FULL NOVELXO Chapter 131-140
Chapter 131
“How about you punish me?” Romeo clung to her, saying, “As long as you forgive me, I’ll do whatever you say.” Arabella’s eyes lit up at his words. “Really?”
“Yep.” Romeo nodded earnestly, waiting for whatever punishment she would dish out.
“Then I sentence you to two days without contacting me. I need some time alone.”
She desperately needed some alone time. She had a lot of things she needed to take care of by herself.
Recently, she had been unable to get anything done because of this guy constantly clinging to her!
This was a great opportunity
“Bella”
This punishment was too harsh for Romeo!
His heart felt as though it was being torn apart, but he still managed to plead, “Can we change the punishment?”
Arabella was speechless. “Didn’t you say I could choose?”
“Not even two hours; I can’t do it.” Romeo looked at her honestly and sincerely and said, “How could I possibly not look for you?”
“Then for the next two days, keep your distance from me, no touching.”
At least not in public.
This punishment was also a heavy blow for Romeo; he tried to negotiate, saying, “Can’t you punish me in some other way? Like hiring someone to beat me up; I’ll even pay
for it?”
“Do you have too much time on your hands?”
“Or starve me for a few days; make me kneel.”
From the side, Serena had had enough; she couldn’t stand it anymore!
“Sis, enough. I was just talking to Romeo. Why are you giving him a hard time?
“Does what I do have anything to do with you?” Arabella raised her eyes dismissively, her superior aura making people wary.
Romeo studied her beautiful face and said, “Even if you make me kneel for three days and nights, I won’t complain.”
“You heard that?” Arabella looked at Serena with a dismissive tone and said, “It’s our business, none of your business.” Romeo was overjoyed. Bella said “our business“! “Our“!!
I
Serena was furious; she could only turn her gaze to Romeo and say, “Romeo, you can’t always spoil a girl like this.”
“I’m willing!” Romeo was still immersed in his joy; he glanced at Serena discontentedly and said, “Fiancées are meant to be pampered. Whatever Bella does to me, I’m happy.”
Serena was literally done: “I’m afraid that in the future,”
“In the future, if you get angry with me, it just means you care about me.” Romeo looked at the girl in his arms, his eyes filled with tenderness and love.
Serena: !!!
‘Yo, it’s so sweet first thing in the morning! Am I interrupting?” Kenneth quickly stopped, laughing as he draped his arm over Louisa’s shoulder. “Let’s have breakfast in the garden, shall we? Let’s leave them some space.”
Okay.” Louisa grinned. Seeing Serena still sitting at the dining table, she immediately said, “Serena, what are you waiting for? Let’s go.”
Don’t disturb Romeo and Bella!
Serena cast a reluctant glance at Romeo, not understanding how this man could be so infatuated and completely bewitched by Arabella!
What’s so great about Arabella anyway?
Chapter 132
With no one else around, Romeo let loose, hugging Arabella nonstop
Finally arriving at the company, Arabella breathed a sigh of relief Spotting Dean, she said in a soft voice, “Fetch Mr. Charlie from the production department and the team leaders from lines four and five to my office
“Sure thing” As Dean went off to call them, the company employees started their whispering game again.
Ever since Arabella took over, whoever got called into her office was toast!
Now she had Dean call over Mr. Charlie and the line leaders.
A bunch of nosy employees followed sneakily, curious about what the big deal was.
“Ms. Bennett, you wanted to see us?”
Mr. Charlie, looking a bit malnourished, was around forty, tall, and skinny. His shrewd eyes twinkled with a bit of mischief.
The other two line leaders looked anxious but managed to squeeze out a smile and said in unison, “Good morning. Ms. Bennett.”
Without wasting any time, Arabella tossed her phone on the table and played the recording.
“Eden, whether you agree or not, this is how it’s going down; there’s no room for discussion!”
“Has Mr Oscar mistreated you guys in the past year? Can’t you see what’s happening? Now that Ms. Bennett is here, every little thing is under scrutiny. Lines four and five have to stop, and the inventory in the warehouse needs to be cleared out in a couple of days. Or else, not just us, even Mr. Oscar will get into trouble!”
Mr. Charlie and Eden from line four went as white as sheets!
These were their words from the hallway, recorded crystal clear.
Did the hallway have bugs? Or was Arabella eavesdropping in the hallway last night?
“Ms. Bennett, this is,” Mr. Charlie was in disbelief and completely at a loss for words!
This can’t be happening!
