Chapter 3

That anonymous post hung on the company's internal forum all afternoon and got a lot of traction.

The content was several hundred words long, accusing me of being heartless and not understanding how to care for subordinates.

Although no names were mentioned, the label "audit department's female demon" applied to no one in the entire company except me.

In the comments section, several newly registered accounts kept stirring things up:

"I heard she's jealous of that pretty management trainee, so she's taking it out on Mr. Gray."

"Older women are scary. When their own lives aren't going well, they can't stand to see others happy."

When my assistant, Zoe, handed me the tablet, her hands were shaking. "Sarah, do you need me to contact IT to delete the post? This is damaging your reputation..."

"No need."

I scrolled through the screen and casually took a few screenshots to save.

"Why delete it? This is all evidence."

This level of public opinion attack was nothing—not even an itch to me.

As an auditor, I'd seen plenty of dirty things.

Compared to that, this kind of venting from a young woman was both childish and low-level.

I glanced out the window.

Rain was pouring down.

The weather forecast showed there would be a major rainstorm tonight.

Ethan sent me a message: "Meet at the garage. I have an umbrella."

I packed up my things and headed downstairs.

To avoid suspicion, we never left the office together.

Usually he'd go get the car first, I'd wait for him, then get in.

We'd kept this secret relationship going for seven years.

I arrived at the garage.

Ethan's car was already parked in a corner.

I opened the back door and quickly slipped inside.

The windows had the darkest privacy film—you couldn't see inside from outside at all.

"This rain is really coming down."

Ethan handed me a dry towel. "Wipe your hair. The entrance had a big draft just now, and you got rained on, didn't you?"

"I'm fine." I took the towel. "Let's go."

Ethan had just shifted into gear and hadn't even pressed the gas when a white figure suddenly rushed out.

"Screech—"

Ethan slammed on the brakes.

My body lurched forward. I frowned and looked ahead.

It was Mia Smith.

She didn't have an umbrella.

Her white shirt was already soaked through, clinging tightly to her body, with her black bra visible underneath.

Her hair was plastered wetly to her face. She looked like a pitiful little white rabbit.

She stood in front of the car, blocking the way.

If Ethan had reacted a second slower, he might have hit her.

"Is she crazy?"

Ethan's tone instantly dropped to freezing.

He hated people who didn't follow traffic rules.

Mia came around to the driver's side and tapped lightly on the window.

"Mr. Gray... Mr. Gray..."

Her voice was tearful, trembling badly.

I sat in the back seat, arms crossed, watching this scene with cold eyes.

"Should I open the window?" Ethan glanced at me through the rearview mirror.

"Go ahead." I said flatly. "Let's see what she wants."

Ethan lowered the window.

Rain immediately drifted in through the gap.

"Mr. Gray."

Mia's fingers were white from the cold, looking utterly pitiful. "The rain is too heavy. I can't get a cab, and the garage is so dark. I'm scared being here alone..."

As she spoke, she tried to press her soaked chest against the window gap.

"Mr. Gray, could you drop me off at the nearest subway station... I'm so cold."

Any other man might have let her in the car.

Even if he didn't drive her home, he'd at least let her get in to escape the rain.

Unfortunately for her, she was dealing with Ethan.

Ethan had maintained his virtue for so many years—he wouldn't be seduced that easily.

Ethan looked at her calmly.

"The company lobby has heating and spare umbrellas."

Ethan's voice was clear and cold.

"The administration department has a contract with a taxi service. The front desk has one-touch cab calling, and the company reimburses the full fare. You don't need to hail a cab yourself."

Ethan pointed at the dashcam.

"My car is a private vehicle. It doesn't have commercial operating qualifications. My car is only open to my immediate family members."

"Mia Smith, are you my immediate family?"

Mia froze.

Unwilling to give up, she bit her lip, trembling even harder. "But Mr. Gray... I'm really cold. I feel dizzy right now. Can't you help me?"

She reached for the back door handle.

Ethan quickly locked the doors.

She pulled twice but couldn't open it. Unable to see me inside, she could only see her own disheveled reflection.

"Mr. Gray?"

Ethan's hand hovered over the window button. "If you're really sick, I can call 911 for you right now. An ambulance will get here faster than I can."

I couldn't help but chuckle. Ethan's mouth was savage. Fortunately, the person outside couldn't hear me.

"Also, as a management trainee, even during off-hours, you need to maintain your professional image."

"Dressed like this, blocking a male superior's car—if word gets out, it'll affect your probation evaluation."

Mia's face turned deathly pale.

She instinctively covered her chest and stepped back.

"Mr. Gray, how can you think of me like that... I just..."

"Move."

Ethan didn't want to hear any more nonsense.

Reluctantly, she bit her teeth and backed away, looking back every few steps.

Ethan raised the window and hit the gas. The car rushed into the rain.

"Brilliant."

I clapped. "Worthy of Mr. Gray with his excellent sense of boundaries."

Ethan said, "If I'd let her in, I'd have had to get the car deep-cleaned inside and out. Not worth it."

The car merged onto the elevated highway.

"Honey."

"Hmm?"

"Next time something like this happens, can you handle it directly?" There was a hint of helplessness in Ethan's tone. "I'd like to see you tear into a homewrecker too. Always making me play the villain."

I said with a smile, "Tearing into her now would be no fun. Let's wait a bit longer. She's not going to give up that easily."