Chapter 28

Emily's POV
　　"I'm sorry, Andre, I don't think I can go with you. I need to take care of Hellen, and I'm only a one-day intern at the company. No intern is going to take a day off after one day of work."
　　I understood what Jane meant. She didn't want me to go to the funeral with Andre. Although she wasn't against my relationship with Andre, I don't think she was ready to introduce me to her family.
　　I had to refuse Andre's offer in order not to make it difficult for Andre to come between Jane and me.
　　"Emi. Are you sure? You're not coming with me to the funeral?"
　　"I'm pretty sure, Andy. I'd like to go with you, but I've had a lot on my plate lately. We're just a couple now, and when we get married we'll have more opportunities to see other members of your family. Don't you feel lost, just take Kate with you this time?"
　　I wasn't up to going too far away with Andre at this time of year. Although I was very touched by Andre's offer, I had to refuse him.
　　Andre didn't insist that I come along again. He looked a little lost, but time was running out. After Andre and I discussed the matter, Jane went downstairs with Andre's clothes that she had just asked the maid to pack.
　　They needed to catch the earliest flight in the afternoon to arrive before sunset, so they couldn't have a single delay or stopover in case they couldn't make it to the funeral.
　　"Baby. You must take good care of yourself at home alone. I'll be back as soon as I can."
　　Andre hugged me and kissed my forehead, gave me a few instructions, and left in a hurry.
　　I watched the car they were in disappeared out of my sight before I turned my head back to the villa.
　　It was the first time I had spent a night alone at the villa. Without Andre's company, I couldn't sleep in this big bed. I hadn't lost sleep in a long time.
　　Andre had just called me, and he and Jane and Kate had arrived in A City without incident. The funeral is on Tuesday and they need to receive the guests on Monday.
　　Andre told me he would be back as soon as the funeral was over and I told him not to rush. I wished he could have spent more time with Jane, she must have been very sad to see her father die.
　　"Su. sorry. Am I disturbing you?"
　　I finished my chat with Andre and got ready for bed, but tried all sorts of ways to get to sleep quickly without any luck. That's when I suddenly remembered what Susan had told me, so I picked up my phone and called her.
　　"No. Emily, I'm just having dinner now."
　　"Oh, my God. It's the weekend, aren't you supposed to be off? How come you're just having dinner now?"
　　I looked at the time, and it was midnight.
　　Susan sounded very tired as if she hadn't had a relaxing and free weekend, but a busy day. "Emily. Unfortunately, there is no time off in my profession. I spent the day on set, doing all sorts of little things and running back and forth around the grounds."
　　I never thought Susan's internship would be so exhausting. I'm really lucky compared to her. Although Fiona always gives me a hard time, the other colleagues don't ask me to do useless little things for them because of Lucy.
　　I listened to Susan's complaints and talked to her about the experience until the early morning. After my lost sleepiness finally took over my brain I hung up the phone and quickly fell into a sleepy state.
　　"Emily. you're coming with me."
　　On Monday morning, I arrived at the office with my dark eyes, and just as I entered the project department I felt some of the male employees looking at me a little strangely.
　　"Is that her? Telling Mr. Vincent what happened got us a pay cut."
　　"She's the only female intern in our department, and she was the only one who got drunk yesterday."
　　"It's obvious that she can't drink on her own. Why should we be blamed?"
　　"What's wrong with letting her drink? I let her drink because I was interested in her."
　　They looked at me and whispered.
　　I couldn't hear clearly what they were saying about me, and I'm sure it wasn't friendly talk. But Lucy had already explained the reason I came to the office that day. They couldn't possibly still have a negative impression of me because of this.
　　Fiona called me into her office before I could think of a reason.
　　"I'm sorry, Emily, I was too busy that day and didn't have a chance to pay attention to you. Do you have any doubts about the company? If so, please let me know right away and I'll take care of everything for you."
　　Fiona asked me kindly and gently how I felt about my new company, and I was instantly sobered.
　　She was too strange today. I remembered what she had said to me that day at the workday and felt that the current Fiona was very incomprehensible.
　　"Ms. Cady. Thank you for your concern. I don't feel uncomfortable in the company. Everyone is taking very good care of me."
　　After all, she was the one who brought me all the trouble in the company!
　　"Emily, I hope you understand that I have given you a job for your good. I want to train you, and you should not feel aggrieved. Everyone has worked their way up from an internship! Also, I have one thing I need to remind you again. If you have any questions, please come and ask me directly. Don't bother Mr. Vincent!"
　　I couldn't have a calm conversation with Fiona. Just remembering how she embarrassed me that day made me feel very angry.
　　I was just about to answer her question about my visit to Andre when I saw what looked like a shadow outside my office.
　　Someone was eavesdropping on my conversation with Fiona?
　　"I've told the ministers of each department that no one will coax female employees to drink at company parties anymore."
　　I suddenly remembered what Andre said to me when he left yesterday.
　　Did those male employees outside think that they were being criticized because I had revealed to Andre that they had tricked female employees into drinking?
　　I understood Fiona's intention. By being so gentle with me today and even bringing up the fact that I had approached Andre, she was trying to tell the male employees that I had exposed their behavior to Andre.
　　I couldn't let Fiona's plan work. While I don't like male employees who continue to let me drink when I've made it clear that I won't, I prefer not to be isolated by all my colleagues!
　　"I'm sorry, Ms. Cady. I don't understand your words. Why are you lying? I have never met Mr. Vincent alone! I don't know how to answer your question. I am just a trainee. Although Ms. Lucy is my alumna, I do not have access to the top office."
　　All the employees knew about Fiona's targeting of me.
　　I was angry at her for always trying to make things difficult for me and hated that she always kept her eyes on Andre! He's my boyfriend!
　　Fiona's expression immediately turned very ugly. She looked angry that I didn't answer the way she wanted me to. But Fiona had no proof that I had been in Andre's office either. She couldn't refute my words at all.
　　"I think you know very well that I was drunk and didn't know anything! But you begged Mr. Vincent to send me home and told him that it was unacceptable for a corporate male to behave like that! All this was told to me by Miss Lucy! Are you saying this now to blame me for this?!"
　　I wouldn't let Fiona's plan succeed, but I wouldn't let Fiona bully me either! I chose to fight back and use Fiona's plan against me against her.
　　"I am very grateful to you, Ms. Cady. Mr. Vincent was willing to send me home as an intern because of you. But you can't blame other innocent people for what happened because you're afraid people will hate you after you reveal it! I thought you would be a very good supervisor, but what you did was so disappointing!"