He had checked the security cameras; nobody entered or left the company last night. He had even specifically checked the recording, which was working the whole time. If someone was there, they would’ve been caught on tape!
Unless that person could become invisible!
Otherwise, how could this be explained?
Were there really bugs?
“There is no need to rush your explanation.” Arabella said casually as she played another recording.
“Mr. Charlie, if Arabella actually came to the company and knew about the goods we’re producing, what would we do?”
“With the way Arabella is checking things, it won’t be long before all our secrets are out!”
“Could we lose our jobs because of this?”
“If Arabella finds out about our mistakes, we might not just lose our jobs; we could even get sued!“”
“If someone had an accident on their way to work, like a car crash or something else, we can’t be blamed; they’re just unlucky.”
Mr. Charlie was terrified; the last sentence was his. Now that Arabella played it in front of him, he went pale, feeling like the sky was falling. He was done!
The other two leaders were also scared stiff, barely able to stand. They couldn’t believe their conversation in the warehouse last night was recorded in full!
They didn’t even have a chance to argue.
So Mr. Charlie wasn’t hearing things last night; the sound of a phone vibrating was someone hiding in the warehouse recording!
But who could it be? How did they do it?
They had searched the warehouse inside and out; not even a mosquito could’ve escaped their sight!
How did they get this recording?
Chapter 133
Mr. Charlie was all at sea. He’d set a new password when he left the warehouse. If there was someone in there, how the hell did they get out?
There’s no way they could’ve cracked that complex password system.
But if the warehouse was empty, what’s the deal with the recording inside? Was the warehouse really under surveillance?
Did the warehouse manager betray them?
“Dean, go fetch the warehouse manager.” Arabella’s words made the three people in the room uneasy.
The other employees outside the office were gobsmacked. The warehouse manager had issues too?
Good Lord, what a hot mess the management was!
No wonder the company didn’t make any progress after a year!
So many problems were gnawing at the company.
The warehouse manager seemed to be in her early twenties, wearing glasses and looking all quiet–not the type who would stab the company in the back.
When Dean called her, she knew she couldn’t hide it anymore. With a sobbing voice, she murmured, “Ms. Bennett
Although she was older than Arabella, Arabella’s aura frightened her, and she didn’t dare meet Arabella’s gaze.
Arabella tapped her slender fingers on the table, scanning the four people in the room. “Oh right, we’re missing one more. Bring the head of the procurement department.” The other employees outside the door were stunned. Even the head of procurement was involved.
Were there any good guys left in the management?
Once everyone was there, Arabella casually started, “Now that everyone is here, spill the beans.”
“Ms. Bennett.” Mr. Charlie was scared out of his wits.
The head of procurement quickly exclaimed, “Ms. Bennett, I have nothing to do with this.”
“Ms. Bennett, I don’t know anything.” The warehouse manager also tried to defend herself.
The other leaders kept their heads down, knowing there was no point in arguing.
“If no one wants to fess up,” Arabella didn’t seem to be in a hurry, casually glancing at the people in front of her and saying, “Then I’ll have to guess.” Everyone kept their lips sealed.
“I’ve checked the company’s purchase orders. The procurement price for each type of fabric is almost the same as the market price. But if you’re in a long-term partnership with the supplier, the price can be lowered.”
“For instance, a hundred meters of regular pure cotton fabric usually costs around 130 bucks. If you partner long–term, you can get it for 80 bucks.”
“But the head of procurement has been buying in bulk at a price of 150. At this price, a roll of a hundred meters of fabric can make at least seventy to eighty new items, but when it arrives at the warehouse, there are only twenty to thirty left.”
“Ms. Bennett, you don’t understand.”
Before Arabella could finish, the head of procurement hastily explained, “The young designers in the design department include too many elements in the new designs; they’re complex and consume a lot of fabric. It’s mainly consumed during production; it’s not my personal problem.”
“If workers on the production line really made seventy to eighty new items, but only twenty to thirty arrived at the warehouse, how could they possibly agree? Their wages are calculated per piece.”
There’s a huge difference!
“What if these extra fifty pieces were sold elsewhere by you guys and the money earned was shared among you?” Arabella casually/suggested, “What if you agreed with the cloth supplier on a price of 80 bucks per hundred meters of fabric but wrote 150 on the books?”
Arabella tapped on the computer a few times and then turned the screen towards her.
“You’re in partnership with three cloth suppliers. Each month, at different times, these three suppliers make transfers to your personal account. If this isn’t kickbacks, can you explain to me what it is?”
