Humming contentedly, Sophie sat behind the desk in the director’s office, while two sturdy men stood before her, looking distressed.

Leo's mind raced, and he was breaking into a cold sweat.

It was no wonder he felt anxious. Sophie often visited him in his office, which could easily lead to misunderstandings. He could usually deflect those by explaining they were discussing business. But sharing a table was a different matter, rumors would spread like wildfire.

How could he maintain his standing in Eastwin Global Ltd under these circumstances?

“Sophie, stop messing around. The hall is spacious. Just move your table there. Why do you insist on working at the same table with me? It’ll get stuffy!”

“I don’t mind! I want to sit with you, and you can’t say no.”

“Did I offend you in some way? I wasn’t the one who moved your table!”

Mr. Andrew shot Leo a furious glare. He had barely smoothed things over with Sophie, and now Leo was dragging him back into the fray.

Little did Mr. Andrew know, Leo was silently cursing him. “It’s all your fault! Why do you want to make changes for no reason? Look at the mess you’ve created!”

“Of course you offended me! Don’t think I don’t know you agreed to Mr. Andrew’s plan. You kept it a secret from me to get rid of me, didn’t you?”

Sophie was right—intelligent women could be a real challenge. Stammering, Leo found himself at a loss for words, his face turning crimson.

Sophie shot him a sidelong glance. “I have to punish you. You think I’m a troublemaker, right? I’ll sit next to you and see how you handle me!”

Feeling guilty, Mr. Andrew lowered his gaze, avoiding Leo’s. His life was at stake, all he could do was pray for Leo.

“Fine then!” Leo erupted. “You can have this office. I’ll sit outside!”

“Sure! No matter where you sit, I’ll be right next to you.”

“Mr. Andrew!” Leo cried out in despair, “Why don’t you say something?”

“Leo, I think Sophie has a point. Your office is spacious, you should use the space efficiently. It’ll be easier for both of you to discuss work.”

Before Leo could respond, Mr. Andrew hurriedly addressed Sophie. “Sophie, I don’t mind you working here, but sitting next to each other in public isn’t appropriate. You can’t be selfish.”

“How about this? I’ll move your table into this office. You’ll work in the same space, but at different tables. Is that alright?”

Reluctantly, Sophie nodded, then threatened Leo, “Leo, I’m warning you. If you try to set me up again, I’ll work on your lap and send a picture to your wife. I mean it!”

That was too much. Mr. Andrew turned away, pretending not to hear her. Leo silently cursed Mr. Andrew over and over.

After a lengthy struggle, Sophie emerged victorious, boldly moving into the director’s office.

To quell the rumors, Mr. Andrew announced that Sophie had been promoted to deputy director. He also mentioned that to cut office costs, Leo and Sophie would be sharing an office. It was the perfect justification.

...

“Knock knock!” A voice echoed from the headmaster’s door.

“Come in!”

Victor entered, saying, “Mr. Andrew, are you busy?”

“Victor, come in and take a seat.”

Though he wasn’t particularly fond of Victor, Mr. Andrew felt obliged to give him some respect as the vice president of the school.

Once seated, Victor politely asked, “Mr. Andrew, are you free? I’d like to discuss something.”

“Yes, I’m available. Go ahead.”

“Alright, I’ll get straight to the point. I want to talk about Ms. Vivian. She was absent for a week last week without a valid reason, which has a negative impact. I think the school should take serious action.”

Mr. Andrew waved his hand dismissively. “Mr. Victor, I think you’ve misunderstood. Ms. Vivian informed me about her absence. She didn’t take leave without reason.”

“Really? Shouldn’t we check why she was gone for so long and whether her reasons are valid?”

Mr. Andrew leisurely replied, “It seems you’re unaware of this. Ms. Vivian has already submitted her resignation letter to me. She will be leaving after this semester.”

“Additionally, she has completed her syllabus. She had a family emergency, so I allowed her to leave. Do you have a problem with that?”

