The first time I met the girl whose college tuition was sponsored by Elias, I was riding the high-speed train in my heels to sign a million-dollar contract.

Sweat was still on my forehead when Elsa looked me up and down, while complaining with fake innocence.

“Eli, isn't she your famous executive assistant? Don’t tell me she just climbed out of someone’s bed and used her body to land that deal!”

My professionalism had never been tested like this before. My indifferent expression almost cracked!

Even the stray dogs scavenging trash at midnight would call me a workaholic and headhunters had offered me eight-figure salaries to poach me. Yet, this girl thought I was just my boss’s bedwarmer?

I took a deep breath and made a call.

“Dad, I think my ‘experience-building’ period is over. Once this project wraps up, I’ll come home and take over our family business.”

——

“A brainless woman like you must’ve slept your way up to that position!” Elsa had snapped angrily before I could explain.

“Eli, you should just fire her. Keeping someone like her will ruin your company's image,” she added.

Elias frowned as he tried to calm her down. “Elsa, you’re misunderstanding. Anne is someone I hired at a very high salary—her professional ability is almost on par with mine.”

The usually sharp and logical Elias seemed drunk by love. He completely missed Elsa’s hostility toward me.

“Anne’s been my executive assistant for three years. Her performance is beyond excellent. From now on, she’ll be your mentor during your internship. Learn from her.”

Elsa raised her chin and looked down at me. “I graduated from National First University. What third-rate school did she come from? Is she even qualified to teach me?”

The room fell silent. She mistook my quiet for fear.

Then, Elias finally broke the tension. “Anne graduated with a PhD from the Megapolis Institute of Technology. Elsa, try to stay humble.”

Elsa’s pale face flushed red. She muttered stubbornly, “It’s just some foreign university! Anyone can buy a degree if they have money.”

Then, she clung to Elias’s arm with a pout. “Still, I’d better keep an eye on her, in case she tries to seduce you.”

In her mind, she was the poor Cinderella in love with a prince. To her, I was the wicked woman standing in the way of her fairytale.

Elias massaged his temples and gave me a weary, apologetic look. I understood his signals immediately. After all, solving my boss’s problems was part of my job.

So I kept my smile, turned to Elsa and said softly, “Ms. Abend, you’re mistaken. Mr. Weber and I only have a professional relationship. If you’d like, I can show you our work contracts and chat logs.”

Elias followed up quickly, “Elsa, enough. Go wait for me in the lounge. I’ll be there after I sign this deal.”

Reluctantly, Elsa agreed to his persuasion and glared fiercely at me before finally leaving.

Elias called after me. “Thank you for your patience, Anne. Starting this month, your salary will be doubled,” he said as if troubled.

After I left the office room, Elsa stopped me on my track.

She looked at me with contempt and said loudly, “Ms. Torres, you should really change those sultry clothes. Who are you trying to seduce by dressing like that?”

I looked down at my plain, conservative dress. There was no sign of the design being sultry. I was completely confused.

Before I could reply, Elsa continued her accusations.

“Big chest, tight waistline—don’t think I don’t see what you’re trying to do. Even if you’re just a pretty face, you should at least know what decency means in a workplace!”

My dress wasn’t never meant to be sultry “seductive” at all! It’s what I wear so I can meet clients at any time. How could my dress be as not decent as Elsa makes it sound?

Besides, what kind of “pretty face” stays up all night writing project proposals, with dark circles she can barely hide?

Seeing that Elsa wouldn’t let the matter go, Elias sighed helplessly. “Ms. Torres, from tomorrow on, wear pantsuits to the office.”

I glanced at the extremely hot weather outside before nodding without much expression.

It would be a lie to say I didn’t feel bitter.

When I was young, after my mother passed away, I nearly drowned from my own grief and distraction. It was Elias Weber who saved me. So when I decided to gain some experience before inheriting my family business, I chose to work in his company.

Even when the Webers’ group was at its lowest point, I stayed by Elias’s side, helping him bring it back from the brink of death. The two of us were simply boss and subordinate. We were friends, work colleagues.

One time, he even joked with a smile, “If we’re both still single at 30, I’ll throw you the grandest wedding ever.”

I never took that seriously. But now, I suddenly realize—he’s not as good as I remembered him to be.

Elias invited the executives from Stars Bright Group to a dinner party at an exclusive club. As one of the core person-in-charge of the project, I was also invited to attend.

What I didn’t expect was that Elsa Abend would be there too.

She was wearing an out-of-place sailor-style school uniform while sitting beside Elias. While I was discussing the project details, Elias nodded in agreement with my points.

Perhaps feeling left-out, Elsa pouted and said in her sickeningly sweet voice, “Ms. Torres, you're so impressive, huh? You can help Eli land such a big deal.”

“I wonder, did you drink your way to success? We really should thank you for all your sacrifices for the company.”

The room immediately fell silent.