The head of procurement was stunned. She hadn’t expected Arabella to find out all this. How was this possible?
“There are issues with the purchase amount, quantity, and quality.” Arabella’s gaze shifted to the quiet girl in front. “There are issues with the intake and output. Now it’s your turn to explain.”
The warehouse manager was terrified and stammered, “Ms. Bennett, I didn’t.”
“I’ve checked the company’s surveillance and the surveillance of nearby courier points.”
Arabella’s slender fingers tapped on the keyboard, and countless surveillance images appeared on the computer screen, filling everyone’s vision.
“The surveillance shows that you’ve sent goods from the warehouse to the nearby courier point more than three hundred times. You have several phone numbers, all registered under your name. You’ve sent more than three hundred parcels.”
“Ms. Bennett.” Facing the irrefutable surveillance evidence, the warehouse manager turned pale, and cold sweat trickled down her face.
“You sent a parcel to the courier point after work yesterday, but they hadn’t had time to send it out. There is information about the recipient. Dean called the recipient, and she said she had placed an order from an online shop called ‘Collins Fashion Online Store“.”
“I found the shop. It’s been in operation for 11 months. In other words, the second month after the company was established, you set up an online shop and sold the company’s products there. You didn’t get the company’s agreement or authorization.”
“Depending on the style the customer needs, if it’s a small quantity of clothes, you send them after work; if it’s a large quantity, you ship directly from the warehouse, calling the courier to pick it up at the warehouse. The courier has come to pick up more than two hundred times.”
“But each product is tens of dollars cheaper than the market price.”
The warehouse manager was so scared that her legs turned to jelly and she was trembling all over.
Arabella turned her gaze to the other three, stating firmly, “Not only did you sell the company’s high–quality products, but you also privately used inferior fabric to produce poor–quality clothes, then stuck the company’s label on them and sold them elsewhere, damaging the company’s reputation. Am I right?”
None of them had expected her to dig this deep; It was way beyond their wildest guesses!
It was as if she had hard evidence!
They were all scared shitless, pale as ghosts, beads of cold sweat trickling down their foreheads, at a loss for words as to how to explain all this.
“You guys have anything to say before I call the cops?” Arabella’s gaze swept over each of them, waiting for someone to speak up.
Eden, the team leader of Line 4, was the first one to crack under the pressure, blurting out, “Mr. Oscar made us do it. Either get on board with him or get out of the company. We really had no choice, man!”
“Yeah!” chimed in the leader of Line 5, “We’re in debt up to our eyeballs, and in a moment of stupidity.”
“Enough,” Mr. Charlie said, stopping them from continuing.
Chapter 134
Eden grumbled, “Mr. Charlie, we’re all exposed now; are we still going to cover for Mr. Oscar?”
“Remember the celebration party for the first month of our company’s establishment? Ikit weren’t for him egging us on to bet online, would we have lost so much money? We still can’t pay it off!”
The team leader of Line 5 was constantly getting calls from debt collectors, so much so that he was considering jumping off the roof.
If it wasn’t for his young kids and sick wife, he would have ended it all already.
“Mr. Oscar even encouraged you to bet online?” Arabella raised an eyebrow. This was illegal; no one would dare to do it.
“Mr. Oscar said that I could win 9 out of 10 times on that website; he even showed us his withdrawal amount, over 60k $!”
“At first, we didn’t believe him, but after a few bets, most of us were winning and could withdraw the money straight to our bank accounts.”
“So we started betting more and more, even getting our friends and family involved. But the website kept raising the withdrawal limit, first saying you needed 50k to withdraw, and after we gathered 50k, they said you needed 100k to get the money out. So, we borrowed more money from various online loan platforms, and even after investing hundreds of thousands, we still couldn’t get our money back!”
The team leader of Line 5 sighed; if it weren’t for worrying about dragging his wife and kids into this, he would have offed himself!
Because many workers from the production line were involved, they formed Line 4 and Line 5, producing low–quality clothes together, cooperating with the warehouse manager to sell the clothes outside, and sharing the earned money proportionally.
“Some of our relatives from our hometown trust us; they don’t know how to operate online, so they gave us their life savings or money collected from selling their houses to invest, and now it’s all gone.”
“Some of them were retirement funds; some was for relatives surgeries; they didn’t have enough to cover the surgery, so they wanted to win some extra money through betting, but now they’ll never see a penny of that money.”
“Most of the money was borrowed from dozens of online loan platforms.”
“We’ve been paying it back for a whole year, several thousand dollars each month, and we’re still not done!”
