Chapter 233

Anthony introduced the woman next to him, "This is Layla, the designer for the Eilish Group."

Sophia Gabriel extended her hand, a confident smile on her face. "Miss Adkins, it's a pleasure. I'm Sophia Gabriel. As a designer, I'm sure you're familiar with the Gabriel family, the largest real estate company in A City. My father is Mr. Gabriel." Her words were a subtle boast, yet they were delivered with a grace that was expected in the social circles of A City.

In these circles, Sophia was a well-known figure, while Layla was not. Sophia was a wealthy heiress, and Layla, from her modest demeanor and appearance, did not seem to belong to the same elite class. She appeared to be from an ordinary family.

With a sense of superiority, Sophia straightened her back, but Layla merely responded with a simple, "Hello." Sophia was taken aback. Shouldn't Layla feel intimidated?

Sophia found herself wondering, 'Who does Layla think she is, acting so nonchalant?' She wanted to ask Layla about her family background, but refrained, knowing it would be impolite in Anthony's presence. Sophia was not that foolish.

Instead, she turned her attention to Anthony, her eyes wide and innocent. "Anthony, my aunt has been asking when you'll have time to join her for afternoon tea. Are you free today?"

With her words, the room's speculations were confirmed. Sophia was not only Anthony's girlfriend but also the future daughter-in-law of the prestigious Eilish family.

Despite the Eilish family being second to the Holland family in terms of wealth and influence, and having more power than the Gabriel family, Sophia and Anthony seemed well-suited, certainly more so than Layla.

Sophia's apparent victory was a win for most of the women in the room. Wealthy men should be with wealthy women. Why else would they be so fortunate?

Sophia cast a triumphant glance at Layla, who remained calm and continued eating. Sophia thought, 'She must be pretending not to care. I bet she's seething with jealousy.'

Anthony, however, responded with a simple, "I don't have time."

Sophia's face fell, but she quickly recovered. "Oh, that's right. My aunt did mention how busy you are. I was just asking. Don't worry about it, Anthony. Focus on your work. My aunt and I will keep each other company. She even invited me to the opera tomorrow afternoon."

Sophia's words were a clear attempt to highlight her harmonious relationship with Anthony's family.

"I'll leave you two to chat. I need to get back to work," Layla announced, standing up. She had grown tired of Sophia's subtle provocations and had actual work to attend to.

"Layla..." Anthony began, but Sophia interrupted him. For the first time, he found himself irritated by Sophia, despite his usual indifference towards women.

After Layla left, a group of women entered the room, their laughter filling the air.

"The look on Layla's face was priceless. She must be the other woman, scurrying away from Sophia like a rat," one of them sneered.

"Maybe she didn't know Mr. Eilish was engaged and thought she was his girlfriend," another suggested.

"Does she look innocent to you? No, she knows she can't marry into the Eilish family, but she's happy to play the fool for Mr. Eilish," a third chimed in.

"I've seen plenty of women like her, chasing after vanity," the fourth added.

Layla, having overheard their conversation, laughed softly and pushed the door open. "I've seen plenty of women like you, too. The ones who love to gossip."

Her gaze was pointed, her words sharp. She usually ignored such women, but today, she was in no mood to hold back.

The women were taken aback, but quickly regained their composure. "Who's gossiping? Sounds like you're feeling guilty," one retorted.

"Mr. Eilish and I are just friends. Why should I feel guilty?" Layla countered.

"Friends? We all saw you having lunch together," another woman shot back.

"Since when did sharing a meal become proof of infidelity? You're just spreading baseless rumors," Layla responded coolly.

"We're not spreading rumors. It was posted on the forum that you were seen leaning against Mr. Eilish's chest in the CEO's elevator, trying to seduce him," a woman accused.

"If you weren't the other woman, why did you run away when you saw Sophia?" another woman asked.

Layla thought to herself, 'The only thing that spreads faster than a virus in this world is a rumor.'

"Why did I run? I was just rushing to work. Unlike you, I don't have the luxury of wasting time gossiping. You're no better than sewer rats. My life won't be affected by your words, but you..." Layla smirked, "You'll always be stuck in this petty existence."

With that, Layla walked away, leaving a group of stunned women in her wake.

At half past five in the afternoon, Susan emerged from the elevator on the top floor.

"Could you kindly deliver this design to Mr. Eilish?" she requested.

The secretary, a young woman, looked up at her. "Are you Mrs. Susan?" she inquired.

Susan nodded in affirmation.

"The vice president has requested that you personally deliver it to him," the secretary informed her.

Susan sighed inwardly. "What a troublesome man!" she thought to herself.

"Please follow me," the secretary instructed, leading the way into the vice president's office.

This was Susan's inaugural visit to Caleb's office, and her first time witnessing him at work.

The man in the white shirt sat against the backdrop of a setting sun, its fiery glow casting a warm light on Caleb's face. His sleeves were rolled up, revealing muscular arms and broad, sturdy shoulders that exuded a sense of security. His features were sharp and cold, yet they concealed an ambitious mind.

It was a given that men who occupied such positions were ambitious.

But it was undeniable that serious men were the most appealing, their success and wisdom effortlessly captivating women.

The secretary discreetly exited the office.

Despite its spaciousness, the office seemed to suffocate Susan.

She stood still for a moment, observing Caleb engrossed in his work, oblivious to her presence. She approached his desk and placed the design drawings on it.

"Am I asking you to leave?"

She had barely turned around when Caleb's icy gaze met hers, sending a chill down her spine.

"You simply left the design drawings and walked away, without considering the client's opinions. Is this your usual style?"

"Are you in a rush?"

His questions were sharp and rapid-fire.

Susan wanted to retort, 'Which one do you want me to answer?'

However, she didn't want to instigate a conflict, so she responded calmly, "I have other matters to attend to."

"The designer is busier than the vice president?"

"Everyone's time is valuable. If you have any queries after reviewing the design drawings, you can call me."

"I don't like discussing matters over the phone."

Susan couldn't help but grumble, "I don't believe you conduct all your business face to face."

Every encounter with Caleb stirred a whirlwind of thoughts in Susan's mind. His every sentence was a source of annoyance, and each word made her want to retort.

Caleb picked up the design drawings and glanced at them. "I'm not satisfied," he stated.

"What exactly are you not satisfied with?" Susan asked.

Caleb tilted his chin thoughtfully. "I don't know, I'm just not satisfied."

Susan frowned. "If you don't specify, how am I supposed to know what to improve?"

"You're the designer, shouldn't you know?"

"The one who's not satisfied now is you," Susan pointed out.

Caleb smiled faintly. "So impulsive? I merely said I'm not satisfied, and you treat me like an enemy. You're so narrow-minded, how can you get things done?"

Narrow-minded? He was intentionally stirring trouble.

But as the subordinate, Susan had to endure patiently. "Mr. Eilish, please specify what you're not satisfied with."