At first, Damien’s investigation was challenging, especially since the name wasn't even real. However, it turned out that there were some genuine leads, like the fact that he was a returnee and had a connection with his stepmother. But their relationship was far from just a simple acquaintance. They paid attention to the clues provided by Thomas. Mrs. Clair had plans regarding Thomas and always seemed to be around him, casually gathering information about the surroundings. Soon enough, a piece of information stood out as noticeably different. A man from the family had rented a house a few streets away. As the real name surfaced, more details began to emerge, revealing the tip of the iceberg beneath the surface. Damien was related to Mrs. Clair in some way, which could be inferred from their last names. Damien was her son, though adopted, creating a legally binding relationship that did not grant him inheritance rights from the Thomas family. He was a somewhat threatening presence, bu

She had no intention of changing her assistant. Although the girl often complained about her workload behind her back, her performance was quite impressive. "I just noticed how hard you've been working, so I want you to go home and take a good rest. You can put your tasks on hold for now; nothing is too urgent. Plus, it's a paid leave!" Ava flashed a playful smile, giving her a light pat on the shoulder before striding back to her office. Once seated, Ava pressed the phone button, connecting to the HR department. She requested personnel files, knowing there were about 150 employees in the company. Ava aimed to complete the HR tasks in a single day, quickly skimming through the files to shortlist candidates she thought might be suitable. Meanwhile, her secretary, under her urging, managed to clock out before noon. When she got home, she could hardly believe that the woman had given her a day off. The surprise came so suddenly, and she felt genuinely happy about it. As night fell, sh

"Are you here to talk about the gift, or is there something else on your mind? If it's something else, let's not waste too much time and get straight to the point," Uriel said, looking at Ava.Ava had shown up unexpectedly at her office building, and it would be quite rude if she didn't agree to meet under these circumstances. Ava hesitated for a moment. She just wanted to set up a time to talk with Uriel and avoid any unnecessary complicated situations later.She had received a tip-off that Uriel would be busy with a work trip abroad soon, and if she didn't book a time now, it would be hard to catch her later. That's why she rushed over to the office building to discuss things in advance."I feel really bad about the gift situationwith my grandfather last time. I know you said we shouldn’t worry, and if necessary, I'm willing to make it right. I just want to do my part in this matter," Ava said, her words coming out a bit awkwardly. The two of them didn't have much interaction norma

At the front of the house, Ava had been parked for 25 minutes. As Thomas went downstairs, he noticed she still hadn't left, so he waited a little longer. The person picking him up was waiting on the street behind him, and he hadn't expected Ava to still be there, especially since it had already been over ten minutes. Standing there, Ava was focused on reading through Jason’s documents and reports. They demonstrated their capabilities, saving her a lot of time by eliminating unnecessary information and avoiding overly technical jargon. Everything was straightforward to understand. They needed to quickly come up with a plan based on the company's current strengths. Besides, Ava was keeping some things from him; she only mentioned reforms and handed him a pile of documents without revealing any further details. Jason had done an outstanding job, and since they were now true work partners, there was no need to pry into each other's business too much, though they still had to navigate

After finishing their meal, Thomas learned through their conversation that Ava had received approval from her boss. She was overjoyed about it. Even though he was just a secretary, Thomas knew Jason was quite competent at his job.Ding, ding, ding!Ava’s phone rang, and Lawrence let out a sigh of relief. She glanced at the caller ID, hesitated, and then looked at Thomas. She was dying to know what was happening, but she had to answer the call."Hello? What's going on?""You need to come back right away.Grandpa had a stroke and is in the hospital." The woman's anxious voice came through the line. Thomas immediately understood. ,there was no doubt about who she was talking about. They sure knew how to deliver bad news quickly. Ava’s expression changed in an instant, panic washing over her.Her grandpa had always been so good to her when she was a child. But as she grew up, things changed, and their relationships faded. Still, she never really blamed him. It was shocking to hear that s