Entering the marketing department, I found Charlotte Hayes intently painting her nails. Upon seeing me, her eyes lit up, and with a smile, she said,"Ryan, come here, tell me, does this red look better, or the green?"

This woman always stirs a certain urge for conquest within me. I walked over, examining her nails closely,"The red, I think. The green looks like a leaf."

Her hands were exquisite, with slender fingers devoid of any knuckles, as if they were divine creations sculpted by the hands of God. She took my hand and coquettishly said,"Help me paint them."

I softly replied,"We're at work, and these are your expense reports. Here you go."

She glanced at them, casually placing them aside, and continued caressing my hand, her eyes dreamy as she asked,"Ryan, don't you think my hands are beautiful?"

I chuckled lightly, playfully scolding her,"You're a little imp. Get back to work." Then I turned and walked out of the office. She stirred a desire within me, but I would never entertain thoughts of crossing a line, after all, I had a girlfriend.

Next, I entered Vincent's office and handed him his documents. He looked at me in surprise and asked,"Sophie didn't agree?"

"She did. She just wanted me to approve it," I replied calmly.

Vincent chuckled and said, "Alright, it seems I'll soon be calling you General Manager Ryan."

I waved my hand and gave a wry smile."Forget it. The company is hers. She calls the shots. I'm just a small assistant."

Vincent, his mind clear, laughed."She let you sign off on these budgets; that's not just casual handling, she's clearly valuing you."

I gave a resigned smile, but inside, I felt conflicted. Though my position in the company seemed to be improving, it was not what I truly desired. I wanted to earn recognition through my own efforts, not through Sophie's trust.

Leaving Vincent's office, I headed for the finance department. As soon as Lila saw me, she stood up to greet me."Ryan, what brings you here today?"

With a smile, I said,"Lila, here are the latest budget documents. Sophie had me approve them, so you can proceed."

Lila took the documents, her gaze tinged with curiosity."Did Sophie really let you approve them?"

I nodded."Yes, she trusts my judgment."

Lila smiled."It seems you hold quite a special place in Sophie's heart."

After handing over the documents, I was about to return to my office when the phone suddenly rang, breaking the corridor's silence. It was a call from Celeste Harrington. My heart skipped a beat, and I quickly answered.

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"Ryan, you've been so busy lately, you hardly respond to my messages," Celeste's voice carried a hint of reproach and helplessness.

I had indeed been slow to reply recently, and I felt a twinge of guilt."Celeste, I'm so sorry. Sophie's had me buried in paperwork these past few days, so I've been swamped." In reality, it wasn't just that—there had been other distractions as well.

There was a pause on the other end, followed by Celeste's soft sigh."Ryan, I'm coming tomorrow. Are you happy about that?"

At that moment, I wasn't particularly eager for Celeste's arrival, especially since it would mean facing Minnie face-to-face, something I'd rather avoid. Yet, I still feigned excitement, saying,"Of course I'm happy, how could I not be? I've missed you terribly."

I hung up the phone, my heart filled with sweetness and anticipation. Celeste's familiar voice always brought warmth and comfort. I imagined her smile when we met tomorrow, and a sense of happiness filled me.

"Ryan, I miss you too. Just thinking that I'll see you tomorrow makes me feel like a free little bird," Celeste's voice was sweet with anticipation.

"Celeste, what time is your flight?" I asked, my voice tinged with urgency.

"I checked, I should be landing at Eldoria Airport around four in the afternoon," Celeste replied, her voice full of excitement.

"Alright, I'll come pick you up," I said firmly, as if I could already see her walking out of the airport.

"Are you sure it's okay to leave? Won't Sophie have something to say?" Celeste asked, a note of concern in her voice.

"I'll take leave to pick you up. She won't say anything about that," I answered confidently, though a flicker of nervousness lingered within.

"Alright then, I've got to get back to work. Love you, Ryan." Celeste's voice was gentle and sweet.

"I love you too, Celeste," I responded tenderly.

After hanging up, I realized I had wandered into the hallway outside my office. As I snapped back to reality, I saw Sophie leaning against the doorframe, coldly watching me. Upon hearing me end the call, she sneered and turned to walk back into her office.

In an instant, my mood plummeted from euphoria to despair. I took a deep breath, entered the office, and said to Sophie,"Sophie, I'd like to take the afternoon off tomorrow."

"Not approved," Sophie replied nonchalantly, her eyes still glued to her phone.

"Sophie, I'm going to pick up Celeste," I said urgently, my voice laced with a hint of pleading.

"They have company staff to pick her up. It's not necessary for you to go," Sophie responded coldly, still focused on her phone.

I was left speechless for a moment, a surge of frustration boiling within me.

"Sophie, I promised Celeste I'd pick her up," I said, struggling to calm myself, my tone laced with resignation.

"You promised, but I didn't," Sophie answered indifferently, her casual dismissal further igniting my anger.

"Sophie, what's your issue? Why do you always have something against Celeste?" I couldn't hold back any longer, my voice tinged with anger.

"Am I against her? Where did you get that idea?" Sophie's voice rose louder than mine, her gaze filled with disdain.

"Then why don't you want me to pick her up?" I asked, frustrated, though I already knew the answer.

"She's coming to the company anyway. There's no need for you to pick her up," Sophie answered, her tone laced with subtle mockery.

"It's not the same thing," I tried to explain, though I felt utterly powerless.

"What difference does it make? She's here for work, and so are you. The company isn't a place for romance," Sophie's words pierced like a dagger into my heart.

"I…" I opened my mouth, but found myself at a loss for words.

"Ryan, work isn't about doing whatever you feel like. It's not a place where you come and go as you please," Sophie said coldly, her eyes radiating indifference.

Defeated, I returned to my desk, a deep sense of helplessness and anger settling over me. I took out my phone and sent Celeste a message:"Celeste, I won't be able to pick you up tomorrow. Sophie didn't approve. She's arranged for company staff to pick you up instead."