A Whirlwind Marriage with the Beautiful CEO Chapter 51-60
Chapter 51
When the interview was over, Beatrix rushed to the
headquarters and barged into Mackenzie’s office.
“What’s up? Do you have something to report?”
Mackenzie looked up. Her expression was cold.
“Hehe. Guess who I interviewed today?” Beatrix
approached her happily.
“I’m not interested in guessing. Just spit it out if you
have something to say,” Mackenzie snapped as she
continued doing her work.
Fortunately, Beatrix had expected that reaction from
Mackenzie. In fact, the former was used to it.
Regardless, she announced excitedly, “I interviewed
Emmanuel!”
“What?” Mackenzie immediately looked up.
In the past, Beatrix would not believe Mackenzie had
someone she cared about, not to mention the person
was a man.
Oh, shoot!
Judging by Mackenzie’s reaction, Beatrix had a feeling
that she was at risk of losing her bet with Lexi.
“Aren’t you hiring a part–timer to help you with the
projects? Why did he come for the interview?” asked
Mackenzie curiously.
Chuckling, Beatrix responded, “Maybe Emmanuel is
short of money.”
Noting the change in Mackenzie’s expression, Beatrix suddenly added, “By the way, I asked him and it turned
out that he wasn’t having a candlelight dinner with
Claudette yesterday. He was just thanking her for
helping his mom get the ward back.”
“What?”
Mackenzie appeared more agitated, so much so that
her reaction shocked Beatrix.
Holy cow!
In the past, she could never imagine getting such
reactions from her sister.
After all, Mackenzie was the indifferent CEO of Terence
Group who had misandry.
Mackenzie did not care what Beatrix’s motives were.
The former’s usual calm expression changed
incessantly.
After all, she was the one who helped Alessandra get
the ward back. It did not make sense that Emmanuel
was giving Claudette the credit.
“Is he stupid or what?” Mackenzie tapped the table
gently.
Beatrix was stupefied that she didn’t even blink.
Of course, Beatrix did not know what Mackenzie meant,
but the latter was clearly very emotional.
Her cool–headed sister that had misandry was getting
riled up for a man. That was something Beatrix could
never imagine in the past.
Don’t tell me she likes him. No way. That’s impossible.
“Ail right. You may leave now.”
Mackenzie quickly recollected herself. She shifted her
gaze back to the computer screen and continued
working.
It was only when Beatrix left after making a face did
Mackenzie let out a sigh and hit the table.
“I’m never helping that idiot again.”
Alessandra had not been working for the past two
years because of her poor kidney condition.
Recently, she had been working hard to help pay off
Emmanuel’s debts and trying to buy Mackenzie
betrothal gifts and jewelry.
Terence Group was a famous, newly established
company. The truth was, being a cleaner was easy, but
Alessandra worked too hard. She even served the
employees drinks, which left her exhausted.
When the manager asked her to clean up the
conference room, her kidneys were already in pain
from exhaustion. Hence, she had to lean against the
table.
Just then, she accidentally collapsed to the ground
and bumped into a table.
Instantly, all the drinks spilled onto the table, drenching
the manager’s laptop and brand–new iPhone fourteen
before he could even take them away.
“What’s wrong? What happened?”
Derek Schwartz, the manager, rushed in. His expression darkened, and his heart sank at what he saw in the
conference room.
717
“Ma’am, are you all right?”
Chapter 52
They were in the company building, and many
employees were passing by the conference room.
Hence, Derek helped Alessandra up first.
“I–I’m fine.”
1/8
Alessandra could not care less about her pain. She
hastily wiped the table and took out a cloth to wipe the
laptop and phone.
“Stop! I’ll do it!” Derek quickly shoved her away, making
her stagger a few steps backward.
“I’m so sorry, Mr. Schwartz. I–I didn’t do it on purpose,”
Alessandra apologized profusely.
For someone from a less well–to–do family, ruining
someone’s valuables would only make their situation
worse.
She was hoping she did not have to pay for the losses,
but Derek examined his devices and said grimly,
“Ma’am, my laptop’s motherboard is fried, and my
phone isn’t lighting up. You’ve got to compensate me.”
“I–I…” Alessandra paled, unable to form a complete
sentence. All she could do was bow and apologize.
She only wanted to earn some money to help lessen
Emmanuel’s burden and give Mackenzie some jewelry.
To her horror, she had to compensate a huge sum
when she had not even gotten her salary.
This is just terrible! I’m sure Emmanuel won’t let me
work anymore if he finds out about this.
“It’s already happened. There’s no use apologizing
2/8
now.” Derek helped her up and added coldly, “I’m going
to send these for repairs now. I’ll let you know how
much you’ll need to pay when I find that out. Please
give me your phone number.”
Alessandra was on the verge of crying, but she still
nodded and gave him her phone number.
At the same time, Beatrix was standing outside the
glass door. When she saw how pitiful Alessandra
looked, she wanted to help the latter out.
