Hiding Behind Her Superficiality

Chapter 97

“It wasn’t you?” Edmund snickered. “How could that be? Then, tell me, who else could it be if it wasn’t you?” From NôvelDrama.Org.

“Ophelia.”

He couldn’t help but let out a scornful laugh. “Ophelia? She grew up under my mother’s care. How could it ever be her?”

“It doesn’t matter if you don’t believe me. You’ll know it when I’ve found the evidence to prove my innocence.” Elspeth knew it wasn’t easy to break people’s rose-tinted glasses perception of Ophelia. So, she didn’t want to waste time arguing with Edmund.

“So? What do you want? Find evidence to prove that you weren’t in the wrong? You?”

Callum coughed lightly and interrupted them before they could start squabbling, which promptly shut them both up.

“Alright. Stop it. It’s not Elspeth’s problem.”

Edmund didn’t expect Callum to take Elspeth’s side. He was incredulous by Callum’s stance, but he forced himself to calm down, especially since they were still in public.

“Fine. Since you believe her, I’ll wait and see whether she’s just all bark but no bite,” he sneered before turning around to leave.

Callum sneaked a glance at Elspeth and noticed she didn’t seem to be in high spirits, so he couldn’t help but comfort her. “Don’t take Edmund’s words to heart. He’s always been a little mean.”

“I’m alright. I’ll be heading back to the Design Department.”

After she bid goodbye to Callum, she returned to the Design Department alone. When her colleagues saw her, they were all smiles, but they soon fell into awkward silence.

Naturally, she noticed their unusual expressions, so she curiously inquired a colleague she was rather close with, “What’s up? Why is everyone looking at me weirdly?”

Her colleagues scanned the room before muttering in a low voice, “Didn’t you hear? After you left, Mr. Winthrop didn’t come to work often. So, Mr. Edmund asked Ophelia to take over your position.”

“That means Ophelia is now the director of the Design Department?” Elspeth couldn’t help but feel frustrated when she heard Ophelia’s name being mentioned yet again. “Okay. I got it.”

She then walked inside to see that Ophelia was now sitting in the seat that belonged to her and doing her work.

She couldn’t suppress her smile after seeing just who was before her. “Oh my. Isn’t this Elspeth? Why are you back to work so suddenly?”

“Yeah. I just decided to visit this place on a whim. I didn’t expect someone to stop and take over my place right after I left.”

Ophelia ducked her head as if she was being bullied. “I didn’t. Edmund felt it wasn’t right to not have a director for the Design Department. So, he asked me to step up to replace you. If you’re not happy about it, I can talk to him now to return the position to you.”

Elspeth let out a light chuckle. “It’s fine. I don’t have the habit of taking what belongs to others.”

“Elspeth, I-

I—”

A male colleague who was standing by the side saw the tears rolling down Ophelia’s face. That kindled his

protectiveness, and he didn’t hesitate to criticize Elspeth. “Why can’t Ophelia take over this position? Do you think you’re the only one left who is capable in this company? Besides, you were the one who left, and Ophelia merely stepped up to the role. She didn’t snatch your job from anyone. Why are you being so mean?”

Elspeth smiled at him, and her beauty dazzled him. “Don’t talk when you don’t know the whole truth. Haven’t you heard of that saying before?”

The man was still dazed by her beauty and agreed in confusion.

Ophelia was elated when he was helping her, but anger rose within her as she saw him mesmerized by Elspeth’s beauty.

Why did all those men fall to their knees for Elspeth like she was a goddess? Oh, how she wished she could slice Elspeth’s face so that nobody would ever look at her again!

“It’s okay. Thank you, Darling, for your concern. I know Elspeth probably felt wronged. It’s nothing.” Ophelia lightly nudged the man’s arm as she smiled bashfully at him.

“If Callum found out that you’re calling people Darling…” Elspeth watched Ophelia’s phony act as she stifled a

laugh.

Fear immediately took root within Ophelia’s heart at Elspeth’s remark, so she unintentionally pushed too hard, and the male colleague who helped her stumbled.

“Ophelia, you..” He suddenly felt like a simp for helping her as he was brushed off and derided for defending her.

“Darling, I didn’t mean that…” Ophelia opened her mouth, wanting to explain, but the man wasn’t willing to listen anymore as he turned around and stomped away.

“Alright. That’s enough. If you continue, Callum will hear you. Oh, right. I returned with him today.”

Ophelia snickered, “Stop pulling my leg. I know Callum’s looking at the contract in his office now. He’s not going to be here.”

“Well, I am.”

A familiar voice rose behind her, and cold sweat covered her back. She stiffly turned her head and saw Callum’s emotionless face as her heart pounded against her chest.

“The things I said just now. Callum, you—”

He calmly cut her off, “I heard all of it.”

“I didn’t mean it like that. I called him Darling because he was older. That’s why I—”

She wanted to explain herself, but he wasn’t interested in her lies as he walked toward Elspeth and lowered his head to ask, “Edmund told me that he appointed the position of director of the Design Department to Ophelia. Is that so?”

His posture was similar to that of a man whispering sweet nothings to his lover, which made Ophelia green with envy.

“Yup, but it’s fine. I don’t need this job.”

Elspeth wasn’t bothered by Edmund’s decision or that Ophelia had taken over her original job.

To her, being the Design Department director wasn’t a big deal, nor was the position all that attractive. She was being mean to Ophelia on purpose earlier because Ophelia had done several disgusting things back when they were colleagues. So, it was only natural that she wouldn’t have a good temper to deal with that repulsive

woman.

“This is different.”

Callum pondered in silence before slowly suggesting, “Why don’t you be my secretary? I’ll double your pay,

and it’s not a tiring job.”

“Huh?” Elspeth instinctively rejected his offer without a second thought, “I’ve never worked as a secretary for anyone. I’m not suited to the role.”

Being a secretary meant she would have to bend her back for Callum. She wasn’t that crazy.

Callum seemed to notice the true reason behind her rejection as the corner of his lips curved up ever so slightly. “I’m not going to bully you. I just wanted to offer you an easy job with higher pay.”

Since she couldn’t be the director of the Design Department, she could become his secretary and stay by his side. In his opinion, that was a win.

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Ophelia, who never left, was so shocked that her jaw dropped, utterly ruining her usual poised demeanor. Why is Callum speaking so gently to Elspeth? He even asked her to be his secretary!

She had begged and pleaded with him for a long time, but he never budged. He never once thought of making her his secretary. So, how could he give that position away to Elspeth so easily?

“Callum, what’s up with you and Elspeth?”