Chapter 184
Audrey brushed her finger lightly under her nose. “What did you say to Mr. Collison?”
“Nothing!” Paige looked miserable,
She had meant it as a compliment, genuine praise for a good bass, but instead of being appreciated, she was packed off to the docks in the summer heat.
“Maybe Mr. Gibson prefers to keep his kindness under wraps, she thought. “Desert want to look too Indulgent. Might worry it’ll chip away at his authority.”
Still puzzled, she sling her bag ever her shoulder and left in silence,
That afternoch, Paul had an investor meeting and brought Tiffany along. As they passed Audrey’s desk, he tapped his fingers lightly on the surface, like a silent knock
She shot a glance at his hand, cool and unreadable, then went back to typing
The office emptied out, leaving only her and Dorothy. Dorothy was hardworking and just had a habit of disappearing into the bathroom a little too often. Eventually, it caught Audrey’s attention.
She stepped into the washroom for a quick break, meaning to check in casually. But before she could say anything, she heard soft laughter coming from one of the stalls.
“What’s so funny? Let the rest of us in on the joke!”
Her voice echoed cleanly in the quiet space. The laughter stopped dead.
Moments later, Dorothy flushed the toilet and stepped out, looking like a student caught cheating on a test.
“I’m sorry, Ms. Henderson, I shouldn’t be slacking during work hours.” Her head stayed low, she couldn’t meet Audrey’s eyes.
She gripped her phone tightly, knuckles whitening. Her body language screamed panic.
Audrey gave her a long, quiet look. “What was so funny?”
“…” Dorothy gave her a quick glance before dropping her gaze again. “I swear it won’t happen again.”
A beat passed. Then another.
One minute of silence like an hour.
Dorothy’s face turned pale. A thin layer of sweat broke across her forehead. Her fingers clenched harder around the phone.
“It was about me?” Audrey asked.
“Na!” she blurted out.
Audrey raised an eyebrow, just slightly, but it said enough.
Dorothy’s voice trembled as she tried to explain “It’s not about you… really, it’s… It’s just_”
Her words trailed off as she lowered her head her eyes brimming with tears, struggling to hold them back.
Before joining Stride Commerce, she and Paige had heard plenty, stories about Audrey being arrogant and manipulative, driving out the former chie! Secretary and trying to get close to Paul.
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Chapter 184
People said she targeted attractive female salt, making their lives impossible.
If it weren’t for the genus offer, they wouldn’t have dated to sign on.
But once inside, the truth was bomething else enthely, Audrey hadn’t bullied them. She’d helped, quietly but thoroughly, giving them time, guldaner, and cover to find their footing
She wasn’t officially the chief secretary, but everyone in the department knew who held the center of gravity.
“Ms. Henderson…” Derothy’s voice cracked. “I swear it wasn’t about you. But I can’t tell you what it was,”
Because if she did, she and Paige might lose more than a job. This could follow them across the industry.
Audrey slipped one hand into her pocket, her gaze calm but unwavering.
Perhaps it was the absence of malice in her eyes, their quiet strength and warmth, that made Dorothy fool even more guilty.
She lowered her head and walked past quietly, heading back to her desk,
Just as the five were standing close, a notification flashed on Dorothy’s phone. She flinched, and it slipped straight from her hand, landing with a thud on the floor.
The message preview was hard to miss.
Paige Look at this link! Omg, it’s sweeter than anything I’ve seen on screen. Even better than movie boyfriends. You HAVE to see it!
The phone might as well have turned red–hot. Dorothy tried twice to pick it up, but her hands were shaking too badly.
Audrey bent down, picked it up before she could, and under Dorothy’s panicked, helpless stare, opened the chat.
It was all there, a full conversation thread, dozens of links, endless commentary.
Paige had been sending her fan content and exploding in reaction, most of it told through a parade of emojis and exclamation points.
“Ms. Henderson…” Dorothy’s voice cracked. Her eyes welled up. That phone in Audrey’s hand might as well have been a grenade with the pin already pulled.
She raised her hand in a trembling attempt to retrieve it, but one sharp glance from Audrey stopped her cold. She closed her eyes like she was bracing for impact.
“So this is how I go. Just let it happen. Obliterate me now she thought bitterly
Audrey tapped on the most recent link. It opened to a fandom community called Yalvin.
Pinned to the top was a photo, showing a tall, broad–shouldered man opening a car door, shielding another man, elegant, upright, with an air of quiet nobility as he stepped inside.
Their faces were blurred, but Audrey knew those silhouettes too well.
It was Yann and Calvin.
She hadn’t expected the internet to go this far.
Not only did they ship the two, they even had a name for the pairing.
“Ms. Henderson, I swear it wasn’t anything bad about you!” Dorothy wiped her face, voice shaking as she bit her lip
Audrey said nothing
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Chapter 184
It wasn’t had, but it was definitely about hoi.
She forwarded the link to herself, then handed the phone back. “Whatever your interests are, I’m not here to judge, But don’t slack off during work
“Thank you, Ms. Henderson)) swear I won’t ever do it again! Dorothy bowed deeply, then bolted from the restroom
Ajanitor had just come around the corner in time to witness the scene and quietly shy or that Audrey had dragged a junior into the restroom
to chew her out.
Audrey stepped into a stall, pulled out her own phone, and opened the link
If people were going to make things up, she might as well see how far they were taking it..
The user who posted the photo went by HainbowHave. Apparently, the picture had been taken by her, along with a breathless account of how she had personally witnessed the moment.
She claimed Yann and Calvin had gone to the restroom together and that Calvin came back with a split lip. Clearly bitten, she wrote
Zoomed–in screenshots followed, complete with red circles around the way Calvin’s body shielded Yann as he stepped into the car.
Commentary included: No assistant shields a male boss like that. Let’s be real.]
Based on body language alone, it’s obvious Calvin’s the top, and Yann’s the bottom.
[All you macho–man only shippers can get out]
And anyone clinging to outdated role stereotypes? Kindly shut it.]
Audrey felt her temples throbbing A pressure rose in her head like something about to burst.
People in that thread weren’t guessing. They believed. The timeline matched, and the details lined up. The posts had such conviction that she, the actual girlfriend, almost felt like the third wheel
As she scrolled, a familiar username caught her eye.
It was Amelia
Everyone, let’s stay rational. Let’s not twist things. They’re just incredibly close friends! What’s wrong with two good friends living together? IP: Posted from a parent’s address.
[Disgusting gay fantasies. No one like you deserves my son, He’s elegant, brilliant, the rightful heir to a business empire.
But after scrolling through enough “evidence,” even she began to crack
Yannis definitely the top. Anyone who disagrees, your brothers, boyfriend, and everyone you know will be bottoms!]