The team leaders of Line 4 and Line 5 couldn’t help but weep as they spoke; the helplessness they felt was something only they could understand.
“I also placed bets, and,” The warehouse manager bit her lip, tears rolling down her cheeks, choking for a while before saying. At that celebration party, I got drunk. When I woke up the next day, I found myself lying next to Mr. Oscar. He took a lot of pictures of me, forcing me to do this.”
Everyone was stunned, looking at her with disbelief written all over their faces.
“At first, I was in agony, especially knowing that he had connections in the police department; reporting him would be pointless. But then I started getting a share every month, and I could buy some designer bags. I just let it happen.”
The warehouse manager’s words shocked and angered the head of the procurement department: “I also had quite a bit to drink that time, and Oscar put pressure on me too! He threatened me, saying he’d tell my husband and post my pictures outside my in–laws‘ workplace, letting them know I was a rule–breaking daughter–in–law. I had just gotten married; I was really scared.”
The conversation in the office made the crowd outside very dissatisfied!
Oscar really crossed the line!
Taking advantage of people’s difficulties, forcing them to cooperate with him!
“Ms. Bennett, I beg you to let us go. The warehouse manager pleaded, “I really don’t want to go to jail. I still have a long life ahead of me; I really don’t want to spend it in prison.”
Chapter 135
“You guys cost the company millions of dollars. I have to call the police for this,” Arabella said calmly. “If I let you guys slide, I’d be aiding and abetting, and I’d be just as guilty as you”
“Ms. Bennett, please spare us…” the head of the purchasing department was sobbing. “I have a happy marriage, and my child was just born… I really don’t wanna ruin my family over this!”
“We have to explain this to the head office. If employees can cause the company to lose millions and then just cry it out and apologize, what kind of chaos would that lead to? How can we manage? How can we lead?”
“Ms. Bennett… The audience comprehended that this matter brooked no deliberation. This can only be blamed upon them, as they chose the wrong path, which is now irreparable.
“We are all adults, Arabella solemnly remarked, “and since the deed is done, we must bear the consequences. If there are any injustices, we can bring them to the attention of the police and seek clemency.”
Despite Oscar’s reprehensible actions, they too are accomplices, leading the company to endure immense losses, and the company is also a victim.
Arabella glanced at Dean, and Dean understood, reaching for his phone to report to the police.
Every word they uttered a moment ago has been recorded by Arabella, with the intention to provide it to the authorities later.
“What is the website’s URL?”
Hearing this, Mr. Charlie froze, tears still in his eyes. Then he pulled out his phone, “It’s… it’s this one… Even though it’s been shut down, we still owe friends and online lenders money, we have to pay them back every month. Ms. Bennett, why are you asking about this all of a sudden?”
The website was already shut down, there was no hope of getting the money back.
“Nothing.” Arabella remembered the URL, planning to do some private investigation.
“Although all this was because of Oscar’s coercion, we don’t have any proof. The money we gave him every month was transferred to some unknown bank accounts, or in
cash…”
They were frustrated. They were about to be taken to the police station, but Oscar was still at large!
Arabella knew that currently, the only evidence against Oscar was testimonies, but there was very little physical evidence. Even if Oscar was taken to the police station today, he would be released soon due to insufficient evidence.
“It’s our problem if we go to jail, but Oscar is the culprit! He made the most profit, he must be punished, only then can we rest!”
“On Oscar’s side, I shall unveil his vulnerability,” Arabella’s words had barely settled when several policemen arrived at the door.
Witnessing the five individuals being taken away by the police, the onlookers outside were filled with indescribable sorrow.
This incident has sent shockwaves throughout the entire company. While Kenneth was playing golf, he received a phone call that left him visibly bewildered. “What happened?” Louisa, who was nearby, heard him mention Bella’s situation and thought she might have been mistreated, so she hurriedly came to his side.
Kenneth could barely stand; after ending the call, he staggered a few steps. Serena rushed forward to support him, saying, “What’s wrong with sister? Dad, don’t worry, take your time to explain!”
“It’s not your sister who’s in trouble…. Kenneth was guided to a shaded area, where he sat on a leisure chair and rested for a while. After drinking some water brought by a caddy, his complexion gradually improved.
Chapter 136
“Bella called in Mr. Charlie from manufacturing, the warehouse manager, the team leaders of the forth and fifth lines, and even the procurement head first thing this morning..”
Louisa gently touched her heart and asked, “And then?”
“Do you know why the company hasn’t seen any improvement after running for a whole year?”
