Chapter 364: A New Start, A Clear Path

This time, Ellis didn't get the job because she was the former Mrs. Hudson. She earned it—through her own strength, her own experience. The sense of accomplishment and validation was impossible to describe. And she had a new goal: the Fox Group wouldn't be her final stop—it would be her starting line.

She no longer lived as a vine clinging to Easton. Step by step, she was becoming someone entirely different. She was already looking forward to the future, when she’d built enough capital to stop working for others and carve out a place of her own.

A few days later, Ellis got up early, dressed carefully, and headed out for her first day at the Fox Group. She didn’t expect to run into Easton in the underground parking garage. To his credit, he didn’t try to cling to her. He just looked her up and down, then asked, “Out this early? Skipping your beauty sleep?”

Good moods were hard to hide, and Ellis had been glowing ever since she woke up. She didn’t even look at him. She got in the car, started it, and drove off without a word. Easton stayed where he was, watching her taillights disappear. His gaze lingered at the exit. She didn’t even glance at him. His expression darkened, and his chest felt just a little heavy.

On the first day of a new job, first impressions were everything. Ellis walked through the front doors of the office building with a subtle but steady smile. She was Mr. Maxwell’s hand-picked assistant. The fact that she had shown up on time and ready to work made Avery finally breathe a sigh of relief. Thank God she showed up. If she’d turned the offer down, Mr. Maxwell would’ve blamed me for sure.

Avery led her through onboarding, showed her around, then finally took her to Maxwell’s office. Avery stepped aside. The spacious office was empty aside from Ellis and Maxwell. She kept her polite smile as she greeted him.

“Mr. Maxwell,”

Maxwell stood slowly from his chair, facing her directly. Different phases of life brought different versions of a person. Today’s Ellis was dressed almost the same as she had been during the interview, but there was a stark contrast to how she looked when he first saw her back in Kyrador. Still, one thing hadn’t changed—she was striking. Eye-catching in a quiet, natural way.

He spoke first. “Let me formally introduce myself. I’m Maxwell Fox, one of the executive presidents of the company. I’m currently in charge of resorts and hotels. I’ll be handling more in the future, and your job will be to assist me.”

“Understood, Mr. Maxwell. I won’t let you down,” Ellis replied smoothly, slipping right into the role. She had no choice—he was her boss. He had the power to shape her career here. She’d make sure to handle him properly. Of course, she didn’t mean doing grunt work. She wasn’t here to fetch coffee or carry files. Her job was something else entirely.

Though Maxwell hadn’t yet taken full control of the Fox Group, Ellis could already tell he was one of the top contenders for succession. His ambition wasn’t just to take over more departments. His goal was the top. She’d seen that same kind of ambition before, in Easton.

“You can spend the day getting familiar with things,” Maxwell said. “Talk with Cleveland. Tomorrow you’ll officially start working.”

“Got it.”

1:00 PM

Avery had already introduced her to Cleveland earlier. She knew where his desk was. Ellis stepped out of the office and headed straight for him.

At first, Cleveland hadn’t realized that Maxwell’s new assistant was being brought in to replace him. But Maxwell made it pretty obvious on Ellis’s first day, and there was no point pretending otherwise. He’d already felt it coming—during those business trips, when they toured hotels and resorts together, he’d sensed his days as Maxwell’s assistant were numbered. At least Maxwell wasn’t firing him—just moving him to a new role.

Thanks to the strong self-preservation instincts of your average overworked employee, Cleveland adjusted quickly and did his job properly. Before they knew it, it was lunchtime.

“Ms. Harper, you’re still new. Want to come to the cafeteria with me?” Cleveland asked, cheerful as ever.

Ellis smiled. “Sure.”

Normally, she didn’t like eating alone with unfamiliar men. But this was work, and she had no better options. So she agreed. She’d just grabbed a tray of food and sat down when Cleveland suddenly looked at her with a flash of recognition and asked, a little amused, “Ms. Harper, do you remember taking one of our company’s cruise ships?”

Of course she did. She’d won the top prize in a giveaway—suspiciously lucky. She’d even double-checked online to make sure the whole thing wasn’t a scam. She had noticed that the cruise ship was owned by a Fox Group subsidiary. She’d seen Easton there. And Maxwell too. Cleveland might have been there, but she didn’t remember him—his face wasn’t exactly memorable.

She gave a small nod. Small talk was a great way to build a good rapport with coworkers, especially when your own position was about to be replaced. Cleveland hadn’t forgotten that once Ellis officially took over, he’d be reassigned. Making friends now might be useful later.