Just a week ago, her grandfather and Aurora had reached an agreement. She would temporarily took the position as a manager in the company and she could get promoted gradually as she proved herself. Today, Monday, was Aurora’s first day at work, and her grandfather had not revealed her identity as per her wishes. The company’s senior management only knew that a manager named Anne, who had studied in the United States, would be starting today; her specific identity was unclear.
Genevieve had oppressed Aurora in the past, never including her in any social gatherings, causing many to gradually forget Aurora existed. Now, even as she entered the company, no one knew her true identity, allowing this woman to challenge her so brazenly.
Before she had even completed her onboarding, someone recognized her, which Aurora found rather strange. She turned to face the man who had just spoken. He was dressed in a neat navy-blue suit, wearing silver-rimmed glasses, looking both gentlemanly and scholarly. She recognized him faintly-it was Eric, son of Paul, currently the head of the financial department. They had met when they were very young; he probably didn’t recognize her now.
“Is she the new manager?” Alison seemed wary of the man, losing her prior arrogance after he appeared.
“Indeed, she is the new HR manager starting today, and I saw everything that just happened. You owe her an apology,” Eric said, his voice not particularly cold, yet Alison seemed quite intimidated.
“Yes, I’m sorry, miss, I didn’t know you were the manager.”
Aurora observed the woman who had quickly changed her tune, unsure if it was her managerial position or Eric that had prompted the apology.
“And apologize to her,” Aurora glanced at the young girl beside her.
“I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay.” The young girl timidly looked up at Aurora, who was about her age but possessed a much stronger presence, already holding a managerial position.
“Five more minutes and you should go now. I need to finish my onboarding process,” Aurora said, not the type to hold a grudge. Whether Alison’s apology was genuine or not, she had apologized, and Aurora saw no need to persist. However, she would not be so forgiving if Alison dared to misbehave again.
“Anne, since it’s your first day and you’re unfamiliar with the place, let me help you with the onboarding process,” Eric offered like a gentleman.
Aurora initially wanted to decline, but considering she was new and needed to familiarize herself with everyone, she accepted.
“Thank you.”
She followed Eric to a company elevator reserved for senior management; only the two of them were inside.
“I heard you just returned from the United States?” Eric asked casually.
“Yes, Mr. Montgomery, you’ve been with the company for quite some time, haven’t you? I’ll be counting on you,” she replied.
“After graduation, I’ve been here for over three years.”
“But Mr. Montgomery, how did you know I was the new manager? We haven’t met before, have we?” Aurora did not believe he remembered who she was.
She hardly recalled him herself, other than from his file.
Eric smiled subtly, “Since we’ve never met before, and I didn’t introduce myself earlier, how did you know I was Mr. Montgomery?”
His counter-question left Aurora speechless, but she quickly regained her composure. “I had looked over the company’s profile and materials before coming, so I knew who you were.”
“Is that so? But I have known you for many years, Aurora,” the man said, pushing up his glasses and revealing a mischievous smile.
He accurately called out Aurora’s identity, “Mr. Montgomery, you must be mistaken.”
“If it were someone else, I might have been mistaken, but you are someone I’ll never forget. Do you not remember, sixteen years ago at Montgomery Manor?” Eric reminded.
How could Aurora remember something so distant? She was only six or seven years old sixteen years ago.
Aside from events as thrilling as storms at sea that remain vivid in memory, trivial matters like the countless relatives of the Montgomery family were naturally impossible for her to remember every single one.
“It seems you don’t remember me, but I have never forgotten you for a single day,” he suddenly leaned in and whispered in Aurora’s ear.
With just the two of them in the elevator, their proximity felt undeniably intimate.
While Aurora was still trying to recall who he was, the elevator reached their floor, and Eric, adjusting his glasses, stepped out first.
“That way is the HR department. They’ve already been notified; you just need to go through some simple procedures to formally start your job,” Eric resumed his refined demeanor, as if the man who had just revealed a hint of devilishness in the elevator was not him at all.
“Mr. Montgomery, wait a moment,” Aurora said, having spent considerable effort to keep her identity a secret, only to be recognized on her very first day by the first person she met.
“Miss Aurora, what can I do for you?” Eric turned to look at her.
“I have a favor to ask, Mr. Montgomery.”
“Oh?”
“I’ve just arrived at the company and nobody knows yet, and I don’t want anyone to know my identity. I’m just a student who returned from America, Anne. Please keep my identity a secret,” Aurora explained.
“May I ask why?” Eric scrutinized her, thinking that unlike Ivy or Zachary, who probably couldn’t wait for everyone to know their identities, Aurora chose to hide hers, something he couldn’t quite understand.
“I’ve just come back and today is my first day at the company. I want to truly hone my skills, and if people knew my identity, I wouldn’t get the real training I need,” Aurora said diplomatically.
“I almost forgot, you’re only twenty-one this year, the prime of your life. But the aura you just showed doesn’t seem like that of a student; you seem more like someone ready to conquer the business world,” Eric said, remembering the moment he saw her reprimanding Alison, the commanding presence she had shown.
“That was just for show. In this dog-eat-dog world, I have to be tough, or I’ll be wiped out. Would you keep this secret for me?” Aurora circled back to the topic after navigating around the unclear implications of what Eric had said in the elevator, unsure if they had any past grudges.
“If you trust me, I will keep your secret.”
“Thank you,” Aurora said with a faint smile and left.
Eric watched her departing figure, overlaying it with the memory of her as a child.
Miss Aurora…