"The computer on the desk is still powered on. Where could he have gone?"
As Georgia turned to leave, her hand on the doorknob, the ringing of a telephone echoed in the room.
Pausing, she hesitated before retracing her steps, making her way to the desk to pick up her cell phone.
On the screen, two words glowed: "Wan'er."
The name again. Those two simple words tightened the knot in Georgia's chest, leaving her torn between answering and ignoring the call. Before she could make up her mind, a deep, male voice emerged from behind her, breaking her concentration, "What are you doing?"
Startled, she spun around to find Jack approaching, his hand reaching for her phone.
As his gaze flicked to the screen, his frown deepened, the veins on his forehead standing out as he ground out, "Didn't I tell you not to enter without permission?"
Reprimanded, Georgia's body tensed involuntarily, words caught in her throat. "I…"
"Get out."
His curt command stifled her retort. Facing his anger, Georgia felt a pang of hurt, a weight settling on her heart. With a nod, she turned and hurriedly left the study.
Just as last time, her intrusion into his workspace and the mention of "Wan'er" seemed to be the triggers for his fury. Who was this "Wan'er," and what was her connection to Jack?
The door closed behind her with a resounding thud, leaving Georgia to contemplate the closed-off room. A bitter taste lingered in her mouth as she retreated to her own room, thoughts churning.
As the night unfolded, her mind raced, back and forth, circling the mysteries she couldn't unravel. Sleep remained elusive, her restlessness keeping her awake until her body could take no more, and she finally succumbed to slumber.
Morning arrived, marked by the appearance of dark circles under Georgia's eyes. Despondent and weary, she dragged herself through the day.
Before long, Meng Zihan approached her, unceremoniously thrusting a stack of documents into her arms. "Summarize last month's attendance reports from various departments and have them on my desk by tomorrow."
Glancing through the materials, Georgia voiced her incredulity, "Aren't these tasks typically handled by department personnel?"
Once a low-ranking clerk within the department, she had toiled over tasks like these. Now elevated to the position of administrative assistant, it felt jarring to be tasked with such responsibilities again.
Meng Zihan's eyes narrowed, her retort cold, "Aren't you an employee of the department? If they're short-staffed, you'll have to step in. If you've got other tasks, I can assign those to you as well."
With that, she turned and exited, leaving Georgia with little choice but to accept the new workload.
Hours slipped away as Georgia toiled tirelessly, engrossed in her task. By afternoon, she found herself heading to the printing area to retrieve some of the compiled documents.
Just as she arrived, Xiao Han, a colleague, approached her. "Georgia, Sister Zihan is looking for you."
Resigned, Georgia made her way to Meng Zihan's office after wrapping up her printing duties.
"Wait a moment, Xiao Cheng from Fengxing Group is arriving. Go and greet him."
Puzzled, Georgia questioned, "Me, greet him?"
Meng Zihan's response, delivered without raising her head, dripped with annoyance. "Yes, it's part of your duties. Mr. Jack is tied up in a crucial meeting, and since you're not occupied, you'll handle the task."
The memory of Jack's anger from last night, connected to her intrusion, resurfaced in Georgia's mind.
"Isn't this typically a job for the Secretariat? Why is the administrative department handling it?"
Meng Zihan's retort was icy, "Do you see how few people are left in the Secretariat? Cheng Lu is still recovering in the hospital, An Ran has other tasks, and the new secretaries are too inexperienced to handle this. Naturally, the administrative department is assigned the task."
Left with little recourse, Georgia acquiesced and made her way downstairs to wait.
Before long, a lengthy Lincoln pulled up, and a young man in a white suit emerged. His almond-shaped eyes and a strong, aristocratic nose rendered him strikingly handsome. His lips curved upward in a friendly smile.
Caught off guard by his appearance, Georgia barely had time to react before his gaze settled on her.
With a knowing glint in his eyes, he strolled toward her, his voice smooth as silk, "You must be my assistant Georgia."
Returning from her initial shock, Georgia confirmed, "Yes, that's correct."
Cheng Zixiao's presence was undeniably magnetic. His features were exquisitely refined, poised on the edge of delicate beauty. His high cheekbones and flawless skin added to his allure, making it hard to look away.
Unnerved, Georgia managed a smile, her words strained, "Please follow me to the reception area, Mr. Cheng. We apologize for the delay; we might need to wait for a little while."
"Oh, really?" Cheng Zixiao's laughter was velvety, his eyes glinting. "I don't mind waiting, but I do mind boredom. As long as I have your company, I'm sure I won't be bored."
Georgia's smile grew more forced as his words took on an ambiguous undertone.
Pressing onward, she led the way to the elevator, and as they entered, she felt a faint lift of her hair. Startled, she turned to find Cheng Zixiao gazing at her, his lips curled into a knowing smile.
"Mr. Cheng, is there something wrong?"
Unabashed, Cheng Zixiao maintained his smile, his tone teasing, "Not at all. I just thought curly hair might suit you better."
Confusion clouded Georgia's features. She mustered a smile after a beat, countering, "And I believe that shorter hair would suit you."
Cheng Zixiao's finely chiseled features held a hint of surprise before his smile deepened. "Short hair, you say? I might consider it..."
Soon, the elevator doors slid open, revealing the reception area. Georgia escorted Cheng Zixiao and his assistant to their seats, promising to return with tea.
As she served the tea, she whispered, "Mr. Cheng, there's a magazine here. Feel free to read it while you wait. If you require anything, don't hesitate to ask. I'll be right outside."
Cheng Zixiao arched an eyebrow, his gaze locking onto hers as he said, "Actually, what I need is your company."
The assistant by his side looked taken aback, clearly recognizing that this was unprofessional behavior.
"I'm not playing around," Cheng Zixiao maintained his gaze, his lips quirking.
Georgia felt a prickling sense of unease. How had a business meeting become something more akin to an attempt at teasing her? Taking a deep breath, she managed a cautious smile, "I don't have any pressing tasks at the moment. I can keep you company."
Cheng Zixiao patted the seat next to him, his tone playful, "Then come, have a seat here."