At this point, Kenneth’s anger flared up again, and he found it hard to breathe.
“Easy, easy, tell me slowly…” Louisa had a hunch that something was off.
Kenneth endeavored to compose himself, “There are three fabric suppliers we collaborate with at our company, and the price per meter of fabric is approximately 80 dollars. However, the purchasing department head submitted a procurement amount of 150 dollars to the headquarters, pocketing the extra 70 dollars along with Mr. Charlie, the warehouse manager, the team leader of lines four and five, and some of the production workers.”
Louisa exclaimed in surprise, “Is that even possible?!”
“I’d let it slide if he only siphoned off $70, but the key is, he’s been doing this for a whole year! Bella checked, and the total amount involved in this scam is up to a million dollars!”
Louisa was shocked, “They actually conspired to do this!”
“Every month, the three fabric suppliers would wire him money, proving that he’s been taking kickbacks. He even admitted it…”
Kennish was so furious his heart ached, “Not only that, from a hundred–meter length of fabric, we could make at least seventy to eighty new products. But when it came to warehousing, only twenty to thirty were left. Do you know where the other fifty went?”
Louisa shook her head and Serena also indicated her confusion, both awaiting Kenneth’s continuation,
“These guys, two months after the company was established, they opened an online store. If customers placed orders, they would take the goods to the nearby courier point for selling. If a customer ordered a lot at once, a courier would directly come to our company’s doorstep to pick up the goods!”
Louisa was stunned, “Aren’t these guys afraid of getting caught on camera?”
“They deleted the surveillance footage. They committed this crime as a gang, without any fear.” Kenneth couldn’t believe it when he heard about it, but the evidence was solid, “Apparently, it was Bella who restored the surveillance and caught them in the act…”
Louisa was utterly shocked, “If not for Bella, how long were they planning to keep this up…‘
“Not just that, they also hoarded a lot of substandard fabric, producing identical styles to the company’s, affixing the company’s labels, and selling them elsewhere. Because the fabric was rough, a lot of people had skin allergies after wearing them. This has ruined the company’s reputation… The impact is massive!”
Louisa was taken aback upon hearing this revelation. No wonder the company struggled to make any profit for an entire year. It turned out these few individuals were scheming behind the scenes!
Meanwhile, Serena’s thoughts went to Arabella again. She deliberately brought her parents here today to play golf, but now the company has been embroiled in this matter, affecting her parents‘ mood. Everything she did today seems futile!
She thought to herself: “Annoying Arabella, always entangling herself in so many things, disrupts my peace of mind from time to time!”
“Where’s Oscar then? Before Bella came to the company, he was the main person in charge! With such a thing happening under his management, is he really clueless?” Louisa pursued.
“They claim that everything was due to Oscar’s threats and enticements, but I’m not sure if that’s the truth…”
If there really is something wrong with Oscar, then the company’s losses.over the past year are not just as simple as a million dollars…
“Oscar is a key person at our headquarters, the reason we sent him there was because we trust his capabilities and integrity…” Louisa never thought that there would be such an issue, it seems Oscar can’t shirk his responsibility.
Chapter 137
“But right now, we don’t have enough evidence against him, can’t really pin him down…” Kenneth felt a heavy weight on his heart as he thought about this.
If Oscar really did have the reins of the company, they’d be losing a ton of cash this year….
“Should we send someone to help Bella?” Louisa was worried about her daughter being left alone..
But Kenneth wasn’t worried, “Look at us, playing golf here, and in just a short time, Bella has uncovered so many issues… She’s way ahead of us! I trust she can handle it.” “Ever since Bella took over the company, it’s been a big relief.” Louisa added, glancing at Serena, “You should learn more from your sister…”
Indeed, Bella’s management skills had surpassed her years
Her natural business acumen made her stand out in a crowd, she was incredibly capable.
On the other hand, Serena had been pampered since childhood, even if she were handed a company, she might not run it as well as Bella.
“Serena won’t take over the company, right? Just keep being a princess, when the time is right, find someone to marry, we won’t shortchange you,” Kenneth said with a warm smile, he still considered her as family.
Louisa also laughed, “Your bestie Brooklyn Reed, her sister got a wedding gift of millions of dollars, plus twelve houses and twelve cars when she got married. Don’t worry, your wedding gift will definitely be more than hers.”
Hearing this, Serena was filled with mixed feelings. The Collins family was wealthy, and she would only get a little more than Brooklyn’s sister?
How dare they!
They claimed to treat her like family, but it was all a lie!
