Once Vivienne had confirmed my position, she gently patted my shoulder and, with a smile, said,"Please tidy up a bit, and then come over to collect your office supplies." Her tone was soft, yet I couldn't shake the feeling that there was some hidden meaning behind her words.

I quickly organized my new desk, though my mind was filled with questions. Why had Sophie suddenly promoted me from a mere class monitor to the assistant to the chairman? What was she really scheming? While pondering this, I retrieved my laptop, work notes, and a few pens, settling in before sitting down, lost in thought.

At that moment, the overweight man beside me leaned in and, with a grin, said,"Assistant Ryan, I look forward to your guidance in the future." His tone was neutral, but I couldn't help but sense a hint of sarcasm. After all, my sudden leap from a small class leader to the assistant to the chairman was so abrupt that it was hard to believe.

I muttered inwardly that this wasn't the position I wanted, so whatever they thought or said didn't matter."Do you smoke? Let's go for a cigarette," the man continued.

Bored with the idle time, I readily agreed."Sure." After all, smoking was not only a good way to pass time, but also a means for men to bond.

The company had only one smoking area, located near the workshop, quite a distance away. It took six minutes to walk there from the office. During the walk, the man and I exchanged some casual words.

Once we reached the smoking area, we lit our cigarettes. As the smoke swirled around us, the atmosphere began to relax. The man introduced himself, saying,"I'm Theo Westbrook, a small-time salesman. Ryan, do you know the boss?"

I didn't want to discuss Sophie, so I casually replied,"Sort of." After all, everyone believed I had risen through connections, and in truth, that was indeed the case—though I wasn't pleased about it. I secretly wished they would just fire me.

Theo Westbrook took a drag from his cigarette, curiosity in his eyes."Ryan, you've really moved up fast. Us small-time salesmen are envious of you."

I chuckled wryly."Envious? I don't even know what's going on. I'm just going along with it."

We chatted for a while until Theo's phone rang. He answered the call, spoke briefly, then hung up with a look of mild frustration."Business issues are such a hassle."

I patted him on the shoulder, offering some comfort."It's work; there are always troublesome things. Let's finish this cigarette and then get back to work."

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Back in the office, I continued to sit idly, taking out my phone to play a game. Strangely, Sophie hadn't contacted me all day, which was surprising but also a welcome relief. Theo occasionally glanced at me, his gaze filled with envy.

When it was almost time to get off work in the afternoon, Theo Westbrook came over and whispered,"Brother Ryan, what is your relationship with Sophie Summers? Why did she suddenly promote you?"

I smiled and, attempting to be mysterious, replied,"It's a secret."

The advantage of working regular hours was that my shift only lasted eight hours a day. I kept track of the time, and as soon as the clock struck five, I promptly slipped out of the office, clocked out, and hopped into my old, beat-up car. A wave of relief washed over me as I thought about how I could return home early to catch up on my favorite shows.

However, just as I was about to exit the company gates, a Porsche suddenly sped up from behind, screeching to a halt in front of my car, blocking my way.

A sense of unease washed over me as I recognized the car—Elena's. This persistent troublemaker was at it again. Instinctively, I reached for the door handle, attempting to reverse and leave, but Elena had already jumped out of her car and yanked open my door, glaring at me with fury."You think you can run? Where do you think you're going?"

Fortunately, the industrial park was sparsely populated. I sighed helplessly and muttered,"I told you not to look for me, didn't I?" I had probably said this to her a hundred times, yet she always seemed to ignore it as if the words had never been spoken.

"Get out," she commanded with a stern look.

"I'm not getting out, I have things to do." I attempted to break free from her hold.

"What things? If you don't explain yourself today, you're not going anywhere," she snapped, grabbing my collar with a force that nearly left me breathless.

"Elena, what do you want me to say before you understand? We're simply not right for each other. What you like, I don't; what I like, you don't. What's the point of being together?" I fought to remain calm, trying to reason with her.

"I don't care. You're not leaving me," she declared, her eyes resolute, unwavering in their intensity.

"What do you mean by 'leaving'? We have no relationship," I said, exasperated, raising my hands in surrender.

"How do you not have a relationship? Everyone thinks we're together," she replied, her tone unapologetic.

"That's what they think. Don't you understand that?" My head throbbed—this woman was insufferable.

"I don't care. You're my boyfriend, and that's final." She was as stubborn as a child.

"Please, I beg you, just let me go. I really can't deal with you," I almost pleaded, ready to fall to my knees.

"No way. Get out," she insisted, her stance unyielding.

And so, we remained locked in this stalemate. Just then, a car pulled up beside us, its window rolling down. A man with a charming smile leaned out and teased,"You two are so affectionate, huh? Out here, tugging and pulling on the main road."

The rear window also lowered, and Sophie's voice rang out,"What's going on here?"

"It's none of your business!" Elena snapped, clearly irate.

"It's fine, we're just talking," I quickly intervened, then lowered my voice to Elena,"Let go of me, and if you have something to say, get in the car."