The Mysterious Billionaire and His Substitute Bride (Ethan and Janet)

As lan's accusation against Lola spilled forth, Laney found herself deeply impressed by his remarkable expertise as a personal assistant.

The relentless barrage of queries from lan left Lola flushed with embarrassment.

However, she couldn't deny the truth in his words, for even she recognized her own carelessness.

But she drew strength from the fact that she had been personally hired by Leo, while Laney was merely a bodyguard, not held in high regard by the Harding family. With renewed vigor, she straightened her posture and spoke up.

"Regardless, Mr. Harding has employed me to look after you. Furthermore, I received Miss Gibson's gifts today under his directive. As a daughter-in-law of the Harding family, you ought to honor the elders' views and accept Miss Gibson's contrition."

lan, however, was unfazed by Lola's employer. As Laney's personal assistant, her wishes were his only concern.

He glanced towards Laney, anticipating her command.

While Laney had always revered the Harding family's elders, she refused to bend her will to theirs. Her expression stoic, she declared, "I will neither accept Kailee's gifts nor her apology." "But..." Lola's patience waned, and she sought to interject.

"I'll discuss it personally with Mr. Harding. Take the gifts back and return it," Laney cut her off, putting an end to the debate.

Reluctant as she may have been, Lola dared not defy Laney's wishes.

She spun around indignantly, intending to snatch the gift and depart, only to be halted by Laney's terse command, "Clean up the water and dispose of the shattered remnants in the trash bin." Fury surged within Lola, but she bit her lip in resignation.

After a brief silence, Lola obediently retrieved a mop, dried the water stains, and emptied the trash can before taking her leave.

As Lola completed her tasks and withdrew, Laney's seething anger began to subside. She offered lan a gracious smile, saying, "So, I'll be relying on you henceforth."

"It is my honor and duty, Mrs. Harding," lan responded with due respect.

Laney scrutinized lan's ID card as well as his resume meticulously.

Despite his exceptional resume and performance, she couldn't shake an underlying unease. It seemed somewhat unconventional for a pregnant woman to hire a male personal assistant. Laney rang Janet to verify the situation, "Janet, just to confirm, is lan the assistant you procured for me?" Beaming with pride, Janet confirmed, "Indeed he is. What do you think? Quite the consummate professional, right? It took me some effort to find such a qualified personal assistant."

"Yes, very professional," Laney agreed. She glanced awkwardly at lan before adding, "But, why did you find me a male assistant?"

Janet was a little surprised. "Sorry, I didn't know that you had a problem with this."

Janet rifled through lan's file. His capability and quality were impeccable. But if Laney had misgivings about hiring a male personal assistant, Janet would respect her wishes.

"I'm so sorry, Laney. You know what? I'll find you a replacement," assured Janet.

Laney couldn't help but appraise lan once more.

He stood poised, an unwavering smile upon his face, betraying no reaction to the exchange between the two women.

Considering lan's earlier composure and expertise, Laney chastised herself for her prejudice.

Was there truly an issue with a man in this role? Competence, not gender, was the paramount criterion for a personal assistant.

After all, she had faced her own share of skepticism as a female bodyguard but had risen above it, proving her worth and earning her status as one of the most skilled professionals in the field. Ultimately, Laney resolved to retain lan as her personal assistant.

"Thank you, Janet. But there's no need for a change now. Ian has demonstrated his professionalism as a personal assistant. His gender, being male, shouldn't matter. I trust that he can take excellent care of me," Laney affirmed.