To Beatrix’s surprise, Alessandra agreed to
compensate him. Hence, the former could say nothing.
After all, it was only right to compensate someone
after breaking their things.
After receiving her number, Derek could not help but
scold her a little before leaving to get his devices
repaired.
There were many important data in them which he
had put a lot of effort and time into. He was planning
to get Alessandra to compensate him for the
intangible losses as well.
Alessandra felt horrible when Derek left. Even so, she
still cleaned up the conference room.
After that, she clutched her abdomen and walked out
of the room.
The moment she saw Beatrix, she quickly put on a
smile and greeted, “Hello, Ms. Beatrix.”
Alessandra did not want Beatrix to find out she was ill.
I’ll be in trouble if she fires me because of that.
Hence, she pretended to look fine no matter how much
4/8
pain she was in.
“Hello, Ms. Cadigan. Are you all right?”
Beatrix felt bad for Emmanuel’s mother when she
gazed at the latter. Feeling worried, Beatrix said, “You
can take two days off if your body’s in pain.”
“No, no, no. I’m fine. I’m feeling great!” Alessandra
quickly waved her hand dismissively and forced a
smile.
The moment she straightened her back, she felt an
excruciating pain, which made her grimace.
“Ms. Cadigan, please go home and take a day off. I’ll
make sure the manager doesn’t deduct your salary.
End of discussion.”
With that, Beatrix walked off.
5/8
That was all she could do to help the elderly woman.
After all, it was not her place to make Derek give up on
the compensation.
Just then, Mackenzie, who was at the headquarters,
dialed Derek’s number to ask about a project’s details.
She did not expect the call to not get through, and it
pissed her off.
She always requested her employees to maintain
smooth communication during working hours. No one
was allowed to be unreachable.
At that, she instructed Lexi to find Derek.
Half an hour later, Derek returned the call in a hurry. “M–Ms. Quillen, I’m so sorry. My phone was damaged by one of the cleaning ladies. I didn’t turn it off on
purpose.” He sounded a little panicked.
1714
“Derek, is this your first day working at Terence Group?
Why didn’t you make a report about your broken
phone right away? What if this affects the project’s
progress?” Mackenzie scolded right away. She had
always been a strict person.
Derek swallowed his anger, not daring to retort. To him,
Mackenzie was like the queen of the company.
“I–I understand, Ms. Quillen. I promise this won’t happen
again in the future. The project’s data? Ah… They’re on
my laptop, but I can’t give them to you now…”
After enduring the scolding, Derek encountered a
second problem.
“Derek, you have one hour. If you don’t send me the
data in time, you can pack your things and leave.”
Mackenzie hung up angrily.
Chapter 53
Everyone in Terence Group knew how terrible
Mackenzie’s temper was.
Not only was she indifferent, but she was also
heartless.
She hated people who came up with excuses for their
mistakes more than anything else.
Derek was furious, thinking it was all Alessandra’s fault.
D*mn it! I must rip her off! I won’t rest until I get my
money!
In the meantime, Alessandra was still panicking even after arriving home. She wondered if she should tell her
children about the incident.
After asking the neighbors, she found out it would cost
at most a few thousand to fix a computer and a
phone.
Hence, she thought of borrowing money from others.
Perhaps this can be resolved. I don’t want to make my
children worry again.
Soon, Derek’s call came.
“What? Twenty thousand?”
Alessandra almost passed out from shock when she
heard the number.
“Mr. Schwartz, h–how could it be so expensive?”
“Hmph! Expensive? I can’t retrieve the data from my devices, which affects the company’s project. We could
lose tens of millions, and I haven’t even taken into
account that amount! If you’re not willing to pay, I’ll file
a police report. We can settle this in court.”
Derek vented all his anger on Alessandra.
He purely focused on scaring her. It intimidated her to
the point she did not dare to argue. She could only
agree for the time being and promise him she would
find a way to compensate him.
“Mom, what’s wrong?”
Roselynn came back just in time to see Alessandra in a
daze. The latter’s eyes were red, and she looked as
though she could faint at any time. Seeing that,
Roselynn hurried over to check on Alessandra.
At first, Alessandra did not want to tell her. Thanks to Roselynn’s incessant questioning, however, the former
finally opened up and recounted the entire incident.
She even teared up helplessly when she reached the
end of the story.
“What? Twenty thousand for repairs? He’s clearly
extorting you! That’s no different from robbing
someone.”
Roselynn instantly exploded with anger, and she gave
Emmanuel a call.
Emmanuel had just gotten off work and was about to
head out for his part–time job. He, too, lost his temper
after learning about the incident from his sister.
Twenty thousand was more than enough for Derek to buy new devices. The compensation did not make
sense.
“Tell Mom not to worry about it. I’ll help her think of
something,” he promised.
Emmanuel felt frustrated after hanging up.
I can’t cough up twenty thousand now, but I can’t
borrow money from Mackenzie either. Otherwise, she’ll
think I married her just to scam money out of her. Wait.
