A Journey from Bitterness to Truth

Seeing Matilda’s reaction, Adrian’s smile faded into a cold, dismissive line. “Ms. Thompson, don’t make me switch from offering you a friendly drink to insisting on a penalty shot.”

“Penalty shot? What are you talking about?”

“I have no interest in your so–called help. Anything you’ve sent my way, I don’t want it.” Matilda scoffed, rising from the booth with an air of defiance. “If you’re looking for a hookup, just take a left outside the door. The Royal Garden Club has plenty of ladies who’ll be more than willing to entertain you.”

Adrian’s chest tightened with irritation at her taunt. What was she implying, that he was some kind of dog in heat?

Matilda’s cold laughter trailed behind her as she left the booth.

Adrian watched her slender figure disappear, his expression slowly morphing into something predatory.

Matilda hit the sack as soon as she got home, and the next day, Chloe called her up, summoning her to the Yeager Group.

At the entrance, Chloe greeted her with her signature red lips. “I know Yvan’s been giving you the cold shoulder lately, so I talked Mr. Yeager’s ear off for you. How about joining us as a marketing strategist?”

Matilda eyed the faint love bite on Chloe’s neck and could guess how that Exclusive © material by Nô(/v)elDrama.Org.

conversation with Declan went. She replied awkwardly, “I’m not sure I know enough about marketing. I’m just a designer…”

“Oh, come on, designing requires creativity, and so does marketing. It’s all about the packaging and the pitch, just a different kind of design,” Chloe insisted, dragging her toward HR. “Let me tell you, nobody in Ashton City dares to mess with Yvan, but here, I’ve got your back.”

With a wink, she added, “Besides, Declan and Yvan still have business ties.”

Chloe practically hauled Matilda to HR for registration, then gave her a whirlwind tour, showing her what it was like to have someone influential in your corner. Everywhere Chloe went, heads nodded, and people bowed, and with Matilda by her side, they treated her with the same respect.

12:39

After the tour, Chloe pushed open the door to the CEO’s office, only to find it empty. Declan must have been out on business.

Chloe shrugged it off. “Whatever, just settle in for now. And listen to me, don’t you dare go back to Yvan. Figure out something else for your studio. In the meantime, fill the gap with this job and look online for someone else to help you.”

Matilda looked at Chloe with a touch of gratitude, which only made Chloe’s skin crawl. “Oh, stop with the puppy eyes, will ya? I’m not into that, but if I had the penis parts, it wouldn’t be a bad trade.”

Matilda laughed and playfully told her to get lost. After Chloe sashayed away on her towering heels like a true siren, the curious colleagues swarmed around the new beauty.

“You know Chloe?”

“What’s your relationship with Chloe?”

“Oh, please, what’s there to ask? Another one parachuted in by connections,” sneered a woman while touching up her makeup. “Don’t get too smug. Without the skills, you’ll still get canned.”

Matilda didn’t respond. She was used to such snide remarks. When she first got out of jail and was job–hunting, people would scoff at her past, “Pretty face like yours in prison–what did you do, work as an illegal escort? Ha!”

She endured it all silently. The others mistook her indifference for apathy and doubled down on their mockery in front of her.