Chapter 453
“Ms. Rhodes, you’re amazing! I can’t believe you actually got the money back,” Eunice exclaimed with admiration.
Lauren shook her head and replied, “I didn’t get the money back—Dr. Lloyd did.”
Eunice’s excitement froze as she looked at Andrew in disbelief, who was casually sipping tea on the couch. She wondered how this man, whom Tiana had always looked down upon, had not only become Rhodes Corporation’s fifth director in minutes but had also helped recover 60 million dollars that seemed impossible to retrieve.
Just as doubt began creeping into Eunice’s mind, she quickly dismissed it. Tiana was someone she unconditionally admired and respected—if Tiana said Andrew was just a gold digger, then it must be true.
“Ms. Rhodes, congratulations! The company really needs you!”
“Ms. Rhodes, we old-timers aren’t worth a fraction of your talent. Solving this huge problem right after your return—we must report this to the board and get you recognized!”
“Ms. Rhodes, we all noticed what you’ve done for the company. We can’t wait for you to be our CEO and lead us again!”
Marcus led a group of employees who were not aligned with Michael to offer their congratulations. Everyone in the company knew this was a power struggle between the CEO and the Vice CEO, or more bluntly, internal friction between Rhodes Corporation family members.
Michael envied Lauren’s talent and influence, while Lauren had always looked down on her cousin. Now, employees of Rhodes Corporation were faced with a delicate choice. For the sake of their future careers and financial prospects, they had to decide whether to side with Michael or show loyalty to Lauren—a decision that required careful calculation.
After dealing with a stream of well-wishers, Lauren dismissed the last of them and slammed her office door shut. Locking it firmly, she strolled over to the couch.
Andrew smiled and said, “It looks like you have quite a few supporters in your company.”
“Most are truly on my side, but some are Michael’s spies. I don’t have the patience to deal with them,” Lauren replied with a hint of annoyance.
Andrew frowned. “Hearing you say that, I can’t help but wonder—why does the Rhode family’s leadership allow this infighting? Wouldn’t it be better for everyone if you and Michael worked together to grow the corporation?”
Lauren rolled her eyes. “If only everyone thought like you. The truth is, my rivalry with Michael reflects a deeper battle among the family’s higher-ups.”
Andrew shook his head. “Big family politics—sounds exhausting.”
Chapter 454
Lauren’s lips curled into a playful smile. “They might be, but I’m not. I’m carefree, Dr. Lloyd, because all I care about is you.”
She then gracefully settled herself on Andrew’s lap, wrapping her arms around his neck as her perfume wafted toward him.
Andrew froze, his body stiffening. Was she really planning on starting an office romance?
Andrew began awkwardly, “Ms. Rhodes, this is your office. Don’t you think this might be… inappropriate?”
Lauren leaned in until their faces were nearly touching and whispered, “Don’t worry, I locked the door. Dr. Lloyd, why are you trembling? Is this your first time?”
Andrew coughed, trying to appear composed. Straightening up, he forced a confident tone. “I’m no rookie. Ms. Rhodes, on the other hand, you’re giving off major beginner vibes.”