chapter113

Everett and his crew had to leave early because they had a video conference scheduled after dinner.

Once they were gone, Dorothy holed herself up in her room to focus on the paperwork. She decided not to waste her energy on things she couldn't control. This project might be her only real shot at climbing the professional ladder, and since Everett was giving her this opportunity, she was going to work as hard as possible to ensure she didn't let him down.

And just like that, several hours flew by.

At 1 a.m., just as Dorothy was stretching her sore wrists and preparing to call it a night, there was a sudden knock on the door. Who could it be at this hour? She walked over and cautiously peeked through the peephole.

It was Everett.

Dorothy hesitated for a few seconds before opening the door. She was immediately met with the faint scent of alcohol on him. Before she could speak, Everett brushed past her and headed for the bathroom. He was a perfectionist who couldn't stand the smell of a long night of social drinking on himself, though in his position, such events were unavoidable.

Dorothy knew what this meant. He wasn't going back to his own room tonight. Since he had been exhausted all day and had been drinking at night, she assumed he wouldn't have the energy for anything other than sleep.

“Pass me a towel,” Everett’s voice rang out from the bathroom.

Dorothy quickly handed him the towel, keeping her eyes averted. As he took it, she was about to turn away when he spoke up again.

“I need to talk to you about something personal, Dorothy,” he said, his voice dropping to a low, serious tone.

The atmosphere in the room suddenly shifted, becoming heavy with an unspoken tension. Dorothy felt her heart skip a beat. She stood there, stiff and uncertain, as he walked out of the bathroom. The air seemed to solidify between them.

Everett didn't say anything more. Instead, he reached out, his touch gentle yet firm as he drew her toward him. The lights from the ceiling felt a bit too bright, and the world outside the room seemed to fade away.

“Can we turn off the lights?” Dorothy whispered, her voice trembling slightly.

“Sure,” he replied softly.

The rest of the night was a blur of shared warmth and a deep, emotional connection that went beyond words. It wasn't the cold arrangement she had once imagined; it was something far more complex and consuming.

The next day, she was woken up by her phone ringing persistently next to her pillow. After groggily opening her eyes, Dorothy reached out with a tired hand. It was Mr. Percy calling.

What could he want this early?

“Hello, Mr. Percy.”

“Dorothy, have you leaked any information about the SinoSuccess Enterprises project to anyone?” Mr. Percy’s voice sounded panicked, as if a major crisis had just erupted.

Dorothy was now wide awake. She sat up in bed, her heart sinking. “No. I haven't told a soul. What’s going on?”

“The core technical blueprints of the SinoSuccess project have been leaked,” Mr. Percy said breathlessly. “And the CEO of SinoSuccess Enterprises is already on his way to Prosperity Consortium to demand an explanation!”