She couldn’t help but think about how Arabella returned home just a few days ago and already had an abundance of spending money. Now she even possesses a company…. which could potentially be worth a fortune in the future!
Last time, her parents hinted that they would bestow more properties on that bitch!.
Money will be used up, but the company is the long–term investment!
Yet, her parents seemed to plan on pacifying her with some money, houses, and cars!
She is not some beggar in need of handouts!
“My sister must have gone through a lot of hardship in the Murphy family to see so many dark sides of human nature…” Serena suddenly changed her tone, pretending to care, “Mom, Dad, we should be nicer to her…”
Arabella was independent and decisive, probably because no one around her cared for her or loved her.
“Serena’s right. I’m going to transfer some money to Bella, let her feel the warmth of home…” Louisa immediately took out her phone and transferred five million dollars.
Kenneth also took out his phone, “Whatever you transferred, I’ll match it. We need to let Bella know, she’s got not just her mom’s love, but also her dad’s!”
Hearing this, Serena was insanely jealous. She wanted to show Kenneth and Louisa that Arabella had grown up in such an environment, her heart was already complicated and no longer innocent!
Otherwise, how could she reveal so many dark sides of human nature?
But why did her parents think in such a different way from normal people…
Chapter 138
Her phone buzzed a few times at that moment, and Arabella picked it up to see it was Romeo calling
“Bella” Romeo’s voice was deep and magnetic, “I’ve been thinking about you.”
Arabella asked somewhat helplessly, “What’s up?”
“Are you swamped with work?” Romeo asked in his lazy but pleasing tone, “Do you need me to help you out?”
“No need
“I’ve been thinking about you,” Romeo said, “I wish I could finish all your work for you so you’d have time to be with me. But I still have an hour before I see you.” Romeo sounded a bit anxious, “I want to video call you, just for a bit.”
Romeo seemed to know she would refuse, so he didn’t wait for her to speak before he started pleading. “Just for a little while.”
Arabella stayed silent.
“Bella… Romeo pleaded again, “I promise it won’t interfere with your work.”
Arabella, having no other choice, finally agreed to his request. Soon after, his video call came through.
As soon as Arabella answered, someone knocked on her door.
“Come in.”
“Ms. Bennett, your coffee,” Dean said, placing the coffee on the desk, completely unaware of her ongoing video call.
“Ms. Bennett, you’re famous again! The whole company is talking about you, someone even wrote a prose piece about you.”
“Oh?” Arabella took a sip of her coffee, seeming somewhat surprised.
“Let me recite it for you…”
Dean cleared his throat and began reciting: “If Ms. Bennett gets angry with you, you should be scared; If Ms. Bennett summons you to court, you’re going to jail; With Ms. Bennett here, the bad guys will fail; With Ms. Bennett here, we’re sure to prevail! Whether you’re strong or weak, you better fix your mistakes; because if Ms. Bennett takes action, you’re out of the company in a blink!”
Arabella couldn’t help but feel a bit helpless upon hearing this.
The man on the other end of the video call started laughing, seemingly entertained by the prose.
“Ms. Bennett, from this prose, it’s clear how highly everyone respects you… when you presented that evidence to those five people today, it was so cool! Do you know what the other people in the company are saying about you?” Dean spoke excitedly. “The female employees say they’re attracted to you, hoping to marry you! And some of the male employees are planning to confess their feelings for you after work.”
Arabella almost choked on her coffee upon hearing this.
“They’re saying you’ve only been here for a week and you’ve already found seven problematic people, including some on the production line… They’re all betting that within a week, you’ll send Oscar to the police station.”
Dean leaned in close to Arabella, smiling, “Ms. Bennett, I bet a buck, not sure if I can win…”
Arabella casually replied, “Bet more.”
“Huh?”
Arabella lazily said, “Raise the stakes.”
Upon hearing this, Dean became instantly excited, “Ms. Bennett, are you sure? If you are, I’m willing to bet all my money!”
Arabella hadn’t even responded yet.
“But right now the evidence isn’t enough, the police might let him go…” Dean said regretfully…
“Wouldn’t it be good if he gets away?” Arabella raised an eyebrow, speaking with interest, “I’d actually prefer if they let him go.”
“Huh?” Dean was confused, why would she want that?
No one can fully comprehend Arabella’s thoughts, but as Dean observed her brimming confidence, he had a strong premonition that he was going to win!
He must increase the stakes!
“By the way, Ms. Bennett, Oscar has connections at the headquarters… Be cautious!” Dean warned.