J
Isn’t that icy woman an executive at Terence Group’s
headquarters? Perhaps she can help lower the
compensation amount if I ask for her help. That way, I
can help Mom pay that man.
That night, Mackenzie returned home at the same time
as Emmanuel got home from his part–time job.
There was a strong tension between them due to last
night’s events.
пырты
Despite knowing the truth, Mackenzie could not help
but think he was stupid. The mere sight of him
infuriated her.
“Ms. Quillen, I need your help with something,”
Emmanuel asked politely.
“What is it? Do you need money to treat another
woman?” Mackenzie questioned coldly, only to regret it
instantly. Why do I sound jealous? Will he get the
wrong idea and think I’m jealous?
“No!”
Emmanuel could not be bothered about what she
thought. He recounted the situation and asked, “Could you help me talk to Mr. Schwartz and make him lower
the compensation to a reasonable amount?”
Mackenzie kept quiet the entire time while secretly
shaking her head.
What a coincidence. The cleaner who broke Derek’s
laptop and phone was Emmanuel’s mom? That’s my
mother–in–law. And I scolded Derek so terribly because
of the trouble she created.
“Can you help me with this, Ms. Quillen?” asked
Emmanuel when there was no reply from her after a
long time.
“Huh?”
That was when Mackenzie snapped out of her
thoughts.
Emmanuel frowned. Did she not hear a word I said? Or
is she pretending not to hear me because she doesn’t
want to help? Did I just waste my time explaining the
situation to her?
In the next second, Mackenzie uttered coldly, “I’ll help
you put in a few words, then. I’ve got to warn you,
though. It won’t necessarily work.”
Chapter 54
Emmanuel thanked her immediately, “Thank you!
Whether it works or not, I’m grateful to you.”
Mackenzie put on a disdainful smile. Hmph. Derek will
definitely listen to me.
Regardless, she simply murmured a reply before
ignoring Emmanuel.
Go on and treat other women to meals. Wait. Didn’t I
swear not to help him anymore? Why did I agree to his
request? Ugh! I swear I won’t help this idiot next time!
The next day, Derek was summoned to the
headquarters.
He felt extremely nervous, thinking Alessandra had put
him in great trouble.
After all, Mackenzie’s temper was known by everyone in
Terence Group.
He figured he was going to be reprimanded harshly for being unreachable yesterday and also for being a day late in submitting the data she wanted–the data he
had stayed up all night to redo.
Getting reprimanded was still fine. He feared
Mackenzie would fire him out of anger since several
managers had been fired in the past because of the
same thing.
“M–Ms. Quillen.” Derek knocked on the door and
entered the CEO’s office. He stood straight with his
head lowered like a little boy who made a mistake.
“Hello. Where’s the data?” asked Mackenzie
indifferently without lifting her head.
“It’s here.” Derek hurriedly placed the printed document
on her table.
Mackenzie looked through the document without
sparing him a glance.
Derek was so nervous that the muscles all over his
body tensed up. He was afraid Mackenzie might throw
就
the document at him and tell him to get lost.
Derek was his family’s breadwinner. If he lost his
high–salaried job, he would not be able to pay for the
mortgage, car loan, and even his children’s education.
He did not dare to think further.
After reading the document, Mackenzie finally lifted her
head slightly.
Derek had no guts to meet the beautiful woman’s
gaze. In fact, only a handful of men in Yeringham
dared to meet her gaze.
I wonder what kind of man can conquer her and make
her his wife? Her mother–in–law must fear her, too.
“Well done on the document. Remember to report to
the receptionist when there’s a problem with your
phone in the future.”
Mackenzie’s words stunned Derek. He even wondered if
he was hearing things.
She’s not scolding me? Does that mean I won’t be
demoted or fired?
“Y–Yes! I’ll keep that in mind, Ms. Quillen!” Derek
promised instantly, feeling much relieved.
“Is your laptop and phone fixed?”
“Y–Yes!”
“How much did it cost?”
“Around three thousand.”
Derek could not believe Mackenzie was actually
concerned about him.
Most importantly, he did not expect her to nod and
say, “Prepare the receipts and submit a
reimbursement form to the finance department.”
“Huh?” Derek was shocked beyond words. It took him
some time before he nodded. “Okay, Ms. Quillen.”
Normally, the company would not reimburse
employees for accidents like that. However, he
guessed it would not be a problem since Mackenzie
had given him the green light.
“The cleaner doesn’t have it easy, either. Don’t hold her
accountable,” Mackenzie added.
“Of course, Ms. Quillen. I understand.”
Actually, Derek did not. In fact, he was puzzled as to
why the mighty CEO would care for a cleaner.
Nonetheless, the fact that he could become a
department manager meant he was smart. As soon as
he stepped out of the office, he came to a realization.
Could that cleaner be acquainted with Ms. Quillen? Do
they have some kind of relationship?
Chapter 55
Alessandra rested for a day before returning to the
company to work.
She was feeling down in the dumps because she was
worried about the compensation amount. In fact, she
did not sleep well the last two nights.
