Billionaire Lawyer's Secretary - Chapter 50: Chapter 50

Adrian rolled his eyes at Elara's words. He stubbed out his cigarette and said, "You insisted on staying here, so don't complain about the workload later."
He knew she often tried to use tears to get out of trouble, but that didn't work in the workplace.
Elara didn't take Adrian's warning too seriously. What mattered to her was that he finally gave in and agreed to let her stay for three days.
Adrian took the knife and fork and began eating the brunch Elara had ordered for him.
As soon as he took his first bite, she leaned in with a smile and asked, "What do you think? I told you this restaurant is great."
Adrian glanced at her and said indifferently, "Have you forgotten my dining habits?"
Elara thought, 'Right, he doesn't like being disturbed while eating.' She shut her mouth and quickly retreated to her desk, beginning to arrange Adrian's schedule for tomorrow and sorting through emails and documents.
Time flew by as she worked, and soon it was lunchtime. She waited at her desk.
"Elara, do you want to grab a bite together?" said Justin Johnson, Adrian's assistant. He and Susan worked closely together on many things, so Elara added him on WhatsApp.
Justin, twenty-six, was a law graduate from Veritasiton University and had been working for Adrian for four years. He was tall, with slightly wavy short hair.
Justin looked young, free from the weary sharpness most men picked up. When he smiled, he looked confident yet disarmingly sincere. Even in a suit, he looked more like a college student.
Elara always liked people like him—bright, easygoing, and full of quiet confidence. Working with someone like that would probably make every day feel lighter.
They had a great chat on WhatsApp last night, but now there was a strange sense of distance between them.
"Oh, okay. Let me grab my jacket," Elara said.
Adrian's office was so close to theirs that he could hear every word they said. Adrian took a sip of the coffee Elara made for him and thought, 'She's only been here for one morning. How did she get so close to Justin already?'
Elara slipped on her black coat, ready to head out with Justin when Adrian's voice came from the office. "Elara, come here."
Elara frowned. She gave Justin a bitter smile and said, "You go first. I'll come to find you after I finish this."
Justin nodded.
Elara pushed open the door and went in. "Mr. Hartley, what do you need?"
"Print this document," he said.
Elara took the document, went straight to print a copy, and placed both the original and the copy on his left. "All done."
Adrian didn't respond. His attention was fixed on the case files in front of him.
Elara stood still for a moment. Seeing that Adrian had nothing else to say, she was about to leave, but before she could turn around, he said, "Get me another cup of coffee."
Elara frowned, thinking, 'Why? He hasn't finished it yet.' Still, she didn't argue. She simply picked up the cup and brewed Adrian a fresh one.
She set the coffee back in its usual spot. However, he didn't drink it right away. He just flipped through the case files, unfazed.
Seeing that he had nothing more to say, Elara was about to leave.
"Are the files I asked you to sort out this morning ready?" Adrian suddenly asked.
"Didn't you say you needed them by four this afternoon?" Elara said.
"I need them now," Adrian demanded.
Elara sighed and thought, 'Well, I guess I'll miss lunch.'
Elara returned to her desk, staring at the stack of files that would take nearly an hour to get through. Thinking about having to be Adrian's secretary for the next three months, she couldn't help but feel a little hopeless.
She thought, 'Why did I ever think I could get Adrian? That's probably the hardest thing in the world. I'm setting myself up for failure.'
Still, no matter how hopeless Elara felt, she kept pushing through, and ten minutes later, she was fully focused on her tasks. Halfway through sorting the files, she got a message from Justin.
Justin: [Still busy?]
Elara: [Yeah, there's an urgent file I need to finish. Looks like I'll have to skip lunch.]
Justin: [Do you want me to bring you some food?]
Elara: [Thanks, that would be great.]
Justin soon brought up a packed lunch. Starving, Elara wolfed down a few bites before getting back to her files.
Noticing how focused she was, Justin said, "Take your time. When you're done, you can have some coffee in the executive office.
Elara nodded.
Elara finally finished the documents at 1 p.m., but strangely, Adrian hadn't rushed her in the past hour.
Elara printed the documents, knocked on the door, and entered his office. "Mr. Hartley, the documents are ready," she said.
Adrian didn't respond at all. Not wanting to disturb him, Elara quietly left. She felt a slight ache in her neck, so she decided to grab a cup of coffee and take a short break.
The executive office was right next to Adrian's office. It was spacious, with over a dozen desks, but hardly anyone was around. Most people were probably still having lunch.
Elara walked in. As she passed a room with the door slightly ajar, she just overheard several women chatting inside.
"What was Susan even thinking? She'd rather push some pretty face with zero skills to Mr. Hartley than recommend someone actually competent like Zoe Bennett."
"Susan just trying to make sure her spot is still there after she gives birth. No way she is letting anyone take over."
"Don't be so harsh. Susan is divorced and raising a kid on her own. She needs this job."
"I don't care whether she is divorced or not. I just feel like it's not fair to Zoe."
"Susan refuses to let go of her position, but I really believe Zoe is the better fit."
"Zoe was already on track to be promoted to senior secretary. I have a feeling Susan just put someone else in to take her place. However, if that person doesn't perform, Zoe is still the one who'll end up with the job."
"By the way, Zoe, have you met the girl Susan brought in to cover for her?"
"I have. She's pretty, but girls like her only care about their looks. She lacks work experience and won't be able to take good care of Mr. Hartley. Mr. Hartley is already busy enough, and having to teach her everything just adds to his burden."
"That woman clearly didn't come here for work. Her outfits are modest enough but look at the way she carries herself. It's all for show."
"Totally. Jane Lambert is beautiful too, but all she cares about is her work. She got none of that scheming or attention-seeking stuff."
"Believe it or not, she's probably here just trying to seduce Mr. Hartley."
"Come on, Mr. Hartley is extremely picky when it comes to women. She's not his type at all. Just wait. She will soon be fired."
"Don't be so hard on the girl. She's young, maybe just a little eager to get ahead the easy way, but since Susan brought her in, we should at least respect her."
"She's not even close to being Mr. Hartley's secretary. Well, Susan has clearly lost all scruples just to hold on to her job."
Suddenly, the door was flung open, slamming against the wall before rebounding. Startled, the women inside whipped their heads toward the door, only to see Elara standing there.
She said, "Hey, do you mind if I join you?"