Bloodbound Betrayal

Chapter 8: The Assistant's Work (2)

If the partnership plan rolled out smoothly, it would bring C&C substantial profits, and next quarter’s bonuses would surely double.

Watching the now-confident Sophie in the office area, Ned couldn’t help but see her in a new light. He hadn’t expected this once-overlooked rookie to make such remarkable progress in such a short time. Picking up the internal phone, he summoned her to his office.

“Sophie, this report is thorough and excellent.” He looked at her, a rare glint of approval in his eyes.

Sophie was stunned and flustered. “Boss, thank you for giving me this chance. I couldn’t have done it without everyone’s help.”

“No need to be modest. I’ve seen your effort and growth.” Ned fixed his gaze on her. “From now on, you’re officially my assistant. No more miscellaneous tasks from the office pool. Starting tomorrow, your desk moves next to Hebe’s.”

Sophie’s heart soared. She hadn’t expected her hard work to finally be recognized. Overjoyed, she said, “Boss, thank you! I’ll keep giving my best.”

The day of the C&C team-building event finally arrived, with the theme “Everyone Climb the Mountain Together.”

Sophie wore a pink athletic skirt and tied her hair into two bouncy ponytails, looking youthful and lively.

“Ned, Sophie, wait for me! You two heartless people didn’t even tell me about the team-building. How could something this fun happen without Archibald?” Dressed in a gray-blue hoodie, Archibald hurried out of his sports car. Lately, he’d been dropping by C&C whenever he had nothing to do, claiming he was catching up with his buddy Ned, but really he was there to tease Sophie. He’d toss playful remarks at the girls in the office to liven things up, so it was no surprise he always knew what was going on at C&C.

During the hike, Sophie stayed at the front, with Archibald and Ned trailing behind at an easy pace. She kept shouting, “Come on! We’re almost at the top—it’s just ahead!”

But before long, she was panting heavily, her steps slowing.

Seeing her like this, Archibald quickened his pace and teased, “Sophie, you holding up? Don’t give up now—we’re not even at the summit.”

Sophie pouted. “Archibald, don’t underestimate me. I will make it to the top.”

With that, she sped up again. But after just a few steps, she misstepped and nearly tumbled. Ned, quick as a flash, grabbed her arm and said with concern, “Careful—don’t fall.”

Archibald rushed over, but Ned had beaten him to it. He hesitated, unsure whether to reach out.

Sophie looked into Ned’s worried eyes, her heart suddenly racing. Her face flushed, and she quickly said, “Thank you, boss. I’m fine.”

From that moment on, Ned’s care for Sophie grew. At work, he patiently guided her. At lunch, he’d deliberately wait to go with her. When they worked late, he’d drive her home, saying, “I’m a gentleman—it’s the least I can do to see a lady home at night.”

Sophie gradually sensed that Ned treated her differently, and tiny flutters stirred in her heart.

Meanwhile, Archibald, who often popped into the office, would bring Sophie little snacks and tease her playfully. He was slowly falling for the bubbly, soft-spoken girl. But seeing Ned and Sophie grow closer left him a bit dejected. Deep down, he couldn’t believe that Ned—who seemed to almost dislike women—could actually fall for Sophie.

There was only one week left before Sophie’s classes at LSE began, and her internship was entering its final phase of the four-month period. On Wednesday morning, she submitted her application for flexible work arrangements during the school term. Ned was now discussing the upcoming schedule with her.

“Don’t you want to join any of the student societies at university?”

“Joining societies is about integrating into the community and paving the way for future job hunting. With a prestigious, high-quality job like the one at C&C, skipping a few won’t hurt,” Sophie answered earnestly.

“Don’t you need to devote more energy to your coursework? University classes require a lot of self-study, which takes up a significant amount of free time,” Ned advised her candidly.

“Hmm—” Sophie tilted her head, thinking for a moment. “I’ll balance both the company work and my studies. When there are no classes, I’ll come back to C&C and finish the day’s tasks. I’ll complete my university coursework efficiently at home. So there’s no need to adjust the team’s progress because of me—I’ll keep up with my colleagues and handle every task the boss assigns with full dedication.” She gave Ned her firm assurance.

Ned stared at her for a long moment. He realized he was growing fonder of Sophie’s personality. Seeing her talkative yet soft-spoken demeanor, combined with that determined expression, stirred a warm feeling in his heart.

“Won’t that be too exhausting? Girls should rest more and enjoy themselves,” he said, unexpectedly feeling a pang of concern for her.

“Huh?” Sophie sensed her tone had been off and quickly adjusted. “I’m young, so it’s good to learn as much as I can. I don’t feel tired.”

“You sound like an old soul,” Ned chuckled, amused by her words. He handed her the signed application. “Here, take this to HR for filing.”

Just then, the door to the general manager’s office swung open. Archibald bounced in energetically, snatched the application from Sophie’s hand, and skimmed through it quickly.

“You’re starting university and still want to keep the part-time job? Wouldn’t it be better to just enjoy campus life?” He ran a hand through his hair and grinned at Sophie. “If you did, I could visit you at school and make sure you’re happy every single day.”

Sophie grabbed the form back, stuck her tongue out at him, and left the office. Archibald followed right behind, trailing her all the way to the HR area, chattering nonstop: “…When school’s out, we could play basketball. If you don’t like basketball, I can take you hiking. Or we could just drive around for fun…” Like a persistent shadow, he kept up his endless chatter. The colleagues in the office were unfazed—this had become routine over the past few weeks.