Chapter 188 Silva's Pursuit of Reese
The news that Reese had spurned a wealthy suitor ricocheted around the company within the hour, igniting a flurry of gossip and speculation.
During lunch in the bustling cafeteria, Reese found herself the center of attention as her colleagues flocked around her, their curiosity piqued.
"Reese," one began, her eyes wide with intrigue. "How did you come to know that affluent gentleman? He appeared excessively wealthy. Surely he's the young master of the Morris family, isn't he?"
Another chimed in, her tone laced with incredulity. "Why in the world would you turn him down? It seemed to me he was quite taken with you."
They continued, their words filled with envy, "Imagine the life you could lead dating him. Arriving at work in a sleek sports car, sporting designer bags, and clad in high-end fashion. It's the stuff dreams are made of for most of us."
Sophia, however, found their comments distasteful, a sickening feeling rising in her stomach. Meanwhile, Reese continued to eat her lunch, seemingly oblivious to the chatter around her.
Despite Reese's cold indifference, her colleagues persisted, oblivious to her discomfort.
"Reese, don't be so presumptuous to think you can do better than Mr. Morris," one warned. "You should seize the opportunity while it's there. Yes, you're beautiful, but the circles these rich kids move in? They're teeming with attractive women."
Another added, "And Mr. Morris doesn't even care that you're a junior employee or that you come from a small, rural town. What's with the attitude?"
Sophia could no longer contain her irritation. In a sudden outburst, she slammed her utensils down and retorted, "Why should Reese accept some rich kid just because he's interested? If you're so enamored with wealth, why don't you pursue it?"
One colleague responded defensively, "Sophia, who do you think you are, speaking to us in such a manner? Has it been so long since someone put you in your place that you've forgotten your own social standing?"
"I...I..." Sophia stuttered, taken aback by their hostility. Her face flushed, she fell silent, shrinking back in her seat.
Reese then rose, her icy gaze silencing the room. She glanced at the group, her look piercing.
"Here's a piece of advice—keep your opinions to yourselves unless you wish to share the fate of Lilly's team leader," she warned.
With that, she took the visibly shaken Sophia by the arm and led her outside.
The women, who had been clamoring for Reese's attention, sat in stunned silence, each thinking, "She's formidable."
Outside, Sophia gasped for fresh air, clutching her chest in distress. "Oh my god, they were terrifying."
Reese chuckled at Sophia's reaction. "Scared? They're all talk, no action. Nothing to fear."
Sophia shook her head emphatically, "It's not that simple, Reese. Those women have a notorious reputation here. They’re known as the trio; anyone who crosses them gets sabotaged. Several girls have already quit because they couldn’t handle the torment."
Reese observed Sophia's response and surmised that she must have been a victim of their antics at some point. She'd either learned to fly under their radar or had grown a backbone, deflecting their attention.
Reese raised an eyebrow at Sophia, "So why did you snap at them if you're scared? You could've just kept to your lunch."
Sophia scratched her head, a sheepish grin on her face. "I just thought they were being too harsh on you and you weren't defending yourself, so I..."
Reese suddenly saw Sophia in a new light. Despite her plump figure, her fair skin and earnest smile made her endearing.
Reese was no stranger to office politics. She'd survived them before. She knew that showing fear only encouraged bullies, pushing their victims to the brink.
If one remained timid for too long, courage was lost, and the pattern continued.
Reese didn't voice it, but she knew Sophia had just stood up for her. Despite her soft voice and timid nature, Sophia had confronted the bullies.
For Sophia, who was usually faint-hearted, this was a significant step.
"Let's get back to work. And if those people try to backstab you, come straight to me, got it?"
Sophia's eyes lit up with gratitude. "Really? Thank you, Reese."
Everyone in the office knew better than to cross Reese – no one dared provoke her, fearing she might just know enough combat moves to put them in a cast.
The fact that Reese, with her background, had secured a position at the Flynn Group was nothing short of a miracle. They all suspected she had a powerful ally within the company; otherwise, she wouldn't be so audacious.
And if anyone did consider crossing Reese, they thought twice before acting rashly.
Seated back at her desk, Reese resumed her work as if nothing had transpired. She chose to ignore the whispers of idle gossip that circulated around her. She was the type to let most things slide, provided they didn't cross a certain boundary. Yet if they did, it didn't matter who the perpetrator was - Reese would not hesitate to assert herself.
Tension hung heavy in the air of the 17th-floor office. Justin sat rigidly, his expression grave, his presence casting a chill over the room's atmosphere.
Malcolm, on the other hand, sat cross-legged, his deep-set eyes as enigmatic as the depths of the ocean.
"What happened downstairs just now?" he asked.
Justin had been reluctant to broach the subject, fearing the wrath of Mr. Flynn. However, he couldn't maintain his silence; the incident had become the talk of the company. If he didn't address it, Mr. Flynn would inevitably discover it on his own.
And when that happened, Justin would be the one to suffer the consequences, accused of negligence. Malcolm's gaze fell upon Justin, who faltered and fell silent, his striking brows casting shadows over his eyes, which were as cold as winter ice and as captivating as obsidian, emitting a chilly luminescence.
"If you refuse to speak, don't bother showing up for work tomorrow," Malcolm warned.
Justin hastened to break the silence, "I'm getting to it. Silva arrived at the office entrance, and judging by his demeanor, he seems to have intentions towards Reese."
Upon hearing this, Malcolm's expression turned icy instantly. An aura of undisputed dominance radiated from him, his imposing presence demanding respect and non-interference.
"So Silva wants to pursue my wife? Is he courting death? Daring to covet what belongs to me," Malcolm growled.
Hearing this, Justin shivered, fully aware of Mr. Flynn's impending fury. He was usually a reasonable man, but mention Reese, and his demeanor would shift, becoming as prickly as a hedgehog, sparing no one.
Mr. Flynn's actions perfectly embodied the adage that if anyone dared to touch his wife, he would fight them to the bitter end.
Justin dared not add fuel to the fire. What else could he do but attempt to pacify the situation?
"Mr. Flynn, it might just be a misunderstanding. Reese gave Silva a hard time yesterday. Perhaps he's just here to settle the score with her."
Malcolm's hand slammed onto the desk, his voice slightly raised, carrying an undercurrent of danger.
"If he's here to settle scores with my wife, that's even less acceptable," he declared.
Justin began to sweat, acutely aware of the deteriorating atmosphere in the office.
"So... what should we do? Should we send someone to rough Silva up?" he asked.
Malcolm cast a cold glance at Justin, "Do you really think I'm so barbaric? Go tell Dahlia exactly what happened. Let her deal with her man. If she can’t manage, I'll step in."
Justin was confused, "What good will telling Dahlia do? Won't she just end up despising Reese?"
Malcolm looked at him as if he were an idiot, his patience wearing thin.
"What difference does it make if she hates my wife? Is she even a match for her?"
Justin remembered how Reese had soaked their pursuers with a hose the previous day, their drenched figures a comical sight, and had to suppress a chuckle.
Indeed, Reese was not someone easily intimidated.
However...
"What's the point of informing Dahlia?"
"Are you dense? Dahlia, spoiled since childhood – what do you think she'd do once she learns Silva is pursuing Reese behind her back?"
Justin suddenly had a revelation, "This is going to cause a storm for Silva, stirring up trouble within the Morris family, no doubt."
"Won't that be satisfying? Better than giving him a good punch," Malcolm mused.
The annoyance of a man is often exacerbated when he's agitated, and a woman continues to nag in his ear. With Dahlia's fiery temper, she was ready to raise hell. Even if it didn't make much difference, it would certainly drive Silva to the brink of insanity.
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