With a vague smile, Mr. Andrew fixed his gaze on Victor, as if to imply he shouldn’t create trouble since Vivian was on her way out.

Victor was taken aback. He hadn’t expected Vivian to have already resigned. He had hoped to use her situation to portray himself as the good guy while looking for ways to exploit her in the future. This was his last resort, he couldn’t seem to make Vivian yield to him.

Now, he was entirely at her mercy. She didn’t care about him at all, which was agonizing for Victor.

What frustrated him even more was that Vivian had been absent for an entire week without informing him. He felt disrespected.

She hadn’t answered any of his calls or texts, and he had no idea where she had gone. It felt as though Vivian was looking down on him.

Talking to Mr. Andrew finally brought clarity. Of course, she wouldn’t care about him—she had already resigned.

“Mr. Andrew, did you approve her resignation?”

“Yes.”

“Why did you do that?” Victor blurted out, flustered.

Mr. Andrew frowned at Victor's childish question. “What do you mean? Why can’t I approve her resignation? It’s her right to resign. Even if she were an official staff member, I have no authority to stop her.”

Realizing he had misspoken, Victor quickly clarified, “Mr. Andrew, please don’t misunderstand. I meant that Ms. Vivian is a very good teacher. I’m reluctant to let such talent go.”

Mr. Andrew sneered inwardly, thinking, “He knows how to sweet-talk. He just doesn’t want Vivian to leave.”

Victor had a notorious reputation, and Mr. Andrew saw him as a ticking time bomb, worried he might create trouble and drag him down with him.

Given how quickly rumors spread these days, it was wise for Mr. Andrew to be cautious. In a school setting, even the slightest rumor could not be hidden.

Although he didn’t know the details of the situation between Victor and Vivian, he could guess the cause. Vivian resigning was, in fact, a beneficial resolution.

That’s why Mr. Andrew decided to remain silent when Victor confronted Vivian.

To him, Vivian was a troublemaker, and firing her would save him considerable hassle. While it wasn’t fair, sometimes sacrifices had to be made for self-preservation.

However, he had to ask Vivian to return later due to orders from his superior.

Victor never expected Vivian to hand in her resignation letter the moment she returned. Mr. Andrew, however, had no comments to offer. If questioned by his superiors, he would have a ready explanation.

Listening to Victor's concerns, Mr. Andrew replied calmly, “Ms. Vivian had made up her mind to leave. I tried to persuade her to stay, but she was resolute. Thus, I had no choice but to approve her resignation.”

“I see...” Victor’s voice was tinged with disappointment. Vivian’s departure meant his chances were dwindling.

“No!” he vowed silently. “I must act swiftly to make Vivian mine. She won’t escape my grasp!”

After a moment of contemplation, Victor feigned regret. “It’s such a pity to let Ms. Vivian go. It feels like a loss for us.”

“You’re right, but we must go with the flow,” Mr. Andrew replied with a knowing look.

“What if we hold a farewell party for Ms. Vivian to express our gratitude for her contributions? What do you think?”

“Absolutely!” Mr. Andrew had no reason to decline. “Organize the party. Invite all the music department teachers so we can bid Ms. Vivian farewell together!”

Taking charge, Victor left the office, his heart heavy with plans.

Once back in his office, he brainstormed ways to use the party to his advantage with Vivian.

After much deliberation, he realized he would need help from someone he knew well.

Mr. Antonio! A prominent local businessman and owner of Moonlight-Oasis Resort, his establishments were famous tourist destinations.

Moonlight-Oasis Resort’s notoriety partly stemmed from Mr. Antonio's secret brothel, known for its high-class clientele.

Victor frequented this establishment, which is how he got to know Mr. Antonio. They soon discovered they hailed from the same hometown, strengthening their bond.

Like Victor, Mr. Antonio had his vices, and their shared interests drew them closer together.