As Elaine spoke with an air of warning, the whole room went dead silent.
One by one, the others cast down their eyes and didn’t dare to make a sound—fear clearly written on their faces.
Elaine couldn’t have been more pleased with the effect.
She smiled sweetly and added, “Well, if anyone’s feeling brave enough to piss off the CEO’s wife, I’m open to being challenged anytime.”
The room was instantly swallowed by silence.
“My speech is over, people.
Applause, please.” Elaine clapped for herself, not liking the awkward quiet.
Someone did respond eventually—just one person.
Lunchtime came around, and those who’d kept quiet quickly made their exits, leaving Elaine alone with the girl who had clapped with her.
The girl shuffled over shyly.
“Um…”
Elaine glanced up at her, noting how out of place her bashful expression looked in this cold office setting.
With an exaggerated tone, she teased, “What’s up?”
The girl kept her head low and asked in a small voice, “I’m new here…
and I’m not sure how to address you.”
“Audrey,” Elaine replied, stating her name flatly.
That name should definitely ring a bell for anyone working here, given how “famous” it was in the company.
But that wasn’t the point.
The girl smiled nervously and said, “I’m Chloe Reed.
Nice to meet you.”
Elaine offered a proposal.
“Let’s keep it simple.
Just call me Audrey.
Sound good?”
Chloe nodded earnestly and instantly wrapped her arm around Elaine’s.
“Great!
Audrey, let’s grab lunch!”
Elaine wasn’t expecting that level of enthusiasm, but she smiled and replied, “Sure, let’s go.”
After eating, Elaine decided to swing by Marcus’s office to fish for some intel—particularly to see if workplace romances were really as strictly forbidden as rumored.
She knocked on the door.
“Come in.”
Elaine pushed open the door carefully…
only to walk headfirst into what looked like a cozy moment between Marcus and his “friendlier-than-average” secretary.
Elaine strolled in with a bright grin.
“Oh look, Isabella is here too.” She tacked on a well-placed, “You two had lunch already?” with the kind of innocence that felt more like a jab.
Isabella looked like she was ready to bite.
Her voice was sharp, “Audrey, it’s our break.
Why are you here?”
If anyone wanted to know what it looked like when someone tried to turn the tables, Elaine just got a live demonstration.
But from what Audrey remembered, this was just how Isabella had always treated her.
Elaine wasn’t about to blow up or start a fight.
But, as the CEO’s wife, she wasn’t going to take it lying down either.
She kept her pleasant smile and said politely, “I know it’s break time.
I came to nap, not to intrude.”
She then added coolly, “Isabella, I’m simply using my lunch break to see my husband.”
Isabella glared, clearly annoyed.
From the moment she saw Audrey that morning, something had felt off.
And it wasn’t just Audrey—it was Marcus too.
He wasn’t behaving the way he used to.
What was going on?
What had changed?
If only Audrey had come in a few minutes later, she might’ve found out.
Marcus, hearing Elaine’s words, felt a flicker of something strange stir inside him.
Voice calm and cold, he said to Isabella, “You can leave us.”