The prestigious real estate giant's towering building stood in solemn grandeur. Camelia arrived at the front desk and gave her name. Hector descended personally, greeting her with a smile and quickly escorting her upstairs.

On the 30th floor, where the CEO's office was located, Gaylord, framed by expansive floor-to-ceiling windows and clad in a black suit, appeared even more formidable. His presence commanded attention; he seemed to illuminate the entire room. Camelia was struck by his powerful aura. This was her first time experiencing his work environment in person. His commanding presence was so strong that she wondered if he truly was the owner of Hanssen Real Estate.

As Camelia neared him, Gaylord's gaze briefly skimmed her before settling on the nameplate around her neck. A subtle smile curled at the corners of Gaylord's lips, and he addressed her decisively in front of all the employees on the floor. "Have you made up your mind?"

"Yes," Camelia replied, a hint of apprehension in her voice, and handed him her documents with a reserved yet earnest demeanor. Gaylord didn't shy away. He placed a large hand on her shoulder and guided her to a seat beside him, sitting at the desk next to him.

The entire floor went silent, including her tightly-lipped subordinates who had just finished a morning meeting. They all stared at Gaylord, their expressions a mixture of surprise and apprehension. Gaylord raised his eyes, a glimmer of amusement in them.

"Let me introduce Ms. Camelia Barlow, the new VP of Hansen Real Estate. She will be sharing her expertise and collaborating with us."

After his words, the room fell into a tense silence, with everyone resuming their work. Wynne had only recently taken office, and now a new VP? Could this be the rumored temporary wife of Mr. Holmes? Everyone wondered.

Camelia quickly introduced herself, navigating the wine-tinged and somewhat uneasy atmosphere. Her gaze scanned the room, catching several hostile looks. Among them, she recognized Eric, who had accompanied Wynne to the hospital for a report, giving her an unfriendly glare.

"Later," Gaylord said coldly, waving his hand. "Hector, show Ms. Barlow to her office."

Following Hector, Camelia arrived at her office, which had been recently set up. Hector handed her some handover documents and introduced her to Ava, the new assistant, as "Miss Barlow, this is your assistant, Ava." Ava offered a muted greeting.

Soon, the office door opened, and Gaylord entered. He had a coat draped over his arm, ready to leave.

"Mr. Holmes, is there something you need?" Camelia asked, feeling a bit awkward in her new role.

His intense gaze made her blush slightly. "On your first day, you should be settling in. For the Sphere Adornments matter from this morning, brief the executives there."

Camelia nodded, realizing she had forgotten that the morning's Sphere Adornments meeting hadn't even taken place. Given that Sphere Adornments was progressing steadily, she had agreed to come to Hanssen Real Estate to assist him.

"Can you handle managing two companies, businesswoman?" Gaylord raised an eyebrow, approaching her and standing over the desk, looming closely. "Sell off Sphere Adornments if it's such a hassle. Focus on helping me instead."

Camelia noticed Hector and Ava had left, closing the door behind them. She felt a bit annoyed. "Sphere Adornments is my grandfather's legacy. I can't sell it. My grandfather was a prominent businessman in his youth, Andrew Thomas. Have you heard of him?"

"Andrew?" Gaylord's expression slightly shifted.

Camelia was intrigued. "Did you have any dealings with my grandfather?"

Gaylord's eyes narrowed slightly, revealing a hint of complexity. He denied it. "No."

Camelia noticed something odd about the way Gaylord looked at her. She felt a twinge of suspicion but chose not to dwell on it. Instead, she smiled and said, "My grandfather's name is Andrew Thomas, my uncle is David Thomas, and my mother was Abigail Thomas."

Her smile, however, faded, and her eyes grew distant. "Unfortunately, both my grandfather and mother passed away early, leaving only my uncle."

Gaylord studied her face deeply and after a moment said in a somber tone, "You have me now."

Camelia felt the warmth of his presence, which seemed to chase away the chill from within her. She nodded solemnly and glanced at his coat. "Are you heading out?"

"Hanssen Real Estate is just one of my companies. I am quite busy and will be leaving for a short trip shortly." He raised an eyebrow and glanced at his watch.

Just one of his companies? So she had guessed right. He must be a significant figure in the business world!

Camelia stared at him, and before she could react, he pulled her close and kissed her.

"Hmm, you should go get busy." Camelia's face flushed as she glanced around nervously. Thankfully, there were no glass walls here, and she lightly pushed him away with her fist.

"What's this? Can't handle it?" Given the office setting, Gaylord's emotions were more intense. His voice was husky and taut.

He quickly released her, pinching her cheek. "Familiarize yourself with the business. Ava will assist you. Call if you need anything."

"Go on then," Camelia said, avoiding eye contact.

Gaylord turned and strode out, with Hector and a few others following him immediately.

Once he was gone, Camelia took a moment to cool down and sit at her desk. She remembered their discussion about her grandfather and mother and realized their memorial dates were approaching, at the end of the year. After four months of conflict with the Barlow family, during which Sphere Adornments had been reclaimed and Wynne had left Enventer, she finally had time to focus on her own affairs. She needed to contact her uncle before the memorial date and investigate the causes of her mother's and her grandfather's deaths.

Camelia immediately thought of her grandfather's address book in Edmond's hand. Her expression turned serious. It was time to settle accounts with Edmond. She called the senior executives at Sphere Adornments. "Please review Edmond Wallis's performance shares in Sphere Adornments and start the liquidation process." She needed to come up with a strategy to force Edmond's hand.

As she furrowed her brow, Ava knocked and entered, carrying a large stack of documents. "Miss Barlow, here are the files on Hanssen Real Estate's senior executives and the recent projects with the five-star hotel group."

Camelia nodded, quickly skimming through the documents while asking, "Have the executives gathered in the conference room? I'd like to have a meet-and-greet as part of my orientation."

Ava's face changed slightly. "Miss Barlow, I notified them, but they haven't gone. It might be because Eric didn't approve." Camelia paused. Just as Gaylord had left, the staff were already showing resistance. It was expected, given she had been parachuted into the position. She narrowed her eyes and focused on Eric's file. "Is he the highest-ranking executive after me?"

"Yes. Eric increased Hanssen Real Estate's profits by 5% last year. He's highly respected within the company and holds significant influence."

Camelia remembered Eric and sneered. She was looking to confront the forces Wynne had left behind. "Call Eric to my office. I'd like to meet him."

Ava left to invite him. A few minutes later, Ava returned, looking dejected. "Miss Barlow, Eric said he's tied up in a meeting and suggested you call Mr. Holmes."

Eric was clearly obstructing her, and while he might have a legitimate meeting, calling Gaylord would only demonstrate her lack of managerial authority. Camelia understood she had to navigate this hurdle herself. Leaning back in her chair, she checked the time and stood up with a smile. "There's no rush. Let's go have lunch first."

"The company cafeteria is on the 26th floor," Ava said as they entered the elevator.

True to its reputation as a top real estate firm, the cafeteria was impressive. Camelia noticed a private room and was about to enter when someone approached from the side. Eric raised an eyebrow with a hint of disdain. "Miss Barlow, you're here for lunch too? I'm afraid this private room was previously reserved exclusively for Ms. Ladell."