Chapter 0002

The next day, Candice saw Sonia again at the office but the latter was being scolded.

Sonia noticed Candice as well but quickly pulled her gaze away, seemingly in avoidance.

Candice paused for a moment before she headed into the CEO’s office.

To her surprise, the assistant supervisor of the Secretary's Office, Lisa Lindom, was fired later in the afternoon.

Lisa was the one who scolded Sonia the same morning.

Sonia stood in front of Candice, looking afraid and youthful. She introduced herself timidly, “Candice, Mr. Elysian told me to report to you.”

Alex was right. Sonia was indeed a good girl.

Candice flipped through the documents with her slender fingers. She looked at Sonia while leaning back in her seat; her aura remained imposing even when she was seated.

She spoke flatly, “What did Alex tell you to do?”

Sonia grew nervous. “He told me to shadow you and I could learn a thing or two from you.”

Candice slammed the document shut and hummed a reply. She pointed at an empty desk and said, “That’s your place.”

Unlike the Secretary's Office, there were only three people in the CEO’s office including Candice.

With Sonia joining, the only spot left was the one in the corner.

Sonia’s expression froze for a moment but she quickly regained her composure.

Candice noticed her urge to speak up and asked, “What is it?”

Sonia bit her lips and shook her head. “N-Nothing. Thank you, Candice.”

Candice sized the girl up meaningfully. She asked, “How far have you gotten with Alex?”

Caught by surprise, Sonia reacted with shock and wide eyes. She looked at Candice and nervously explained, “Mr. Elysian and I have a professional relationship. He’s a good boss. There’s nothing between us, Candice. Please don’t take it the wrong way.”

Everyone in Aether Corporation was aware that Candice was more than just Alex’s secretary.

Many were wondering when Candice would officially rise in the ranks and become the lady boss of the company.

Candice’s expression remained blank. She looked at Sonia and said, “Don’t worry, I’m just telling you that Alex’s interest doesn’t last more than a month.”

Sonia bit her lips and her eyes turned red, looking like a startled rabbit and shivering in fear.

Candice frowned. Right before she could speak, footsteps were heard coming from outside the door.

Then, a man's voice was heard. "Sonia."

Candice looked up and saw Alex. He looked astonishing; each action of his exuded elegance and nobility.

Sonia snorted. Her head remained bowed and timidly she uttered, “Mr. Elysian.”

Alex was slightly baffled. He looked at the girl and sized her up, but the girl did not look up and continued to avert his gaze.

The man lost his patience. He frowned and said sternly, “Look up.”

Candice was sitting at her desk as she watched Sonia reluctantly shift her gaze up, showing off her teary and aggrieved eyes.

Alex narrowed his eyes and then looked at Candice. He tapped the desk with his fingers and asked coldly, “Mind explaining?”

Candice looked at Sonia with the same blank expression. “Explain?”

Sonia’s eyes got even more teary.

She extended her hand and slightly tugged at Alex’s sleeve. “It’s not that, Mr. Elysian, it’s just that my contact lenses are making my eyes uncomfortable. Candice had nothing to do with it.”

Candice saw Sonia tugging at Alex’s sleeve.

Alex never liked being touched.

Sonia noticed it as well. She quickly retracted her hand.

Candice retracted her gaze. She then picked up an invitation card on her desk and said, “The coming of age ceremony for the son of Tevar Group's chairman. It’s at…”

Alex stopped her before she could finish. “You can attend it on my behalf.”

The man then headed to his working space together with Sonia.

Candice bowed her head and kept the invitation away. She could vaguely hear Alex telling Sonia, “It’s okay. You don’t need to be afraid of her.”

Candice believed there was nothing scary about herself, but she had to inquire about Lisa’s dismissal.

Lisa was the assistant supervisor at the Secretary’s Office. She was good at her job but she got fired without a reason.

However, when she saw Sonia standing in front of Alex like a little girl being bullied through the glass window, she decided it was not a good time to talk to the man.

Sonia was inside the CEO’s office for an hour.

She came out with her face flushed red and nodded at Candice before heading back to her work station.

Theoretically, she had no right to join the CEO’s office because she was an intern, but since Alex had brought her in, Candice had to assign her some tasks.

Candice handed Sonia a contract in a foreign language.

Sonia looked embarrassed and she did not accept the document.

Candice’s expression turned cold as she asked, “Can’t do it?”

Sonia bit her lips. Her face flushed. Unlike the shyness from before, this time she was embarrassed. She timidly uttered, “I’m not good at French.”

Candice nodded. She took a sheet of paper out and asked, “How about Excel? Can you fill in the sheets?”

Sonia looked even more embarrassed. Her voice grew softer as she said, “Thank you, Candice.”

When Candice brought the invitation card to Alex, he was having a video conference and told her to wait.

Candice stood and waited. Her eyes unintentionally picked up on a rabbit doll beside Alex’s computer.

It was poorly made and it looked old, like a little girl’s toy.

It stood out in the frosty interior of the room.

After the video conference, Alex asked, “What is it?”

Candice regained her composure immediately and handed him the invitation card. “Since Tevart Corporation is working with us, we should show some respect.”

Alex glanced at the card with a hot stamping logo. His handsome face showed displeasure.

Candice wanted to convince him but he looked at her, asking, “You’re not happy with Sonia working under you?”

Candice remained unfazed. “There’s nothing to be unhappy about.”

“Great.” Alex then gave her a black card and said, “You can attend the ceremony as my representative. Pick a fitting present.”

“What about you?”

“I’m busy.”

Candice took the card and turned around. Before she left, Alex held her back.

He stared at her fiercely and warned her, “Sonia is different. Don’t touch her.”

Candice could tell it was a stern warning, but it sounded different from Alex’s mouth.

As for how different, Candice would find out later in the evening.

She was on her way to attend the ceremony when she realized she had forgotten her phone. She was forced to turn around and retrieve it from her desk.

When she approached the CEO’s Office, she heard a girl chuckling.

Sonia was sitting beside Alex while the man’s fingers were casually typing on the keyboard.

Candice stood at a distance, but the quiet room allowed her to overhear Sonia's affectionate complaints, "Am I really that clueless? Candice assigned me the simplest task, yet I can't seem to get it right. Now you have to stay behind and help me with it."

Alex’s hands froze. He casually said, “There’s nothing to be afraid of. She’s even clumsier than you when she first started.”