Knowing that this was a common thing for the newbies to do to start off on the right foot with their
colleagues, Anastasia gave a small ‘oh’ before she unhesitantly took the coffee and drank it.
“Anastasia, everyone is saying that Miss Dora is the president’s relative. What do you think?” Grace
came to her to pick up more gossip.
To her disappointment, Anastasia only shook her head with a laugh. “I am not sure about that.”
Grace could only absent-mindedly blink as she mumbled, “You don’t know as well, huh?”
Anastasia was not a busybody who would spread this kind of gossip. She wouldn’t say a word even if
Aliona was the daughter of Elliot’s father’s close friend.
“Stop your tittle-tattle and get back to work!” she urged Grace.
Anastasia’s female instinct was telling her that Aliona had come to Bourgeois for Elliot. Ah, she
thought. Elliot has another suitor again.
The man had so many admirers that whoever ended up marrying him would definitely live a married life
being constantly worried. Even if he had never approached women, there were a ton that would throw
themselves at him.
It was at this moment when the landline in front of her started to ring. She then reached out to pick it
up. “Hello?”
“I might not be able to pick up Jared with you this evening. I will go with you tomorrow.” He sounded
apologetic as he informed her that in his low voice.
Anastasia immediately knew that Elliot had a prior date tonight and he wouldn’t be able to spend time
to accompany her in picking her son up. “Don’t worry about it. I understand that you are a busy man,
President Presgrave. You don’t have to worry about picking up Jared from now on,” she said politely.
He teased her again in his magnetic voice. “Are you angry?”
I definitely am not angry, she thought as she responded, “Why would I be? You think too much,
President Presgrave.”
WIN
The man still added another explanation. “I have a dinner that I can’t say no to tonight.”
“You don’t have to explain yourself to me.” As soon as she finished saying that, she hung up the phone
and left the office feeling slightly irritated. She went to the pantry to get herself a glass of lemon water,
but just as she was about to look for a place to sit, she heard someone entering from the door.
Aliona had a leery old bird of an employee who also happened to be single sticking close to her side.
“Miss Dora,” the man pestered. “Are you free tonight? Let’s have dinner together.”
She only turned with a polite smile as she rejected him. “My apologies as I have a date tonight.”
When he heard that, the man tried to speak in a roundabout manner to fish out more information. “Oh,
so you have a boyfriend, Miss Dora.”
Her sharp gaze fell on Anastasia at that moment and she only smiled without giving a definite answer.
“I am really sorry! I have dinner with someone really important to me.”
Anastasia automatically knew that she was talking about Elliot when she said that it was an important
person.
The male colleague somewhat awkwardly laughed as he left and when he did, Aliona poured herself a
cup of tea before she sat across Anastasia. “Anastasia,” she called out abruptly, “we have actually met
before.”
“Oh? When was it?” Anastasia tried her best to recall but to no avail. It was impossible for her not to
have any recollection at all if she had met such a beautiful woman before.
Aliona laughed gently. “It was during Old Madam Presgrave’s birthday banquet. I also know about how
you fell into the pool. I was there at the time. You really had me worried when you fell in!”
Anastasia’s face turned pink when she heard that. Aliona had probably seen Elliot giving her CPR
those few times if she was present at the banquet.
“I must have looked silly,” Anastasia calmly replied.
“Anastasia, your relationship with President Presgrave must be quite good! I can see that he worries
about you,” Aliona probed. Even though she knew the truth behind
Anastasia and Elliot’s relationship, she tried her best to pretend like she didn’t.
When Aliona said that, Anastasia immediately denied. “No, no. Our relationship is strictly professional.
He is my boss and I am his subordinate. That is all.”
She actually is denying having a personal relationship with Elliot? Aliona’s heart skipped a beat.
“Please take care of me since I am new here, Anastasia.”
However, Anastasia unexpectedly comforted her, “Don’t worry, I am sure President Presgrave will take
very good care of you.”
Aliona’s thoughts immediately went haywire at that. Does she not feel the least bit jealous? Isn’t she
supposed to really like Elliot? Did Father’s resources give us the wrong information?
Instead of continuing beating around the bush, she spoke bluntly, “Anastasia, do you like President
Presgrave?”
Pfft! Anastasia choked on her glass of lemon water. After letting out a small cough to clear her throat,
she nonchalantly explained, “We are merely a boss and his subordinate. Please don’t misunderstand if
you were to hear any rumor about this, Miss Dora. President Presgrave and I are innocent. There is
nothing between us.”
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