Marcus wasn’t in the mood to argue with her, his tone icy as he said, “We’re going home.”
Elaine glanced down at the time and reflexively replied, “It’s not even time to clock out yet.”
Marcus had already turned to leave.
Elaine spoke up again in a small voice, “I still need to make up that hour I missed.”
Everyone in the office was watching them in dead silence.
No one dared to make a sound.
Except for Elaine, everyone clearly understood that Marcus never stepped foot in the secretary office unless there was something serious.
Usually, a simple phone call got things done—and Isabella was always the one answering.
So right now, the whole room silently agreed: He came for her.
The “Mrs.
CEO” was the reason.
Marcus lost his patience.
“Go home and cook.”
Elaine stared in disbelief and pointed at herself.
She was about to protest when Marcus grabbed her wrist.
Without saying anything more, he dragged her out in full view of the entire office.
He only let go after they reached the parking lot.
Elaine rubbed her sore wrist and asked again, trying to make sure she heard him right.
“You…
want me to cook?”
Marcus didn’t look like he was joking at all.
Elaine forced a laugh.
“Wait, isn’t Mrs.
Thompson at home?”
“She called.
Her grandson’s running a fever—she’s at the hospital.” Marcus’s tone was flat.
Elaine said without missing a beat, “But there are other staff at home, right?”
“Can’t eat their cooking,” Marcus replied coldly.
Elaine genuinely didn’t trust her cooking skills.
Peeling the plastic off a frozen lasagna and pressing “start” on the microwave was hardly enough to make her kitchen-savvy.
Elaine felt seriously cornered.
She tried her best to negotiate, “Marcus, you’ve never even tasted my cooking…
What if it’s a total disaster?”
Marcus’s brows pulled together slightly.
His half-lidded eyes gave her a sharp glance.
“What, planning not to come home tonight?”
That hit the nail on the head.
Elaine played along, “I mean…
if you give me some cash, I’ll happily crash at a hotel tonight.”
Marcus hadn’t expected her to go along that easily.
The tricks that always worked on Audrey?
Useless on her.
Part of him still suspected—could this be an act?
Was the woman standing here pretending to be someone else?
But the vibe was off.
Way off.
It wasn’t the same feeling Audrey gave him.
Especially her eyes.
You can fake a lot, but not that look.
No matter how people change, their core doesn’t lie.
And whatever this was, she wasn’t faking it.
So…
who exactly was she?
As Marcus quietly stared at her with a strange look, he hit the unlock button and said firmly, “Get in the car.”
Of course he wasn’t joking.
Elaine had her heart set on that hotel plan.
Marcus got in first.
Elaine just stood there, lost in thought.
Going home with him like this…
felt kind of off.
“Marcus, don’t you think it’s a bad look if I dip out early on my first day?” she leaned down, poked her head through the window and smiled at him.
Marcus seriously debated rolling the window up.
In the end, he chose to ignore her completely.