Their Mistake, Her Rise - Chapter 168: Chapter 168

As soon as those words fell, the crowd let out another round of shocked gasps.
But barely a moment after Aaron, the supervisor, finished, someone suddenly cut in, "No, you've all got it wrong. She's not the boss's guest."
Right then, a man who was obviously a senior exec from Marlowe Group started walking over from not far away.
And where no one else could see, Jack Timos, the exec, shot Aaron a look. Aaron, who was about to argue, instantly clammed up and didn't say another word.
"I knew it, it had to be a mistake." The moment Eunice saw Jack, all her tension melted away.
Eunice thought, 'See? I knew it, it really was a mix-up.'
Eunice looked up at Zoe and said seriously, "Zoe, I've told you before. Don't go around pretending to be someone you're not. If you piss off the wrong person, you'll drag the Evans family down with you."
The others jumped in, all taking turns to scold Zoe.
"Some people just love to show off. Careful, karma's gonna get you."
"Exactly. We had to fight tooth and nail just to get a spot here. Who do you think you are, acting all high and mighty?"
"Hurry up and get lost, country bumpkin."
Amid all the jeering, Zoe's eyes turned cold, her mood clearly shifting.
But Jack who saw this was sweating bullets, practically dripping from his forehead.
He snapped at everyone, "What are you all standing around for? Does the company pay you to mess around? Get back to your posts and stop gossiping. If I hear one more word, you're all fired!"
The employees, terrified of crossing Jack, hurried off in groups, not daring to say another word.
Eunice just flashed Jack a quick smile and ran off. She wanted nothing to do with Zoe, thinking being seen with her would only drag her down.
What Eunice didn't realize was that as soon as she left, Zoe also turned and headed for the main entrance, leaving just Jack and Aaron behind.
Aaron hesitated for a moment, then blurted out, "That woman I saw the boss invite her into the office with my own eyes. There's no way I got it wrong, she..."
"That's enough," Jack cut him off.
He glanced around to make sure no one else was nearby, then finally came clean with Aaron. "Of course I know. But the boss gave strict orders—her identity can't be revealed to anyone."
Hearing this, Aaron shivered and asked nervously, "So she's not just someone the big boss cares about? Her real status is even higher?"
Jack nodded, then dropped the bombshell. "She's Marlowe Group's new chairwoman, Ms. Zoe Evans.
"Let me give you a word of advice: next time you see her, be smart. Whatever you do, don't get on her bad side. That's even scarier than offending the boss."
Just a few words, and Aaron was so spooked his teeth started chattering.
He'd always thought that woman was someone special, but she never imagined her status was this extraordinary. She was actually the new chairwoman.
"Alright, don't ask any more questions. Just keep this to yourself, and be careful not to get yourself in trouble," Jack said.
"Yes, you're absolutely right. I'll make sure to treat her with the utmost respect from now on," replied Aaron.
Jack patted Aaron on the shoulder and walked away, leaving Aaron gulping nervously.
Zoe had just walked out of Marlowe Group. She wasn't the least bit upset about the higher-ups denying her identity—she figured Walther from Goldewood must've told them to do it.
As she was thinking this, someone called out from behind, "Ms. Evans, please wait!"
Zoe stopped and turned to see who it was.
It was Emmett, the assistant Walther had arranged for her, hurrying over from the company. "Ms. Evans, I've finished my work. Please let me drive you home," he offered.
He was humble and polite, with that charming, eager-puppy look that most women would find hard to resist.
But Zoe turned him down without hesitation. "No, thanks."
Emmett was even more enthusiastic than she expected. "Then, would you like to grab a bite? I can make a reservation. It'll help me get to know you better." He was so eager, it was like he wanted to do everything for Zoe.
"I'm not hungry," Zoe replied coolly, already reaching the curb outside the company.
"Please watch out for cars," Emmett said, quickly stepping up to carefully escort her across. Standing together, his tall figure next to Zoe's was eye-catching, and the way he looked at her was full of admiration.
From a distance, the way they interacted looked just like a couple in love.
This scene burned into Shawn's eyes, and the moment he saw it, his impossibly handsome face turned ice-cold as he waited for Zoe.
Even in casual clothes, Shawn's tall, commanding presence radiated a cold arrogance. Just by standing next to Zoe, he made Emmett seem utterly insignificant.
Shawn's face darkened. He'd only been gone a few days, and she was already getting cozy with another guy in public.
To Shawn, who already saw Zoe as his, this was something he could never tolerate. Emmett's presence was crossing the line.
Shawn's eyes grew even colder. Without a word, he grabbed Zoe's arm and started pulling her toward his car.
Emmett froze, then shouted in alarm, "Who are you? Why are you taking Ms. Evans?"
But before Emmett could react, Shawn's men had already stepped in to block his way.
Shawn, still silent and cold, pushed Zoe into his car without hesitation.
Zoe was completely caught off guard by Shawn's sudden appearance.
She hadn't even figured out why Shawn was here, or how he knew she was at Marlowe Group.
Suddenly, Shawn's flawless face was right in front of her.
The next moment, Shawn reached out and held the back of her head.
His face moved closer and closer until he kissed her, hard and possessive, jealousy burning in every move.
His kiss was rough and unpracticed, leaving Zoe wide-eyed and frozen, unable to react.
While kissing her, Shawn shot a challenging look at Emmett, who was blocked outside by his men. He was doing it on purpose.
He was marking his territory, making it clear to everyone—Zoe was his.