Then, I replied lightly, “Ms. Abend, you really like to joke around. This project’s success happens because of Mr. Weber’s leadership, the executives’ decisions and our team’s professionalism.”

Elsa smirked suggestively. “Oh, I must’ve missed something then. You're so capable Ms. Torres! I bet you've handled plenty capable men too.”

“You must have a great tolerance for alcohol. Don’t be so uptight, now. Come, have a few drinks with the gentlemen.”

Her vulgar humor wasn’t just childish, it was downright stupid!

Elias frowned at that. “Elsa, that’s enough.”

She stomped her foot playfully, lifted a glass of wine and held it toward me. “Eli, do you like this vixen so much now? You even protect her when I just ask her to drink?”

Then, while pretending to lose her balance, she deliberately spilled the wine all over my chest. The cold liquid soaked through the fabric instantly. Soon my curves got revealed.

Elsa gasped while her malicious smile was impossible to hide. “Ms. Torres, my hand slipped! I’m so sorry!”

“Anyway, you’ll be drinking with them later, right? Being a little wet just adds to the fun.”

Her words were full of mockery as if I were nothing more than a cheap hostess.

Everyone always assumed there was something more than friendship between Elias and me, we were close enough but not lovers.

But I knew better what think about him. I had always seen Elias as someone I could trust completely.

When the company’s finances collapsed, I stayed up for months, fighting for investments until I landed one. I even drank with clients until I got sick and bleeding from the stomach. And when I was caught in an earthquake while traveling for work, Elias rushed into the disaster zone against evacuation orders just to find me.

Even my father was surprised that someone who has high trust issue like me could trust anyone so deeply. Now, that same man didn’t lift a finger to stop Elsa’s unacceptable behavior.

I looked down at the mess on my chest, as my eyes were turning cold.

A few business partners quickly tried to smooth things over.

“Ms. Abend, that joke went too far. Ms. Torres is one of our key partners. She's not here to just get drunk.”

“Mr. Weber, it seems your employee need better discipline.”

“Ms. Torres is a talent that even our company would be dying to have. Mr. Weber, you’d better appreciate her.”

The mockery I had imagined never came. Instead, everyone was praising my professionalism.

I looked up at Elsa and smiled slightly. “Since Ms. Abend wants to drink, I’ll join her.”

I asked the waiter to bring two large glasses and filled them both with vodka. I drank mine in one go without difficulty. At that, Elsa stared at me in shock.

I pushed the other glass toward her. “I’ve finished mine, Ms. Abend. Don’t tell me you’re afraid?”

When I was three, I secretly drank an entire bottle of my father’s treasured Lafite from his wine cellar in France. This Vodka was nothing to me.

Elias glanced at me with displeasure and said quietly, “Ms. Torres, stop joking. Not everyone can drink like you do.”

The moment he said that, I knew he was trying to defend Elsa.

I put down my glass and nodded politely to the executives. “Excuse me, I need to fix my makeup.”

Yet, Elsa followed me into the restroom. “Anne, do you hate me that much? You’ve been with Elias for so long, yet you never won his heart. You’re just a cheap woman he uses for pleasure!”

I ignored her and that made her furious. She tried to push me. Out of instinct, I stepped aside and caused her to miss.

Suddenly, Elsa slapped herself!

I stunned frozen when Elsa burst into tears and ran out.

Sensing trouble, I hurried after her. By the time I reached the VIP room, she had already thrown herself into Elias’s arms.

“Eli, Ms. Torres hit me. I just wanted to apologize to her in the restroom, but she called me your obedient pet and said I wasn’t good enough for you.”

Elias was stunned. His eyes were full of shock and doubt when he looked at me. Elsa cried so much, but she managed to twist the truth with each of her words.

Elias frowned, holding the crying Elsa and asked uncertainly, “Anne, what’s going on?”

“Mr. Weber, do you really believe such a clumsy setup?” I laughed in disbelief and sighed. “There was someone else in the restroom earlier. It's Mrs. Blackwood from Macros Atom Group. Why don’t you ask her?”

Elsa’s crying stopped abruptly. Her face turned pale. “Eli, women understand women best. She only got close to you because she has bad intentions!”

She continued, “Anne looks down on me. She wants to be the one who get the title Mrs. Torres!”

Elias grew more upset by her tears. He looked at me with disappointment. “Elsa is still young and inexperienced. Even if she said something wrong, you shouldn’t have hit her.”

In the past, when another company tried to frame me, Elias had stood firmly by my side. He said that he'd always believe me. But now, it seemed even our strong partnership couldn’t compete with his hopeless romantic.

Seeing that I stayed silent, Elias decided to end things quietly.

He put an arm around Elsa’s shoulders and said tiredly, “Anne, it’s just a small incident. Do you have to make such a scene in front of everyone?”

“You’re my employee. You should know your place—focus on your work and stop thinking about things that don’t belong to you.”

“This matter ends here. Tomorrow, I want a written reflection on my desk.”

With that, he held the crying Elsa and left the room.