Even though Emmanuel had told her not to worry and
promised he would find a solution, she could not help
but worry.
She feared Derek might confront her that day and
make a police report because she could not afford to
pay. If that were to happen, she might lose her job,
which would make things worse.
Regardless, Alessandra was not someone who would
evade problems, and the matter had to be resolved
eventually. Worst case scenario, she would kneel
before Derek in hopes the latter would forgive her.
“Ma’am!”
Sure enough, Derek went looking for her shortly after
she clocked in.
Alessandra straightened herself and greeted him
politely, “M–Mr. Schwartz!”
“I want to talk to you about the laptop and the phone
Before Derek could finish, Alessandra teared up, and
she got to her knees.
“Ma’am, what are you doing? You can’t do this!” Derek
quickly helped her up.
That scene was witnessed by everyone in the
company.
Even Beatrix, who passed by, watched it from afar.
Naturally, she did not know Mackenzie had helped
settle the issue. If necessary, I’ll help Emmanuel’s mom
to pay.
Although Mackenzie did not agree with the marriage,
the cleaner was still her mother–in–law. Beatrix could
not let the latter be in such a tough situation.
“Mr. Schwartz, my family really can’t afford to come up
with twenty thousand. Please have mercy on me. I
really didn’t do it on purpose!” Alessandra pleaded
with tears streaming down her face.
With so many people watching the commotion, Derek
was grateful that the news about him extorting twenty
thousand from Alessandra had not spread. Otherwise,
he would be reprimanded by everyone.
“Ma’am, I was only saying that to remind you to be
careful next time. Anyway, you don’t have to
compensate me anymore.”
“Huh?”
What’s going on?
Alessandra was stunned.
She never expected Derek would change so drastically.
Immediately, relief flooded her heart, but she still could
not stop crying.
“R–Really? I don’t need to compensate you anymore?”
“Yes. That’s what I wanted to talk to you about.”
Derek left as soon as he finished speaking to avoid
attracting a crowd.
Everyone was in shock.
Even Beatrix was stupefied. After all, she had witnessed
Derek’s encounters with Alessandra, and the contrast
in his behavior was huge.
Something obviously happened before this. Did
Mackenzie help Emmanuel again? Otherwise, things
wouldn’t have been resolved so easily, even if I had
helped Ms. Cadigan put in some words.
Now that the matter was resolved, Alessandra felt
refreshed, and she excitedly dialed Emmanuel’s
number.
Emmanuel was still working at the hospital at that
moment. When he learned about the matter, he
breathed a sigh of relief.
“Manny, did Mackenzie help? I need to thank her in
person.”
Alessandra was already desperate enough to see her
daughter–in–law. And now, her desire to see the latter
grew stronger.
This daughter–in–law of mine is really capable. It must
be a blessing from the Lowe family’s ancestors that
Emmanuel found such a great wife.
“Mom, it’s almost the end of the month. You’ll get to see
her in a few days,” was all Emmanuel could say.
As soon as he hung up, he began to worry.
A few days ago, Mackenzie had told him she might not
go home with him, and the topic had been suspended
ever since.
Mom will be disappointed if Mackenzie doesn’t go
home with me.
Chapter 56
No matter what, I’ll have to confront her tonight and
get a confirmation.
Having made up his mind, Emmanuel went home after
getting off work and waited for Mackenzie’s return
anxiously.
To his frustration, Mackenzie came home later than
usual, not arriving until half past ten.
“Ms. Quillen, you came home later than usual today,
huh?” Emmanuel broke the silence.
Mackenzie was busy. She gave her husband a grunt
instead of a verbal response. Obviously, she was going
to grab her pajamas, take a shower, and go to bed.
Emmanuel knew she would sleep at eleven sharp, so
he stood in front of her, blocking her path.
“What is it?” Mackenzie frowned.
“Ms. Quillen, you promised to pay my family a visit, so
my mom has gone out of her way to make all the
necessary arrangements, even inviting our relatives. If
you were to suddenly change your mind and not
come, I wouldn’t be able to explain it to her.”
After a pause, he added, “If you don’t keep your word,
I’ll have no choice but to let your grandpa know.”
Mackenzie scoffed in disdain.
Everyone knows I hate being threatened. I can’t believe
he’s so bold to threaten me!
Despite the fact that she had made a commitment to go and visit his family earlier, she changed her mind
later as she believed he had spent a romantic evening
with someone else.
Now that the truth had been unveiled, she couldn’t
help but think that he was a fool.
“Since you brought this up, I have a task that I need
you to complete.”
“What is it, Ms. Quillen?” Emmanuel asked politely.
I can do anything as long as she agrees to meet my
family.
“I promised to visit your family if Cloud Construction’s
project ends on time, but a minor problem has
occurred.”
Mackenzie retrieved a flash drive and placed it in front of him. “Following today’s strategic meeting, we have
come to the conclusion that the logo for the building
must be changed. Tomorrow, you need to persuade
Cloud Construction to alter the logo in accordance
with the new design without compromising the
timeline of the project.”
