Chapter 10: Just the Beginning

Rupert tugged irritably at his tie, biting his lip as he stared at the passing cars. He was angry, not at Annabel, but at himself. He regretted initiating a conversation with her. He couldn't understand why he felt so uncomfortable when she was silent and ignored him. He should reciprocate her indifference, as she clearly showed no interest in him.

The rest of the ride home was quiet.

As soon as the car stopped in front of the villa, Rupert exited and went inside. Annabel took her time.

By the time she entered, Rupert was already seated on the living room sofa, a glass of water in his hand. She didn't glance at him, instead ascending the stairs.

Rupert slammed the glass onto the table with a thud, grunting like a wounded lion.

Despite the noise, Annabel didn't look back or hesitate. She continued her slow ascent.

Was he making a fuss over what she'd said? He was so narrow-minded.

How did he manage Benton Group with such a sensitive attitude? Weren't his family worried he would ruin the family business?

The following morning, Erica and Cathy criticized Annabel, as usual, during breakfast.

Annabel, having developed thick skin over time, remained silent. Her silence only fueled the troublemakers' anger. They had hoped for a shouting match, but it wasn't to be.

Annabel ate her breakfast as if alone, then freshened up and left for work.

Her job as a secretary was easy; she was naturally dutiful. She finished all her tasks in the morning, had lunch, and took a nap.

At three o'clock, she went to the bathroom. Upon returning, she found a pile of documents on her desk.

Nina stood nearby; it was obvious she had just left them there.

"Why are these on my desk?"

Nina replied, "The data on these documents must be entered into the company system today. Another secretary was supposed to share the workload, but he had an emergency and left early. You have to do them alone. Finish them all today. Sort the data correctly; it's needed tomorrow. Is that clear?"

Annabel silently flipped through the documents. The amount of data was substantial, requiring hours of work. She would have to work overtime to finish it alone.

"Why didn't you give them to me earlier? As you can see, this is a lot of work!"

Nina pointed at her menacingly. "Oh, please! What's difficult about handling basic data records? You can't blame me for giving them to you now. I was just notified myself. Working here is spontaneous. You know that! Why are you complaining? Your title as Mr. Benton's fiancée doesn't excuse you from your duties. As head of this department, I have every right to assign tasks. If you can't handle it, quit!"

Even a blind man could see Nina was deliberately making things difficult. However, Annabel refused to be intimidated.

"It's fine. I'll handle it."

Annabel sat down and began working.

A sinister smile crossed Nina's face. She had been notified that morning. Seeing Annabel finish her other tasks early, she intentionally gave the other employee a day off and remained silent until almost closing time.

The workload was heavy; she calculated Annabel would work until ten o'clock at night, leaving her exhausted even if she finished.

"Remember to make no mistakes. Every figure must be accurate. One mistake can ruin the statistics and cost the company a lot." These words grated on Annabel's nerves. Impatiently, she said, "Anything else? If you have something important to say, say it all at once."

"Emm That's all."

"Now, please leave. Don't you have work to do?"

Nina felt humiliated in front of her colleagues.

It was a slap in the face; no one in the department ever defied her. How dare this newcomer speak to her like that?

Nina outranked Annabel, yet felt inferior. She loathed Annabel. Clenching her fists, she glared at Annabel and stormed away, muttering, "Stupid girl! You may be smiling now, but you'll cry later. This is just the beginning. A greater punishment is coming. No one will help you. You're on your own."