Chapter 171
I followed his gaze. There were approximately half a wall's height of abandoned bricks on the empty construction site. Reynaldo suddenly walked up behind me, and a mischievous laugh fell from above my head: “You drag all those bricks to the designated location with a wheelbarrow, without leaving a single one. This is your punishment.”
He leaned closer, whispering in a voice only we could hear, “I want to see if Ms. Duffy, so arrogant, can handle this hardship.”
I met his eyes, filled with mockery and hatred. “Scammer!” he gritted out, then turned towards the cafeteria, his back radiating an indescribable chill.
After he left, I released the hand I’d been holding. The pure white palms were covered in nail prints. As soon as Reynaldo left, the cafeteria buzzed back to life.
Manager Zhou yelled, “Esmeralda, what is wrong with you? I always thought you were a knowledgeable woman, but I never expected you to be so confused and shameless. You failed to seduce him once, and yet you seduced the boss multiple times, even skipping work! Yeah, I’ve seen women who think they’re high as the sky, wanting to be phoenixes perched on branches, but I’ve never seen a shameless woman like you. You’re absolutely disgusting. Oh my God, how could our department have such scum? It’s polluting our air.”
Bennett looked to the sky and let out a long cry, his expression filled with sorrow. I glanced at him indifferently. “Then you just don’t breathe,” I said.
Bennett shouted, “What’s your attitude? You angered the boss again today. If our salaries are deducted this month, you’ll pay for it!”
I ignored him and walked outside. The laughter of my colleagues regarding Trevin followed me. “So, your girlfriend is the one they were talking about?” “Tsk tsk tsk, we dare not accept women who shamelessly seduce wealthy men.”
“Yeah, Trevin, a moment ago we envied you, but now we feel sorry for you. Who knows how many times you’ve been cuckolded?”
“Go away… Stop talking nonsense. When did I say she was my girlfriend?”
I tugged at my lips sarcastically and quickly left the cafeteria. The abandoned bricks were transported to the designated location, one kilometer west, by a special vehicle. A car would need only two trips. But using a small cart… I didn’t know how many trips I’d have to make.
I looked at the pile of bricks, taller than me, feeling discouraged. But remembering Reynaldo’s mocking expression, I quickly shook my head. No, I absolutely could not back down. He always thought I couldn’t endure hardship; this time, he would see differently.
Mr. Zhou, fearing I’d run away, had someone bring a forklift and specifically asked Bennett to supervise. Bennett crossed his arms and snorted, “The boss said not a single brick should be left, so hurry up and don’t embarrass our department again!”
I ignored him, took the wheelbarrow, and pushed it toward the bricks. Bennett approached, shouting, “I’m talking to you! Look at your attitude!”
I frowned. “What attitude should I have? You insulted me nonstop, and I’m supposed to greet you with a smile?”
Bennett was taken aback. After a while, he sneered, “Shameless people still have audacity, huh.”
I continued working, refusing to speak. I had to throw the bricks into the cart, then push it over a kilometer. Reaching the destination, I had to overturn the cart and pour out the bricks. Initially, it wasn’t difficult or tiring. By my eighth trip, however, I felt overwhelmed. My fingertips were scraped by the sharp edges of the bricks—it was very painful.