Emmanuel’s brows scrunched up, but he accepted the
flash drive nonetheless.
He knew that Mackenzie wasn’t trying to make things
difficult for him on purpose. She had just helped his
mother out, so he was obliged to return her favor.
“Good luck!” Mackenzie parted her lips to utter some
words of encouragement for formality’s sake before
returning to her room.
Rather than delegating the task to someone else, she
wanted him to demonstrate his worthiness and
potential so she could promote him to a higher rank in
Organization.
the
Though my husband may be foolish at times, I cannot
stand the sight of him and Alessandra struggling with
financial woes.
To complete Mackenzie’s task, Emmanuel had to
request a half–day leave of absence from the hospital
where he worked.
Early the next day, he was contacted by a woman who
claimed that the company tasked her to assist him
with the Cloud Construction project’s alteration so it
could be completed by the designated date.
Emmanuel agreed to meet her. When he arrived at the
place where they agreed to meet, he was surprised to
see a familiar BMW.
The woman who stepped out of the vehicle was none
other than Lexi.
“Mr. Lowe, we meet again!”
Lexi wasn’t as strikingly beautiful as Mackenzie, but she
was still a stylish and lovely lady.
“Oh, it’s you. Do you work at Terence Group, too?”
Back when Emmanuel helped Lexi to get rid of the
scammer at the café, he left without getting her
contact details. Thus, he knew nothing about her.
“Yes, I am a senior secretary at Terence Group,” Lexi
revealed honestly as she stretched her hand out
calmly.
Emmanuel shook her hand. They then got into her
BMW and headed to Cloud Construction,
RA
“Ms. Summerton, welcome. Please excuse me for my
lack of hospitality.”
The project manager of the Cloud Construction project
was a middle–aged man going by the name of Walter
Zackas.
Naturally, he was aware of Lexi’s important role as
Mackenzie’s closest ally and came to give her a warm
welcome.
“Mr. Zackas, let me introduce you to the person in
charge of this project, Mr. Emmanuel Lowe.” Lexi
personally made the introductions.
Emmanuel was surprised. When did I become the
person in charge?
Walter could barely hide his shock.
He was completely unaware that the individual
accompanying Lexi had a greater standing than her as
he assumed that Terence Group had been considerate
enough to send Lexi as a representative.
I can’t take their visit lightly!
Chapter 57
“Oh? Mr. Lowe, you’re the person in charge of the
project?” Walter took his hand warmly.
“Uh, yes. Nice to meet you,” Emmanuel replied after
giving Lexi a quick look.
“Mr. Lows, welcome to the inspection! I should be
accompanying you, but I have an important meeting
to attend. I’ll arrange for the project supervisor to bring
you around!”
“Sure. Thank you, Mr. Zackas
“I should be the one thanking you. Thank you for
understanding Please wait in the VIP reception roorn!”
Water was incredibly thankful that Emmanuel had
such on agesable personality.
Soon, Milani made her way to the general manager’s
office hastily.
The sight of Emmanuel enjoying the air conditioner
and delicious food in the VIP reception room made her
grit her teeth in anger.
Ha! That b*stard must be here by assuming someone
else’s authority as his own. Look how he is lying
through his teeth to swindle for food and drinks!
Milani cursed inwardly before entering the general
manager’s office.
“Mr. Zackas, you asked to see me?” she asked, flashing
a sweet smile.
Her attitude did a one–eighty.
Walter was busy preparing the documents for his
meeting. Without looking up, he ordered, “Ah, yes.
Terence Group’s person in charge is here, so please
take care of that person on my behalf.”
“Okay!” Milani replied eagerly.
The project is about to be completed soon, so I’ll be
getting a well–deserved promotion and an impressive
three hundred thousand bonus. By then, I plan to throw
an unforgettable party to show off my success! I must
invite that useless Emmanuel so he’ll see the difference
between us. It’ll be a great chance for me to humiliate
him. Serves him right for being so smug previously!
Walter rose from his seat and approached her.
“I trust you to do a good job. The project is about to reach completion soon, so nothing can happen at this crucial moment, okay?” he cautioned as he patted her
shoulder lightly.
know, Mr. Zackas!” Milani responded coyly.
Walter was her superior, so she needed him to
approve her promotion and bonus.
Soon, Milani arrived at the VIP room with fruits and
drinks.
Flashing a smile, she greeted Lexi warmly and
proceeded to give the latter a warm welcome.
As for Emmanuel, she merely provided him with water
as he was just the third party.
Seeing that, Lexi chided, “Ms. Zimmerman, what is the
meaning of this? You can be frank if you don’t
welcome us to inspect the progress. We can leave
right away!”
“Huh? Ms. Summerton, I don’t understand. I’m
welcoming you!” Milani replied innocently.
“You deliberately ignored our person in charge. How is
that welcoming him?”
“What? The person in charge?” Realization finally struck
Milani.