“Very well,” Arabella replied nonchalantly. No matter how influential he might be, in the face of evidence, all his connections would crumble.
“Ms. Bennett, you are so talented at such a young age. What kind of person would dare to stand shoulder to shoulder with you as your future partner?” Dean suddenly wondered, gazing at Arabella’s stern countenance.
Arabella glanced at the man in the video, and he was looking back at her. She did exude a powerful aura, but Romeo was no less formidable.
“Ms. Bennett, are you willing to make a bet?” Dean challenged.
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“What are you betting on?”
“I’m betting that your future partner is gonna be an absolute catch! I have no idea what he’ll be like, but I bet he’s gonna be good–looking, loaded, and high–status! He’s gonna be smitten by your beauty, that’s for sure!”
“You got that much free time?” Arabella asked carelessly “Can you handle the work of those five guys for me?”
“Ms. Bennett, I just remembered I have something else to attend to, I’ll be right back,” Dean replied quickly.
As he was about to leave, he heard a male voice.
“Mr. McMillian, these documents need your review”
That was Carl’s voice. He walked into Romeo’s office, hoping Romeo could make decisions on several projects.
Hearing this, Dean stopped, ‘Ms. Bennett, I think I just heard a man’s voice. You hiding a guy in your office or something?” On the other side, Carl seemed to have heard Dean’s voice and asked confusedly, “Mr. McMillian, who’s talking?”
Then, both Carl and Dean discovered their boss was on a video call.
Their faces were filled with shock.
Especially Dean, his mouth hung open in surprise.
“Ms. Bennett you…”
Since when did Ms. Bennett know such a big shot?
“You guys are on a video call?”
Holy moly!
Is he dreaming?
He saw that handsome face on Ms. Bennett’s phone!
Romeo!
The world’s richest man, Romeo!
Didn’t people say he was cold–hearted and didn’t like women?
Why was he on a video call with Arabella?
“Ms. Bennett, you guys aren’t…”
“Bella, aren’t you going to introduce him?” Romeo’s voice was laced with interest. “Is this your assistant?”
Bella!
Bella!!
He actually called Ms. Bennett “Bella“!.
It was such an affectionate nickname!
Arabella thought to herself, what’s this guy up to?
“Mr. McMillian, greetings… I’m Dean, Arabella’s assistant. It’s a great honor to meet you today!” Dean quickly bowed, showing utmost respect, “I wasn’t aware that you were having a video call. I apologize for the interruption… Are you Arabella’s boyfriend?”
“Fiancé.”
Hearing “fiancé“, Dean was even more shocked.
Fiancé!
Romeo was Ms. Bennett’s fiancé!
Ms. Bennett was really something. Her fiancé was such a powerful man.
Not only in the company, but she could also have her way in the entire world!
“Thanks for the compliment earlier.”
Dean didn’t expect that he had inadvertently praised Romeo. Good thing he didn’t say anything bad! Otherwise, he might have gotten himself into trouble.
“I really can’t think of anyone more suitable for Ms. Bennett than you, you guys are a match made in heaven!”
The men at the company were truly overestimating themselves. Ms. Bennett’s fiancé is Romeo, and yet they still had the audacity to consider confessing their feelings to her after work.
“Mr. McMillian, you can rest assured that I will do everything in my power to protect Ms. Bennett’s safety at the company and ensure that no other men get close to her. If you have any instructions, feel free to let me know. I am more than willing to serve you,” Dean said.
Arabella thought, Who do you work for exactly? Who pays your salary?!
Chapter 140
“Bella, this employee is doing such a great job, shouldn’t we give him a raise?” Romeo said from the other end of the video call.
Upon hearing this, Dean immediately perked up, eyes full of anticipation as he looked at Arabella.
“If you don’t leave now, I’ll donate your bonus this month to charity.”
Upon hearing this, Dean nearly lost his footing in surprise and quickly got up, “I’m leaving right now!”
“Watch what you say when you leave.”
“Got it, Ms. Bennett. Rest assured, I won’t breathe a word about your relationship to anyone…” Dean wasn’t paying attention and bumped his head on the office door. Wincing in pain, he covered his forehead and made a quick exit.
“Happy now?” Arabella turned to the man on her phone, her tone laced with resignation.
Romeo flashed a triumphant grin, “Wouldn’t it be great if everyone knew about us?”
“Bella, when can I go public?” Romeo asked next.
Dean had mentioned someone in the office planning to confess to her? That’s just asking for trouble.
