Chapter 3 Someone Will Help Me

I was very surprised. I kept reading the email carefully as if to confirm something. Yes, it was true. Evelyn had suddenly become the head of the design department, my direct superior.

“Hope, do you know her?” Elissa noticed something was off and waved her hand in front of my eyes, voicing her guess.

I put down my phone. “Yes, Evelyn is Christopher’s step-sister. I mentioned her to you before.”

After graduation, everyone went their separate ways, but Elissa and I had a strong bond from our college days. We had agreed to stay at Jacquard together and not go to other cities.

Elissa was shocked. “Damn! She got into the company because of her relationship with Christopher!”

I remained silent, thinking ‘Their relationship is indeed extraordinary.’

“Is Christopher out of his mind?”

Elissa kept complaining to me about the unfairness of it. “Why her? I’ve never even heard her name in the design circle. Yet, Christopher just handed her the position of director. What about you? What are you to him?”

“Alright,” I interrupted her, speaking softly. “None of that matters. If Chris is willing to give it to me, he will.”Belonging © NôvelDram/a.Org.

‘If Christopher isn’t willing, someone else will.’

However, since I was in the company cafeteria, and I couldn’t say this out loud, lest someone deliberately use it to cause trouble.

Elissa knew me well enough. When we left the cafeteria and saw no one around, she asked me in a hushed tone, “Do you have any plans?”

I raised an eyebrow. “Guess.”

“My dear Hope, tell me.”

“Well, sort of, but I haven’t fully decided yet.”

I had been working here for four years.

The Valence Group felt more like my comfort zone.

If I chose to leave, I needed something or someone to push me.

I returned to my office and immersed myself in the design of the new year’s limited edition, skipping my lunch break.

It was supposed to be the director’s job, but since the director had resigned, it naturally became the deputy director’s task. I had to make the most of my time.

“Hope, here’s your coffee.”

Near two o’clock in the afternoon, my assistant, Connie Thomas, opened the door and placed a cup of coffee on my desk.

I smiled. “Thank you.”

Connie looked at me, puzzled, as I worked on the design drafts.

“Hope, can you still calm down and design? I found out that the woman who suddenly appeared didn’t even go through the interview process and took the director’s position directly. Aren’t you angry?”

I smiled silently, not knowing what to say. Wasn’t I angry? Of course, I was. But I couldn’t complain to my subordinates.

“Everyone, listen to me…” Suddenly, there was a commotion outside the office. Christopher’s assistant, Donald Quill, gathered everyone together.

Through the floor-to-ceiling glass, I could see everything in the open office area.

Christopher was wearing a custom-made dark suit. With one hand in his pocket, he stood there, exuding a cold, noble, and charming aura.

He stood side by side with Evelyn, and they looked very compatible.

Evelyn was elegant. She looked at Christopher with a faint expression as if seeking help.

He frowned slightly, a little impatient, but he still indulged her. He introduced her in a low voice, “This is Evelyn Valence, the new director of the design department. In the future, I hope everyone will cooperate well with her work.”

Evelyn looked at him disdainfully. “Why are you so serious?” Then, she smiled and said, “Don’t have to listen to him. I’m easy to get along with. I just joined the company, so if there’s anything wrong with me, please feel free to communicate with me.”

With Christopher’s support, the scene naturally became harmonious.

Connie couldn’t help but say discontentedly, “She got into the company through connections. Someone who is getting married for the second time would go to get a marriage license in the afternoon. People who snatch positions also start in the afternoon.”

I wasn’t happy initially, but hearing her fabricated words made me smile involuntarily.

Outside, Christopher escorted Evelyn to the door of the director’s office.

“Alright, what else are you worried about? With your long face, who would dare to come to me?” Evelyn pushed Christopher affectionately. Though she was complaining, but her face was smiling.

I took a sip of the coffee. It wasn’t very pleasant.

Seeing my frown, Connie took it and had a sip. “It’s not bitter. I put in two sugar cubes today. Just wanted to give you something sweet to cheer you up.”

A knock on the door sounded at this time. Evelyn pushed out Christopher and then came to my office. I stared at him intently, wishing I could see into his heart.

“Let me go and make you another cup of coffee.” Connie hurried out.

Christopher walked in slowly, closed the door, and calmly explained, “It’s her first time working. She’s a bit nervous, so she asked me to come to support her.”

“Is that so?” I asked with a smile. “I didn’t notice.”

First, she had the noble CEO, Christopher, introduce her identity. Then, she casually teased, using a few simple sentences to let people know about her close relationship with Christopher. Although she said things like, “I am easy to get along with.” It was like being at a card table and announcing you had the winning hand—no one would have dared to complain or argue then.

“Alright. Although Evelyn is a few years older than you, you are her senior at work. In terms of design, your abilities are stronger than hers, and the department’s staff still trust you more.”

Christopher walked behind me, gently massaging my shoulders, persuading, “You don’t need to pay attention to her. Just don’t let anyone bully her, okay?”

For the first time, I felt a hint of uncontrollable anger towards him.

I pushed away his hand, stood up abruptly, and asked directly, “If that’s the case, why is Evelyn the director but not me?”

Then, I realized that my words were too direct.

Even Christopher, who was always composed, looked surprised to me.

Indeed, we had been married for three years, and although we weren’t very affectionate, we still respected each other. I had never been angry at or argued with him. He probably always thought I was the one who was without a temper.

But I didn’t regret saying those words.

If the director’s position fell on someone more capable than me, I would respect and accept it.

Now that it was given to Evelyn, was I not even allowed to ask why?

It was the first time Christopher saw this sharp side of me, and even he, with his thin lips, showed surprise. “Hope, are you angry about this?”

“Can’t I be?”

In front of others, I could maintain a somewhat generous demeanor, as if nothing had happened. But if I still needed to hide myself in front of my husband, wasn’t this marriage a failure?

“Are you kidding me?” Christopher picked up the remote and turned the floor-to-ceiling glass into a frosted glass.

He reached out and pulled me into his arms. “The Valence Group is all yours. Are you really concerned about a position?”

“The Valence Group is yours, not mine.”

All I could hold onto was what I currently possessed.

Christopher lifted my chin, looking serious. “We are a couple. Do we still need to differentiate between you and me?”

“Then why don’t you transfer some shares to me?” I smiled.

I gazed at him calmly, not wanting to miss any of Christopher’s emotions.

To my surprise, there was nothing.

Christopher just raised an eyebrow. “How much do you want?”

“Ten percent.”

If I really wanted that ten percent stake, then my demands were a bit excessively greedy.

After marrying me, Christopher took over the already huge Valence Group. Later, the business empire expanded several times in his hands. Not to mention ten percent, even one percent, was now valued at over 200 million dollars.

I never expected him to agree; I just casually mentioned a number.

“Okay,” he replied.