The person in charge of the project isn’t Lexi but
Emmanuel? What the heck is going on? Why would a
gynecologist be the person in charge of Terence
Group’s project?
Seeing her distress, Emmanuel smiled in response.
He didn’t know what was going on, but the sight of
Milani’s shocked expression pleased him to no end.
“Mr. Lowe, I’m really sorry. Please have some fruit!”
4
Milani offered the fruits she had personally cut to him.
“Mm, you did a good job by cutting the fruits. Can you
open that durian for me? It’s my favorite fruit!”
Emmanuel grinned as he pointed at the durian on the
table.
Milani went cold with fury.
Mr. Lowe, you’re quite a picky eater, huh?
Despite her fury, she had to do as told.
D*mn it. Do I have no choice but to give in even though
Emmanuel is merely assuming someone else’s
authority? I can’t believe Terence Group hired him to
be their person in charge. Is it because he helped them
get rid of the ruffians?
It took her a lot of time and effort to open the durian.
Milani couldn’t stand it anymore. When Emmanuel left
to use the restroom, she purposely asked softly, “Ms.
Summerton, why would your company hire a
part–timer to be in charge of the project?”
Jacob had been on his way to Terence Group for an
interview when he unexpectedly ran into Emmanuel
previously. As a result, Milani was aware that
Emmanuel had interviewed for a part–time job there.
She was dying to know how Emmanuel became the
person in charge of the project in such a short time.
“Ms. Zimmerman, are you doubting Terence Group’s
decision?” Lexi retorted coldly.
“Of course not, Ms. Summerton. You’ve got it wrong. I
wouldn’t dare question your decision. I was just
curious.”
Milani knew that Lexi was the CEO’s secretary in
Terence Group, so she dared not offend her.
“Ms. Zimmerman, I’d advise you to focus on your own
duties. You are not in the place to judge our company’s
personnel!”
Milani was caught off guard by Lexi’s icy retort.
Why does it seem to me that Lexi is Emmanuel’s
subordinate? What the heck is going on?
Emmanuel happened to return and heard Milani’s
words. It was pretty obvious to him what she had in
mind.
Since she’s hostile to me, I shouldn’t show her any
mercy!
“Ms. Zimmerman, please make a copy of this
document.”
“Ms. Zimmerman, please show us the progress of the
project.”
“Ms. Zimmerman, I need to talk to the engineering
department about something important. Please
arrange for a meeting.”
Upon Emmanuel’s return, he treated Milani as if she
were a servant, barking orders at her in a manner that
was far from appropriate.
Since she has some spare time to learn more about
me, I’ll keep her occupied!
Milani had an extremely busy day running errands, and
by the time she was done, her calves were sore and
swollen from the excessive walking. On top of that, her
heels had become so worn down from all the activity
that they had completely broken apart. A wave of fury
crashed through her as she twisted her heels off and
threw them onto the ground.
I would’ve fallen out with Emmanuel if it weren’t for my
three hundred thousand bonus, promotion, and salary
raise that I would soon receive. Who does he think he
is? His annual income is only eighty thousand, yet he
has the audacity to boss me around. This is totally
unacceptable, considering I make three hundred
thousand a year.
By half past five, Emmanuel was ready to get off work.
A smile nudged his lips as he commented, “Ms. Milani
Zimmerman, you did a good job despite your poor
attitude.”
Milani felt anger swept over her again.
Why does it sound like he’s giving me a rating after
enjoying my services as a masseur? F*ck you,
Emmanuel! Just you wait!
“By the way, this is the latest design of the building’s
logo. Remember to update to the latest one!”
The main objective of Emmanuel’s visit was to get to
know the progress of the project.
He breathed a sigh of relief upon finding out that the
logo had not yet been put up, affording the Terence
Group the opportunity to make the necessary
alteration to the logo.
It means that the project can be completed by the end
of this month. In that case, Mackenzie wouldn’t have
any reason to refuse to go home with me!
Chapter 58
Milani thought Emmanuel was ordering her around
again and clenched her teeth in annoyance.
She couldn’t say no to the change as the technicians
had discussed it during the meeting and verified that
the alteration could still be implemented.
Despite feeling like she was working for Emmanuel, she
had to accept the design and nodded silently with her
cheeks puffed up.
“Thanks for today. Bye!”
After getting his work done, Emmanuel left with Lexi.
“F*ck you, b*stard! Just you wait. I’ll get revenge soon!” Milani vowed angrily as she held the flash drive in her
palm.
She still thought that Emmanuel was just a third party
who would receive a commission upon the completion
of the project.
On the other hand, her position as a project supervisor
meant that she not only would receive a bonus for the
completion of the project but would also use it as a
steppingstone for further career advancement. Given
the circumstances, Emmanuel was no match for her.
I can’t wait to turn the tables after the project comes to
an end!
To her shock, she felt the flash drive slipping from her grasp as she was squeezing it too forcefully, and it fell
into a cup.
“Ah! Sh*t, I’m doomed!”
