Free Web NovelChapter 57: Chapter 57: Meeting Liam Joyce
"..." Sonia Quincy finally realized she’d said the wrong thing and quickly covered her mouth with her other hand.
"I’m sorry."
Felix Preston wiped her hand clean and tossed the wet wipe into the trash. Then he took a dry tissue and carefully dabbed away the remaining moisture.
"Why does a nice girl like you always look at this sort of junk..."
Sonia Quincy pouted and muttered, "You’ve got some nerve, talking to me like that..."
"I..." Felix Preston was suddenly at a loss for words.
Now that he was clear-headed, Felix Preston was too concerned with his pride to be as shameless as he had been just moments before.
"Sonia, Felix, it’s time to eat."
Mrs. Preston’s voice called from outside the door just in time, and Felix Preston readily dropped the topic.
"Dinner’s ready. Let me help you up."
"No!" Still sulking, Sonia Quincy kept her hands to herself and climbed out of bed on her own.
At the dinner table, Mrs. Preston placed food on their plates while studying the two of them.
Both of their ears were bright red, and they wore the exact same strange expression.
Mrs. Preston’s mind didn’t go there. She just asked casually, "Sonia, why are your ears so red? Are you feeling unwell?"
"Huh?" Sonia Quincy froze for a second before stammering, "Oh, I... it’s because I slept without opening a window. The room got stuffy, and it made my ears red."
"Oh." Mrs. Preston didn’t give it a second thought. "Remember to open the window next time. Autumn’s started, so you should make sure to get some fresh air."
"Okay." Sonia Quincy nodded and went back to eating, her head lowered.
"Mom, is Lynn working overtime again today?" Sensing the awkward atmosphere, Felix Preston seized the moment to change the subject.
"Sigh..." Mrs. Preston couldn’t help but sigh at the mention of Lynn Preston. "She is, isn’t she? This new job of Lynn’s pays well, but just like her last one, she’s constantly working overtime, even on weekends."
"Is her boss giving her a hard time again?" Sonia Quincy asked, frowning.
Mrs. Preston shook her head. "Lynn says that’s not it. It seems like the company just has everyone work late because they’re short-staffed."
Felix Preston said, "That’s normal. The market’s bad right now and companies are laying people off left and right. A lot of smaller businesses are struggling to stay afloat. They can’t afford to hire more staff, so they just make their current employees wear multiple hats."
Mrs. Preston set down her bowl. "Young people these days are under so much pressure..."
...
"Get me an Americano. No sugar, no milk, nothing. If you add anything, I’ll just fall asleep."
In the office, Lynn Preston replied to Evan Yates’s message, then turned back to the screen full of spreadsheets that was giving her a headache.
BUZZ—
Evan Yates’s reply came quickly.
Lynn Preston couldn’t listen to a voice message, so she converted it to text.
—I’ve placed the order. It should arrive in about half an hour, so keep an eye out for a call from the delivery person.
Lynn Preston: "Okay, thank you, Mr. Yates!"
"Mr. Joyce, that’s her—Felix Preston’s sister, Lynn Preston."
Standing by the conference room door, an assistant gestured with his eyes toward Lynn Preston and whispered the introduction.
Liam Joyce’s sharp brows furrowed slightly. From four or five workstations away, his piercing eyes stared coldly at Lynn Preston.
Lynn Preston took a pen from her drawer and deftly twisted her long hair up. The bangs at her forehead were too short to be caught, and as she lowered her head, they fell loose, messily obscuring her eyes and brow.
Even though he couldn’t see her features clearly, Liam Joyce could tell she was a true beauty.
"How long has she been here?" Liam Joyce asked in a low voice.
The assistant replied, "Almost a week."
Liam Joyce: "And her performance?"
The assistant thought for a moment. "It’s been pretty good. I heard from Florence Lewis that she’s hardworking and serious. Even though she’s from a wealthy family, she’s not delicate at all. She’s willing to do any task, and she’s worked overtime for four or five days straight without a single complaint."
The corner of Liam Joyce’s mouth lifted in a mocking smile. "So diligent?"
The assistant said, "The Preston Family has fallen on such hard times. What choice does she have but to work hard? She said it herself during her interview—because the Prestons went bankrupt, almost no company in Aethelburg would hire her."
"She’s just grateful that Apex Design was willing to take her on."
"Lynn Preston!"
The door to the supervisor’s office opened a crack. Florence Lewis poked her head out and beckoned to Lynn Preston. "Come in for a second. I have something to assign you."
Lynn Preston immediately rose from her chair. "Coming."
Autumn had already begun in Aethelburg, but the weather was still scorching. The doors and windows of the large open-plan office were ajar, letting in an occasional night breeze.
Lynn Preston was wearing a modern cheongsam-style dress that highlighted her slender figure and graceful bearing. As she passed Liam Joyce, she stirred up a sweet, fragrant breeze.
Liam Joyce’s breath caught, and his eyes unconsciously followed Lynn Preston’s every move.
"Wait for me out here. I need to discuss something with Supervisor Lewis." After hesitating for less than two seconds, Liam Joyce followed his instincts and entered the office after Lynn Preston.
"Mr. Joyce, what brings you here?"
Florence Lewis was a bit surprised to see him enter.
’Mr. Joyce...’ When Lynn Preston heard the title, something clicked, and she immediately turned around.
Liam Joyce stood at the office door, calmly accepting Lynn Preston’s scrutiny. "Supervisor Lewis, I need a word with you."
Florence Lewis came around her desk and said respectfully, "Of course, Mr. Joyce. Please, have a seat."
Liam Joyce grunted in acknowledgment and casually chose a chair to sit in.
Florence Lewis then looked at Lynn Preston. "You can go back to your desk for now. I’ll call you back in a bit."
Suppressing her racing heart, Lynn Preston smiled and nodded. "All right."
"No need for that," Liam Joyce said, stopping her. "What I have to say isn’t that important, so you don’t have to leave. Supervisor Lewis, go ahead and talk to her first."
"Well..." Florence Lewis glanced at Lynn Preston, then back at Liam Joyce. Noticing how his eyes kept lingering on Lynn, she instantly understood.
She sat down next to Liam Joyce and, taking the hint, proactively introduced the new employee.
"Mr. Joyce, this is Lynn Preston, the new financial assistant I hired."
Liam Joyce propped his chin on one hand, fixing Lynn Preston with an unreadable smile. He blinked once in acknowledgment.
Florence Lewis said, "Lynn, this is Mr. Joyce, the general manager of Apex Design. He’s young, promising, and incredibly capable."
Lynn Preston’s lips curved into a slight smile as she raised her eyes, her gaze meeting Liam Joyce’s head-on.
"Hello Mr. Joyce, I am Lynn Preston."
Lynn Preston forced those few words out through gritted teeth.
Liam Joyce: "Lynn Preston, I’ve heard your name. You’re Mr. Preston’s sister."
"I am," Lynn Preston admitted without hesitation.
Liam Joyce tilted his head back slightly, his gaze on Lynn Preston filled with intrigue. "As expected of Mr. Preston’s sister, you have an exceptional air about you. It’s just that, Apex Design is a small company. For someone of your pedigree to work here, don’t you feel you’re overqualified?"
Lynn Preston’s smile never wavered, and her tone was serene. "There’s no such thing as a ’lowly’ job. Since I chose Apex Design, I don’t feel like I’m settling for less."
"Excellent." Liam Joyce’s eyes brightened. "I like that attitude."
