Chapter 3

By 8:00 PM, the office was almost empty.

Just as I was packing up, the intercom rang. It was Dennis.

"Audrey, come to my office."

When I walked in, someone else was there—Arthur, the Marketing Director.

My heart skipped a beat.

"Audrey, take a seat," Arthur said. His tone was warmer than Dennis's, but his eyes were sharp and calculating.

I sat down and waited.

"You've been with us for almost three months. How is everything?" Arthur asked.

"Good. I've learned a lot."

"Excellent." Arthur smiled. "I called you in to talk about the Aura Cosmetics account. Chloe mentioned she's facing some hurdles, and she feels the client isn't being very cooperative?"

I looked at Dennis.

He avoided my gaze, pretending to read some papers.

"Mr. Logan has been highly cooperative," I said. "Last week, he even approved our preliminary draft. If Chloe is facing hurdles, it's likely because she's new to the account and they need time to build rapport."

"Is that so?" Arthur tapped his fingers on the armrest. "But Chloe said the client seemed annoyed with her and called the sudden change in lead 'unprofessional.' She also mentioned that when you were running things, you neglected several details, which is making it hard for her to move forward now."

My hands clenched into fists on my lap.

"What details, exactly?"

"Like the client's personal preferences," Dennis chimed in. "Chloe said the stuff you wrote down was completely irrelevant. She said it made us look desperate, like we were trying too hard to kiss his ass."

Hearing his ridiculous excuse, I couldn't help but laugh out loud.

"Mr. Miller, if you think understanding a client's preferences is kissing ass, then I have nothing to say. But as far as I know, Mr. Logan literally praised our team last week for being detail-oriented, saying he appreciated that we remembered his favorite drink."

Silence stretched in the room.

Arthur's expression shifted.

"Furthermore," I continued, "I agree with Chloe on one thing: the client "does" find the sudden change unprofessional. The trust and rapport I built over three months can't be transferred overnight. If the company thinks this sudden handoff is fine, then please be prepared for the client to walk away."

"Are you threatening the company?" Dennis suddenly stood up, glaring at me.

"I'm stating facts." I looked up at him. "Mr. Miller, I managed this account from day one. Every communication log, meeting minute, and requirement sheet is backed up. If you'd like, I can pull them up right now to see exactly what was 'neglected.'"

Dennis's face turned a brilliant shade of purple.

Arthur waved his hand, signaling Dennis to sit down.

"Audrey, calm down. The company isn't doubting your capability. It's just that Chloe did raise some concerns. How about this? You will remain the lead on this account, and Chloe will assist you to learn the ropes. How does that sound?"

I glanced at Dennis.

He was grinding his teeth but kept quiet.

"Sounds good."

Arthur nodded and picked up a folder, seemingly changing the subject casually. "By the way, Audrey, is your family based in New York?"

My heart thudded, but I kept my face blank. "Yes, they are."

"New York..." Arthur looked at me thoughtfully. "I have an old friend in New York. Heavy hitter in the construction and real estate business. His last name is Sutton. Coincidentally, same as yours."

The office went dead silent.

My fingers curled slightly. "Sutton is a pretty common name in New York," I replied calmly.

"True." Arthur smiled and didn't press further, turning back to work.

But I caught the intense curiosity in his eyes.

As I stood up to leave, Arthur suddenly called out to me.