Milani quickly fished it out and plugged it into her
laptop. Alas, it couldn’t be used anymore.
Sh*t. With the project nearing completion, it is not the
ideal time to cause any trouble. However, I do not want
to ask Emmanuel for another copy of the original
design, as he will likely find fault with me and end up
telling Mr. Zackas, resulting in a potential scolding or
deduction to my bonus. My best option seems to be to
draw the design according to what it looks like. In this
way, I can still get the job done.
As the project supervisor, Milani had the necessary
skills to make it thus far. Hence, she decided to go all
out for her bonus, promotion, and pay raise.
During the meeting, Emmanuel showed everyone the design of the logo. Milani retrieved the recording of the meeting and took a screenshot of the logo.
After that, she stayed up the entire night to draw the
electronic version of the logo and sent it to the
engineering department. She ended up with dark
circles beneath her eyes due to her effort.
Everything went on smoothly, but Milani still despised
Emmanuel for this. If he hadn’t caused me to fly into a
fit of rage, I wouldn’t have accidentally dropped the
flash drive, resulting in this situation. I must make him
pay by insulting him after the project ends!
Days passed by, and the strategic warehouse project
progressed smoothly.
The anticipated completion date was two days later.
Emmanuel went to inspect the progress and
confirmed that everything was okay. All that was left to
do was to attach the final logo.
He arrived home at ten o’clock to discover that
Mackenzie was having pasta.
Emmanuel’s stomach was grumbling as he asked in
surprise, “Did you make that yourself?”
Mackenzie gave him a smug look. “Why are you staring
at me like that? Is it that hard to cook pasta?”
Emmanuel chuckled. “Ms. Quillen, you’re a genius!”
He wasn’t flattering her; it was a sincere praise.
Mackenzie had never done any housework prior to their marriage. After they got married, she didn’t even know how to use the gas stove or microwave oven.
He couldn’t help but admire her talent as she
managed to learn how to cook delicious pasta in a
3/0
relatively short amount of time.
“Of course!” A smirk flitted across Mackenzie’s lips.
She quickly regained her composure and put on an icy
demeanor.
I’m the CEO of Terence Group. Why would I be
delighted to hear a man’s praise? Nonsense! This won’t
- do.
“I left some pasta for you. Do you want it? If you don’t,
I’ll throw it away.”
Chapter 59
With that, Mackenzie stood up, her face devoid of
expression.
Emmanuel instantly leaped to his feet and raced to
guard his plate of pasta.
The pasta looked really delicious, and the plating was
perfect. Every noodle was cooked to perfection, and
the accompanying sauces and garnishes were
artistically arranged on the plate.
Emmanuel found himself silently admiring her for her
thoughtfulness. If he had been the one responsible for
preparing the pasta, he doubted he would have taken
the extra step to make sure it was presented nicely.
Mackenzie was amused to see him gulping down the
plate of pasta in two mouthfuls. She remarked icily,
“Did you go to inspect a project, or were you recently
released from jail? Why were you famished?”
“Inspecting a project is more tiring than going to jail!”
After clearing the plate, Emmanuel licked his lips,
obviously wanting more. He gave her a thumbs–up
and a wide grin. “This is amazing! You’re an incredible
cook, way better than me.”
Mackenzie’s lips curled slightly, but her smile quickly
slipped away. She retorted, “Even if you flatter me, that
doesn’t mean I’ll make it for you again. By the way, how
is the project progressing?”
“Everything is going well. After the logo is done, they
will affix it and deliver it in a timely manner,” Emmanuel
explained.
He quickly added, “Remember your promise to pay my
family a visit after the project completion. My mom has
already extended an invitation to both Uncle Benny
and Uncle Chester’s families!”
“It’s a formal visit?” Mackenzie frowned upon hearing
that the visit was a formal one as she had never been
fond of attending formal dinners.
Nevertheless, she didn’t say no outright and ordered
coldly, “Clear the table. I’m going to wash up and go to
bed.”
Emmanuel watched with a fond smile as she ambled
away. He was filled with a sense of satisfaction and joy,
knowing that in two days, he would finally be able to
fulfill his mother’s wish.
The following day, Walter summoned Milani to his
office.
“Milani, you have done an outstanding job of
managing the project and making sure that all the
details were taken care of. Your commitment to this
project has been remarkable. After the handover
tomorrow, I will apply for your bonus and pay raise.”
“Thank you, Mr. Zackas!” Milani thanked him excitedly.
She was so overjoyed that she felt the urge to
embrace him and give him a kiss.
I have suffered through countless encounters with the
exasperatingly useless Emmanuel, but my suffering is
finally coming to an end. I must confront him after the
handover tomorrow.
Walter continued, “I’m not the one who deserves your
gratitude. You should thank Mr. Lowe instead.”
He was aware that it was only due to Emmanuel’s
efforts in dealing with the persistent Samuel that the
project was able to be completed and delivered on
schedule.
Alas, Milani despised Emmanuel so much and would
never thank him for his efforts.
