Sold to My Boss

Chapter 8 The Cocktail Party

Annie closed the list and shook her head; there were more important things on her mind.

A busy afternoon had helped her briefly forget what happened that morning, but this calm lasted only until the end of the workday.

As she entered the president's office with the organized list and materials, Aaron pointed to a box on the sofa and said, "Change into this and call the driver to get ready to leave."

Annie opened the beautifully packaged gift box, and what came into view was a set of evening wear.

Was he taking her to the cocktail party? If so, why didn't he bring Bernadette?

After changing into the dress, Annie went with Aaron to the villa where the cocktail party was held, still wondering if she would run into Bernadette.

Sometimes, you really can't help but think about someone; and just then, Annie spotted Bernadette walking toward them.

Bernadette walked up to Aaron, and when she saw Annie beside him, a hint of malice flashed in her eyes, though her face remained all smiles.

"Aaron, you finally made it! I've been waiting forever. Huh? Isn't this..."

Aaron followed her gaze to Annie and interrupted her, "My secretary, don't mind her. Bernadette, aren't you going to introduce this person beside you?"

That's when Annie noticed the man next to Bernadette. He wore immaculate gold-rimmed glasses that perched on his handsome yet gentle face, and his perfectly tailored gray suit accentuated his refined demeanor.

Before Bernadette could say anything, the man beside her introduced himself, "You're Aaron, right? Hi, I'm Baird, Bernadette's brother." He extended his long hand.

Aaron shook his hand, while Bernadette began to complain, "Oh Aaron, it's all my brother's fault for not having a female companion, insisting on dragging me along. Otherwise, I would have come with you." Saying this, she linked her arm with Aaron's.

Aaron discreetly pulled his hand back and exchanged a few polite remarks with Baird.

Bernadette looked at Annie beside him, gnashing her teeth in hatred, but her face showed no signs of it; she casually said, "Aaron, doesn't your secretary department have many outstanding people? Why did you bring her today? Last night..."

Noticing she was still fixated on what happened yesterday, Aaron quickly interjected, "She's my executive secretary; of course, she comes to events like this with me."

He didn't want to let any scandal about Annie come to light in front of so many people; after all, she was his companion brought along by Aaron.

But this statement took on a different meaning for those with ulterior motives, as if it were a deliberate defense, like with Bernadette.

The atmosphere among them instantly became awkward, and it was Baird who broke the silence, "I haven't asked for this secretary's name yet."

Annie smiled warmly, "Annie." As she spoke, she extended her hand.

After shaking hands with Baird, she hesitated for a moment before reaching out to Bernadette beside him.

However, Bernadette recoiled as if something dirty had brushed against her.

Seeing his sister's reaction, Baird offered an apologetic smile, "Sorry, Bernadette's hand got twisted when she came, Annie, please don't mind."

Annie awkwardly withdrew her hand, smiled, and then stood silently behind Aaron.

Aaron observed all of this but said nothing more, exchanging a few casual pleasantries with Baird before leaving with Annie.

Bernadette watched the two leave, unable to hide the scowl on her face, her hands clenched tightly.

Baird noticed his sister's thoughts. He gently patted her head, "Alright, Yi He already said she's just a secretary, why are you angry?" As he spoke, he also glanced at Annie.

Bernadette pushed her brother's hand away, trying to hide her anger, "It's all your fault. If you hadn't dragged me here, I wouldn't have to deal with that kind of woman..."

"Brother, you too. You actually touched that kind of filthy fox, aren't you afraid of getting dirty?" As she spoke, she took out a handkerchief from her bag and wiped Baird's hand vigorously, then directly tossed the handkerchief into the trash can.

"Alright." Baird comforted his sister a few more times and then led her away.

Annie cautiously followed behind Aaron, watching him mingle with various big shots, but her mind was occupied with thoughts of receipts and resignations.

At that moment, the lights in the venue suddenly dimmed, and a beam of light shone on the marble staircase on the second floor. Under the spotlight, a man spoke loudly to the crowd, "Ladies and gentlemen, thank you all for coming to my cocktail party. I am Lester, and I really appreciate you all being here."

Annie curiously looked at the mysterious Lester, and a question arose in her heart: What's Lester, who's making waves in B City, doing hosting a cocktail party here?

Lester's next speech explained her doubts, "My Whitmore will settle in this city next month, and I look forward to cooperating with you all."

As he spoke, he seemed to deliberately glance towards Aaron downstairs.

Everyone followed his gaze and looked at this business tycoon from Los Angeles, while the man himself stayed calm, giving a polite smile back.

Who doesn't know that the Whitmore was originally on par with the Hawthorne, each occupying half of the province's territory? With Lester coming to Los Angeles, it’s obvious he’s here to shake things up.

Looks like the calm days in Los Angeles are numbered.

As the violin of the band began to play, the cocktail party officially commenced. Annie followed Aaron, keeping a polite smile on her face while her mind raced with thoughts.

What exactly did Aaron buy her for? To help her out of trouble? To make her pay back? What’s this guy’s deal? It can't be some weird captivity thing, right?

Thinking about this made Annie shudder, and her gaze towards the man beside her changed slightly.

"Aaron, thank you for coming."

Lester's magnetic voice rang out, and Aaron looked at the newcomer, showing no emotion on his face.

"Of course I wouldn’t miss Lester’s invite!"

"In the future, as my Whitmore settles in Los Angeles, you, the local big shot, have to help out my little business. If there are any good opportunities to make money, please don't forget me!"

"How dare I! In the future, my Hawthorne will still rely on Lester for support."

Even though they were being polite and humble, you could feel the tension in their words.

The two business tycoons finally began a direct confrontation, drawing the attention of everyone present.

Suddenly, Annie felt her phone buzzing in her bag, and a wave of dread washed over her.

She quietly slipped into a corner, pulled out her phone, unlocked it, and saw a nightmare of a w******p ID with a message.

"Put your underwear in Aaron's suit pocket, right now!"