Wendy’s gaze turned cold in an instant. “It’s not like I can change my appearance. I got it from my mom, so how dare you disregard all of my hard work by saying that I got here just by using my look? Also, you keep saying you ‘work hard’, but does ‘working hard’ in your case mean browsing Amazon and playing games on your phone?
“Tell me, how many times have I helped you publish notices for your students? When have I turned you down even when I’m at my busiest? When have I turned you down whenever you encounter any problematic students and whenever you ask me to help you run your errands?
“I’ll have you know I’m fully qualified for this job. I got this job based on my capabilities, so what makes you think that I don’t have the right to stay here on campus just because YOU say I shouldn’t? You have the least right to say that to me, so if anyone should be fired, it should be you.” she shouted.
She didn’t like picking fights with others, but she couldn’t possibly just stand there and let herself be slandered like that.
She really tried her best in everything and gave her all even when no one was watching, which was why this wasn’t a valid reason for others to humiliate her.
When Carmen saw that the two of them was ready to throw fists at each other, she stepped in and hurriedly said, “Cael, Wendy! Stop it right now! Can’t you two just sit it out and have a proper discussion? Actually-”
“Shut up!” Cael shouted as he turned around to face her. “Who died and made you our peacemaker, Carmen? Tell me, who was the one who first badmouthed Wendy when she first stepped into our office?”
“You’ve gone mad, Cael. How could you-”
But before she could finish, he’d already swung open the door and left.
It was now Carmen’s turn to feel embarrassed.
“When you first came into our office, I secretly brought up your name a lot since you were one of the most famous figures on campus then, so naturally there would be a lot to talk about. And you know how much I love to gossip, which was why I dared to circulate rumours and badmouth you in front of Cael and Linda. I sincerely apologise for that though, since… we weren’t that close yet back then. Plus, I also want to apologise for slandering you behind your back,” she said guiltily after turning to face Wendy.
Upon witnessing her combust in shame in front of her, Linda butted in with a lighthearted giggle. “I didn’t expect you to be flamed so badly just by stepping in, Carmen. You must be really down on your luck today,” she remarked.
After noticing that Wendy wasn’t pissed off by her remark, Carmen piped up, “Duh. I was just scared that it’d escalate into a full-blown fight, which was why I stepped in in the first place. I would’ve just stood by if I’ve known it beforehand,” she said, frustrated.
“By the way, I swear to God, Miss Evans, ever since we had lunch together that one time, I haven’t badmouthed you at all, not even once. You can ask Linda if you don’t believe me,” she huffed.
Linda nodded in reply. “I’ll reluctantly be your witness then. It’s true that she really hasn’t done that at all recently,” she replied.
Carmen then lounged forward to grab hold of both of Wendy’s hands. “I must say, the more I look at you, the more I’m starting to like you, young lady. So, please don’t take what Cael said to heart. I’m sure he’s just jealous of your looks,” she pleaded.
Wendy then sighed in reply. “Forget it. Let’s just let bygones be bygones. Let’s not dwell on this any more and go back to work,” she announced.
Cael didn’t return to the office that afternoon.
When she returned home from work in the afternoon, Donald the butler informed her that Henson had already returned home and was strapped to an IV drip upstairs.
She immediately jogged her way upstairs to his bedside. “How are you feeling today? Is the pain in your tummy still there?” she asked, concerned.
He then reached out to grab her wrist and pulled her onto the bed and into his arms.
With a devilish smile plastered on his face, he cooed into her ear, “Ah, I’m truly blessed to have this young woman care so much about me,”
She rolled her eyes at him in response. “Can’t you be serious for once?” she shot.
“Am I not already? I’m as serious as a man can be right now,” he joked.
“Anyways, how are you feeling now? Is your tummy still hurting?” she asked once more.
“Nope, the IV fluid helped alleviate the pain already,” he answered.
Seeing as he didn’t mention anything regarding the incident on campus, she pursed her lips and muttered, “I can’t believe you helped me yet again with what happened on campus today,”
“Huh, that’s great to hear. At least Howell didn’t take credit for my work this time round,” he said and raised an eyebrow afterwards. “Aren’t you moved by my kind gesture?”
“I won’t be anymore if you keep messing with me,” she huffed.
He merely laughed at that. “This is the first time I’ve ever heard someone say that. Are you implying that your feelings aren’t worth anything then?” he asked.
She shrugged and giggled, “If you and Howell hadn’t saved me in the nick of time today, I would’ve had my *ss handed to me real bad just now,”
“Do you need me to take care of that man in your office?” he asked.
“Considering the rift between us, I think it’d be hard for us to continue working with one another in the future. After all’s said and done,” she replied after a moment of hesitation.
“I’ll get someone to fire him then,” he announced and immediately started scrolling through his phone.
She promptly grabbed his hand to stop him. “No, don’t,” she chided.
“Well, it’s not like you plan to forgive him, right? It’s pointless to be indecisive,” he commented.
“I don’t have such a short memory, so I don’t plan to forgive him anytime soon. I just don’t want you to dirty your hands because of him. I feel that his mere presence on campus should be the best punishment for him at the moment, since everyone now knows the kind of person he is,” she said.
He nodded his head and praised, “Alright. You ain’t half bad yourself, Wendy. I didn’t think you had this side to you since I’ve always pegged you as an obedient little lamb. I didn’t think you could stoop to my level too,”
“I can’t tell if you’re praising or insulting me right now,” she sneered.
“Of course I’m praising you, but I can’t help but feel a bit worried that the two of you are still sharing the same office. What say you resign and come work in my company instead? I promise to make you a company treasure and give you the power to do anything you want in the Charles group. Sound good to you?” he suggested.
“H*ll no, only tyrants want that,” she said.
This made him burst out laughing.
“I know you’re a powerful man, so can you please help me move him to another faculty? It’s not like we’re lacking any assistant professors on campus either, so as long he’s not in my faculty anymore, I won’t get that many chances to bump into him anymore.
“This way, I also don’t have to worry about getting all riled up after bumping into him, and let him receive the punishment he deserves. I really can’t feel bad for a person who’d go so far as to sabotage a poor girl like Avril like that,” she said
and pouted not long after. “You’re partly responsible for this too, you know,”
“Me?” he gasped.
“No sh*t, weren’t you the one who rejected her and spat so many awful things at her that day?” she snapped.
“Were you expecting me to make her my mistress if I didn’t reject her? I’ll have you know I’m not into that kind of sh*t. One woman is more than enough for me. I don’t want more trouble.” he replied.
Her face reddened in an instant after hearing that. “What I meant to say was you could’ve brought her to a quiet place to talk it out instead. By rejecting her so harshly in public, you just gave Cael leeway to go forward with his plans,” she explained.
“Well, if you insist, then the only thing I can say is you’re involved in this too,” he gloated.