Bloodbound Betrayal

Chapter 7: The Assistant's Work (1)

And Ned, as Sophie’s direct superior, saw all of this but never once lent a hand, even though she was his dedicated assistant. He always treated her with a cold and distant attitude. In his view, the workplace was a brutal battlefield where only those who fought through their own efforts could survive. Sophie had indeed landed this prestigious job through her father’s connections. For a girl her age, with no work experience and not even a higher education degree, she could only do scattered part-time jobs for meager pay. Now…

If she couldn’t overcome even this much difficulty, she didn’t deserve to stay in his company.

Two months after Sophie joined, one morning a sunny, handsome young man bounced into the office. His hair was dyed a vibrant blue, and he wore a loose Korean-style hazy-blue T-shirt layered with a plaid shirt, paired with high-top canvas shoes. He hopped his way straight into Ned’s office.

“Wow, this guy is way too hot—he’s literally my dream guy.”

“Oh my God, I’m in love again.” Ned’s secretary, Hebe, whispered while clutching her cheeks after delivering coffee to the general manager’s office.

The office instantly filled with a chorus of “shhh” sounds.

Sophie glanced up at the young man who had already entered the GM’s office. She racked her brain, trying to place the familiar figure. Oh—it was the other guy from the convenience store who bought mineral water that day. Look at him; he was way sunnier than the GM.

“Ned, it’s a deal—tennis this weekend, okay? Don’t ditch me again!” Archibald’s voice rang out as the GM’s office door opened.

“Mhm, I won’t forget.” Ned’s steady voice followed.

Sophie was hugging a thick stack of files on her way back from the copy room. “The convenience-store girl?” Archibald leaped in front of her. “Aren’t you the cashier from the convenience store? How are you working here? Did I miss something?” He peered closely at the badge on her chest: General Manager’s Assistant, Sophie Davies.

“Ahem—General Manager’s Assistant? What the heck?” Archibald blocked her path, refusing to let her pass.

Sophie’s face flushed crimson. She stood rooted to the spot, arms full of heavy files. “Sir, I’ve been working at C&C for two months.” She gave Archibald a quiet glance, then sidestepped him with her files and headed to her desk.

Archibald trailed after her to her workstation. “Sir? Come on, we’re both young—call me Archibald. I’ve got an important date today, so I’m off. Next time I’ll come hang out with you! Bye-bye!” With that, he moonwalked out of the office, light-hearted and cheerful.

“Wow—you actually know the future little prince of politics, Sophie?!”

“How do you two know each other? I want to meet him too—he’s so hot—”

“You know what? I secretly snapped a photo of him just now—360-degree perfection, ohhh—”

…

The colleagues were in an absolute uproar; the office turned into a chaotic mess. Sophie’s head spun from all their questions.

“Ahem—ahem.” A cough came from the GM’s office. Instantly, the colleagues scattered like startled birds, returning to their desks. In a flash, the entire world fell silent.

Thanks to Sophie’s diligence, her willingness to work hard, and her proactive attitude despite colleagues’ exclusion and work pressure, the entire office gradually began to accept her. She never complained about tedious tasks, handled every assignment with meticulous care, and for those scapegoat-prone jobs, she learned to prepare thoroughly in advance. She also politely sought advice from the company’s senior colleagues.

Many seasoned veterans were willing to offer her tips during breaks and started engaging with her more.

“Finish it in three days. Detailed, accurate, no mistakes allowed.” Ned suddenly tossed a partnership proposal onto Sophie’s desk without explaining its purpose. His icy, arrogant tone made her shiver involuntarily.

Staring at the report, she felt her brain wasn’t enough. The document was packed with jargon—obscure and hard to grasp. She had no idea where to start and could only grit her teeth, poring over it word by word. In her mind, she grumbled, He’s a work machine—no, a devil.

“The client’s info and demands are so complicated—I’m getting dizzy. And these figures… are they even right? One wrong move and I’m screwed.” Frowning, she muttered to herself.

The sheer volume of data shattered her expectations. She never imagined C&C’s clients had such bizarre, intricate requirements. What seemed like a simple partnership case kept her swamped—computer files, archived documents, and special conditions only the veterans knew about. She worked overtime until 11:30 p.m. and still only finished a third of the data.

Ned, also staying late, grabbed his car keys, turned off the office lights, and prepared to head home. Passing the employee area, he noticed a dim yellow glow. Approaching, he saw Sophie still buried in a mountain of files.

“It’s late. Get home safely.” As the boss, he offered a reasonable parting remark, then left the office.

After three straight days of overtime, Sophie finally completed the task, double-checked everything, and had Hebe submit it to the boss for review. This was the first formal assignment the GM had personally given her. Full of hope, she longed for his approval.

When Ned received the report and flipped through it, he immediately sensed how detailed it was. Every detail was spot-on, and most importantly, she had woven in her own summaries and suggestions—practical and highly feasible. Recalling the dim yellow light glowing at her desk for three straight nights, a faint smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.

Using the report alongside the market department’s PPT presentation model, Ned promptly convened a C&C executive meeting to set the next quarter’s priorities and market focus.

After the meeting, Ned was in an unusually good mood. When colleagues jokingly proposed a team-building outing, he actually approved it, citing “a celebration for Sophie.”

The moment the news was announced, the entire company erupted in excitement. Colleagues’ attitudes toward Sophie shifted dramatically—from exclusion and disdain to admiration and envy.