Looking at his handsome face, Arabella felt overwhelmed, “I’m hanging up now.”
“Hold on.”
“What is it?”
“I just want to see you.” Romeo leaned his handsome face closer to the camera, his eyes filled with deep affection. “Don’t you have work to do?” Arabella had heard Carl’s voice earlier and knew Romeo had other things to take care of. “Do I?” Romeo’s gaze fell on Carl.
Carl braced himself to answer, “No…”
“If you’ve got nothing to do, why did you come in?” Arabella was surprised that even Carl would lie. All thanks to Romeo.
“Ms. Bennett… I came to see if Mr. McMillian needed anything. I didn’t expect that all he needed was you. I’ll just be going then…”
With that, Carl placed the files on the table and out of Arabella’s view, he put his hands together in a silent plea for Romeo to get to work. After all, these projects were urgent and many employees were waiting for him!
Romeo gave a nod of agreement. Carl quickly made his exit.
The morning quickly passed with Romeo’s persistent attention. By noon, Romeo was already waiting for her downstairs.
As soon as Arabella got in the car, he pulled her onto his lap.
“Romeo, you’re crossing the line!”
Arabella tried to get up, but he held her tightly.
“If you squirm, I’ll kiss you.”
Arabella glared at his smug face, “Could you be any more shameless?”
“I could.” Romeo planted a kiss on her lips without warning.
Her lips were soft, and Romeo had intended to tease her playfully. However, after their kiss, he yearned for more sweetness.
Her waist was slender, and even through their clothes, Romeo could feel the softness of her skin underneath.
“Romeo!” Arabella attempted to push him away, but his other hand firmly grasped the back of her head, pulling her closer as he fervently absorbed her essence.
His kiss was like a fierce storm, catching Arabella off guard and rendering her defenseless. She pushed him away again, “Enough…”
Although her voice sounded like a warning, to Romeo, it seemed like a tender whisper, accompanied by a playful undertone.
Normally composed and self–controlled, he was now teetering on the edge of losing control.
Arabella sensed his increasingly intense persistence and pushed him away forcefully, “Romeo, if you continue like this, I will be angry!”
Romeo halted his actions, yet his eyes were still filled with profound affection.
“Bella…”
Carl felt like he’d been hit by a truck…
Does no one care about his feelings?
Don’t single people déserve respect?!
Who knows how he feels driving them around right now? Nothing but agony!
He felt like a third wheel!
After what seemed like an eternity, their long kiss finally ended.
Romeo’s eyes were still somewhat dazed, his voice full of affection, “Bella, I like you.”
Arabella’s shoulders rose and fell slightly, still catching her breath.
Romeo’s eyes were full of love, “I really like you.”
“Is your company still hiring?” Romeo continued.
“Huh?” Arabella didn’t understand what he meant.
“Twant to be your assistant, or your personal bodyguard. I can clean your office. I’ll do anything.”
“Can’t you have a bit of ambition?” Arabella responded exasperatedly.
“Is it unambitious to do things for a woman you like?” Romeo said softly, “Then I guess I’ll be unambitious for the rest of my life.”
‘Arabella was touched by his sincerity. His gaze was genuine, his expression single–minded.
“I don’t like Serena.” Romeo cupped her face, speaking slowly, “The only one who can move me is you. It was you in the past, it’s you now, and it will be you in the future.”
“I got it.” Arabella didn’t expect him to be so good at sweet talk. She turned her head to look out the window, pretending to be interested in the scenery.
Romeo flashed a devilish grin, “Your face is red. Bella, are you blushing?” Romeo affectionately teased her, “You’re so cute.”
Arabella didn’t reply.
Before she met Romeo, no one had ever called her cute. The most common word used to describe her was cold and aloof.
Romeo cupped her face, “You look great when you’re shy, when you’re angry, when you’re jealous… even more so.”
“When am I jealous?”
“This morning.” Romeo held her face in his hands, “You were so cold to me.”
Arabella didn’t think she was jealous, although she didn’t like Serena’s behavior, she wasn’t angry or jealous.
“If you don’t mind, next time another woman approaches me…” Römen teased, waiting for her reaction.
“Is there a next time?” Arabella raised an eyebrow, her tone carrying a hint of warning…
Romeo smiled, his eyes filled with adoration and joy, “I promise, there definitely won’t be a next time.” Carl thought to himself in despair, I’m begging you guys, please stop!!
Can they think about his feelings for a sec, maybe take their lovey–dovey stuff somewhere else?!
What the heck did he do to deserve this kind of torment…