That b*stard only went all out for his commission. He
wasn’t sincere in helping me. Why would I thank him?
That very night, Alessandra was bubbling with
enthusiasm when she called Emmanuel.
“Manny, Uncle Chester’s family will come to help us out
that day. We must decorate our place and prepare a
spread for Mackenzie!” she exclaimed happily.
“Mackenzie is free on Sunday, right?” She wanted to be
sure.
As the days leading up to the weekend grew shorter,
Alessandra’s excitement grew ever stronger.
“Yeah. We’ll be there,” Emmanuel assured her.
The project would end tomorrow, and he would be
bringing the ice queen home three days later.
“I’m glad to hear that! You should be incredibly
thankful that you have such an incredible wife.”
Alessandra was obviously over the moon.
Emmanuel let out a chuckle, but on the inside, he was
feeling bitter.
Mackenzie might be capable, but that doesn’t mean
she’s a good wife!
Alessandra suddenly changed the topic. “By the way,
the Zimmerman family invited us to dinner tomorrow
night. They sounded enthusiastic, so I said yes.”
Taken aback, Emmanuel frowned and asked, “Which
Zimmerman family?”
Don’t tell me she’s talking about Milani’s family.
Chapter 60
“Milani’s family, of course.” Alessandra explained, “Her
mother, Melody, had come to me directly to invite me
to a celebratory dinner, as her daughter had been
promoted. She was so enthusiastic about the prospect
that I could not refuse, especially since I knew that
Melody would call me petty if I did not accept the
invitation.”
Emmanuel rolled his eyes.
Mom is naive. It is obvious that Milani’s family is up to
no good. Nevertheless, I had gone on a blind date with
Milani before and worked alongside her on a project.
Now that the project is complete, it would be
inappropriate for me to refuse to attend a party she’s
holding to celebrate. Mom has agreed to be there,
anyway. I don’t want to go against her wishes.
At that moment, Beatrix and Lexi were seized by a
sense of panic in the office of Terence Group.
To their horror, they discovered a mistake in the
strategic warehouse’s logo!
One of the details was supposed to have four
horizontal lines, but only three lines were present.
This discrepancy did not abide by the initial design,
making it an unacceptable error.
“How could Cloud Construction make such a stupid
mistake?” Beatrix demanded angrily.
When Beatrix began her new job, Mackenzie tasked her
with a very important project. She couldn’t believe that
her efforts were foiled by an unforeseen error.
“What is wrong with Cloud Construction? Ms. Quillen
will definitely fly into a rage if she discovers the
mistake!” Lexi was troubled, too.
Cloud Construction is a highly respected and
successful business with a long–standing reputation
for producing quality work. Why would they make such
a crucial mistake?
This mistake would have minimal impact on Terence
Group’s long–term action plan as the logo had little
functionality. However, it would have a significant
effect on their reputation.
The opening ceremony of the strategic warehouse
was scheduled for the second day of the following
month. However, if there was an error in the logo, it
could lead to public humiliation as well as give their
competitors an opportunity to criticize them.
“I know Mackenzie well. If she discovers the logo is
incorrect, she’ll definitely yell at me. What should we
do?” Beatrix was about to lose her mind.
Despite their close bond, she couldn’t shake her fear of
Mackenzie.
Everyone in Terence Group feared and admired
Mackenzie.
“Ms. Beatrix, this has nothing to do with you. I’ll go find
Emmanuel and solve the problem as soon as
possible,” Lexi comforted her.
Ms. Beatrix might be my superior, but she doesn’t have
experience in handling such matters. I’ll have to take
the matter into my own hands.
“Thanks, Lexi!” Beatrix sighed.
She wanted nothing more than to punish the person
who made the mistake at Cloud Construction, but they
still had no idea who it was.
Meanwhile, Milani was blissfully unaware that she had
made a serious blunder. She was ecstatic to have
received Walter’s verbal promise.
She wanted everyone to be aware of the fantastic
news that she was to receive a substantial bonus of
three hundred thousand and her promotion to a senior
executive position in Cloud Construction with a yearly
salary of three hundred thousand.
The Zimmerman family felt proud of her achievements,
too. In Yeringham, the average annual salary was
seventy thousand, so Milani’s success was an
impressive feat.
At seven sharp, Emmanuel, Alessandra, and Roselynn
arrived at the restaurant to attend the dinner.
They were well–dressed to show their respect for the
occasion.
At the door of the VIP room, they discovered that the
Zimmerman family had invited over thirty guests to
join the celebration.
People started talking when Emmanuel’s family of
three showed up.
They mostly talked about him being Milani’s blind date
and that he earned eighty thousand annually.
After the blind date fell through, his entire family made
the trip to Milani’s family’s home in an attempt to ask
for her hand in marriage but was unfortunately
rejected.
Emmanuel’s brows knitted when he heard them gossip
about him. It looks like Milani has set up a trap for me
tonight.
Indeed, Milani led Emmanuel’s family to a table in the
corner adjacent to the restroom.