grabbed my suitcase, and headed to the airport.

The transfer order from head office had officially taken effect the day before.

When I arrived at headquarters, the chairman met with me personally.

He pushed a stack of project files across the desk toward me.

"I've been watching you for 2 years now. During several major projects in the Eastbridge Division, you were the one truly responsible for risk assessment and process execution. Leaving you in that position for so long was a waste of your talent."

I opened the files.

"Thank you, sir. I'll get up to speed as quickly as possible."

"Not as quickly as possible, but today. The chief of staff has direct oversight authority over regional management. You used to be too cautious. Now you only need to answer to the group."

That same day, I accessed the approval records for the overseas project in the internal system.

Derek had voluntarily requested to accompany the team, yet Chloe didn't meet the rank requirements for a key project lead.

The two of them had also filed expense reimbursements multiple times using the same private address.

Following protocol, I issued a formal inquiry letter requiring Derek to explain whether there was an inappropriate colleague relationship between him and Chloe that could affect company interests.

This wasn't revenge.

Anyone in this position would have been obligated to send that letter.

When the inquiry letter reached the Eastbridge Division, Derek was in the middle of a project meeting.

The conference room fell silent instantly.

Chloe's eyes reddened the moment she finished reading the email.

"Mentor, I'm so sorry. It must be Natalie who misunderstood and reported us to headquarters. This is all my fault for always bothering you. Now you're being investigated because of me."

Derek's expression darkened, his gaze sharpening.

"There's a limit to how far she should take a tantrum. Using the company's review protocol to settle a jealous grudge. Does she have any idea what kind of consequences that could cause?"

Chloe lowered her head.

"Maybe I should withdraw from the project. As long as Natalie is willing to retract the inquiry, I don't mind being the one who suffers a little."

Derek pulled out his phone.

"This has nothing to do with you. I'll straighten things out with her."

He tried calling several times, but the line wouldn't connect.

Work messaging app, personal number, social media, I had blocked him on everything.

Only then did Derek remember the suitcase from that morning, and his expression slowly changed.

He had HR check my whereabouts. The HR manager hesitated for a moment.

"Natalie completed her transfer paperwork yesterday."

No one in the conference room spoke after that.

Derek stared at my resignation letter, silent for a long time.

His instinct was to ask the other colleagues if anyone knew where I had gone.

But when his gaze landed on the sternly worded inquiry letter displayed on the screen, his rationality crushed the faint flicker of concern that had just surfaced.

He could take his time finding out where Natalie was later. Worst case, he would smooth things over with her afterward.

But he had just been promoted to president, and the overseas project was at a critical stage. He absolutely couldn't let a headquarters investigation derail him now.

He pushed the thought aside and dialed the head office hotline.

"Hello, this is Derek Hale, President of the Eastbridge Division. Regarding today's inquiry letter, I'd like to offer an explanation to the assistant to the chairman. The person who filed the report may have been influenced by personal emotions. There's been a misunderstanding."

The call was transferred to my office.

I pressed the answer button.

"Mr. Hale, what would you like to explain?"

The other end went abruptly silent.

After a few seconds, Derek's tight voice finally came through.

"Natalie? How is it you?"

I glanced at the investigation materials on my desk and replied calmly.

"Let me introduce myself properly. I am the chief of staff to the group chairman, and I am also the investigation lead for this case."