Galen said, “Alright, then. The work in the project department is demanding. Let’s hope you can hold onto that proud attitude a week from now.
“And just so we’re clear, Mr. Fenwick said you’ll still need to go through standard hiring procedures. So if you don’t make it through the probationary period…”
He didn’t finish the sentence. Instead, he looked directly at her, clearly expecting her to state the obvious herself.
Calista said, “I know what you’re implying. If I don’t make it, I’ll leave on my own. There’s no need for you to show me the door.”
Without waiting for a response, she stepped through the entrance of the project department.
The office wasn’t large, but it wasn’t cramped either. A clean grid of workstations filled the space, every cubicle already occupied. Dozens of employees were deeply focused on their tasks at hand.
Some nodded and smiled politely on video calls, while others snapped at their screens or barked orders across the aisle. It was corporate life in all its chaotic glory.
Calista stood frozen for a moment, taking it all in. She felt completely out of place.
Right after graduating from college, she was married off to the Fenwick family. This was before she ever had the chance to experience anything close to a normal working life.
People bustled past her with their heads down, focused solely on getting their tasks done. No one noticed her. She was just another face, another rookie with nothing to offer.
A frazzled employee bumped into her by accident, sending a stack of documents flying all over her shoes. The man didn’t even pause to acknowledge Calista. He kept moving, phone tucked to his ear, muttering into it while trying to gather his scattered documents.
Calista scrambled to gather the scattered files and handed them back to the man, who didn’t say a word. He didn’t even spare her a glance. He just turned on his heel and walked away like nothing had happened.
The cold, indifferent atmosphere of the workplace could easily make any rookie feel out of place. But Calista wasn’t the type to back down easily. At the very least, she wouldn’t let someone like Galen see her flinch.
Galen lingered by the door a little longer, perhaps to see how Calista would handle herself. It wasn’t until he finally stepped inside that everyone paused what they were doing.
The executive assistant to the CEO was still important enough to warrant a few minutes of everyone’s attention.
“Mr. Hawthorne, what brings you down here in person?”
Margot Blanton adjusted her glasses, her expression crisp and meticulous as she walked over.
Calista studied the woman with quiet interest. She was in her mid–40s, and her chestnut colored
Chapter 79
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