Chapter 30 Payday and a Gift for Mrs. Carnegie
A week later, in the afternoon, Paige sat in the CEO's office of Universe Group as Pearl South handed her an invitation.
Anchored at her desk, inundated with executive duties, Paige was the mastermind steering the Universe Group, contending with a global agenda. Despite currently working out of the Northwind office, her reach spanned across the globe.
Not to mention, every morning she had to search for the evasive secret compartment hidden within the mansion.
Returning to the CEO's office always meant a pile-up of tasks waiting for her.
Expecting another document requiring her signature, Paige took the envelope without much thought. It wasn't until she saw the contents that she realized it was an invitation.
"File this away with the others," Paige said dismissively, setting it aside. "You know I'm keeping a low profile right now. No public appearances for me."
Pearl replied with a tinge of insistence, "It's an invite from Hawke Corporation for their 80th-anniversary gala. Xanthe, it's evident they value your presence greatly because they sent it half a month in advance."
Hearing it was an event half a month away, Paige paused her work, "Half a month? Is this coming from Louis?"
Her knowledge of Hawke Corporation was not superficial.
If Louis was the one extending the invite, it certainly wasn't necessary for her to attend. Not in any capacity.
Pearl shook her head, "No, it's directly from the Hawke Corporation board."
Upon inspection, Paige saw the board's seal stamped on the invite and looked up, "Interesting."
Julian leaned in and queried, "A board invitation? They must've heard Universe is under new management. They want you to show up personally, Xanthe. Think you can wrap up the mystery with the mansion's secret room in half a month?"
Paige answered nonchalantly, "I'm making progress. Should be just about settled by then."
In half a month, her lab might very well have the antidote for 'Somnolent X' ready.
Then, she would no longer have to hold back.
She could be herself again, unrestrained.
Before prison, her charges were fabricated.
After her release, she intended to make them real.
A fierce resolve flickered in Paige's eyes.
Only Julian, who knew her well, had started to notice something out of the ordinary. Julian wasn't shocked, though, that beneath her kind and docile exterior, Paige could have such a deadly aura. She had, after all, spent five years honing her craft on death row!
Julian was incredibly curious, though. How had Paige managed to retain her softness and docility after half a decade in that hellish place? It was nothing short of astonishing.
Paige suddenly picked up the invitation again and glanced at it, "A celebration banquet for Hawke Corporation, set to take place at Northwind. Is Louis, the CEO of Hawke Corporation, not yet formally on the board of directors?"
Kim cleared up Paige’s confusion on that matter. "Louis, the puppet CEO of the Carnegie family, may seem to have racked up some achievements, but in reality, he probably doesn't even fully grasp the situation at Hawke Corporation."
Paige got it.
For five years, Louis had brains and schemes, but despite that, he hadn’t really penetrated the core of Hawke Corporation.
Paige said, "Since the banquet is in a fortnight, let’s start preparing."
After sorting out her official duties, Paige glanced at the time. There was still a bit before Raymond would leave work, so she hurriedly hailed a cab and rushed to the lab.
The lab, which had been moved from abroad just three days prior, was now fully set up.
After Paige authenticated her identity with an iris scan at the fortified door, everyone inside the lab rose to their feet in unison.
They greeted her in chorus: "Boss!"
Paige responded, "Keep an eye on the experiments, don't mind me."
With that, she headed straight to the innermost room of the lab.
The silver-haired man engrossed in an experiment inside didn’t notice her arrival.
His lab was off-limits to everyone but Paige, and with Paige, he did not need to be distracted. He was completely immersed in his work.
Paige stood by the computer next to the man's intense experimentation and skimmed through some data.
After wrapping up a segment of his work, the man finally turned to Paige and said, “I've been up for over twenty-four hours straight. You’ve seen it yourself; this Somnolent X isn't anything sophisticated. Give me ten days; seven to source the raw materials, three to produce an exact replica for you.”
A glimmer of excitement showed in Paige’s eyes, "Ten days, are you sure?"
The man nodded, "Yes! Though if you took over, it might not even take that long, right?"
Paige smiled subtly, "Emotions can cloud judgment. I am emotionally connected to this research, and my presence here is not necessary."
The man nodded, "One more thing, though the lab has moved here, there are still some bureaucratic hoops to jump through, I'm afraid."
"Got it," Paige responded, "I've already sent someone to handle it."
The man sighed, "It's just... I never thought you'd actually relocate the lab to Northwind. Isn't that like firing a shot across the bow?"
Paige shrugged helplessly, "Byron, you have to understand, it doesn't matter where we are. Fighting for resources is our destiny, inescapable even if it means going head-to-head with “H”."
Her words had barely settled when her phone chimed with a distinct tone.
She had set a special ringtone for Raymond, so the instant it sounded, she knew it was him.
Pulling out her phone, she saw a voice message from Raymond.
Instinctively, Paige played it aloud in front of Byron.
From the speaker, Raymond's voice flowed, "Honey, when are you finishing work? I’m starving."
Paige's fingers fumbled to silence her phone, but Byron was already doubled over with laughter.
Hahaha... he taunted "Since when did you become Honey to someone?"
Paige explained, feigning normalcy, "It's just a game, like those AI-driven mobile games, get it? I've been developing one recently..."
Byron, ever the gullible one, bought into her cover story.
Wiping away his amusement, he asked seriously, "For real? Install one for me too. Once I'm done with 'Somnolent X,' I'd like to try it."
Paige gave him a look as if he were a simpleton, "It's still in beta. I'll set you up once it's officially released. I'm leaving you in charge of the lab. I've got stuff to do."
Then, Paige made a swift exit.
She only needed to ensure the antidote for 'Somnolent X' was progressing smoothly.
She was not getting involved this time.
So, once she stepped out of the lab, Paige immediately returned Raymond's call.
"I'm off work, heading home now. There's fruit in the fridge; you can snack on that for now."
Oh, how well she treated this man with whom she'd married under dire circumstances!
Not a penny of her funds went to her daily life; the earnings from her gigs at the mansion were spent on quality groceries and fruits to keep "this guy" well-fed.
It seemed that aside from sharing a bed, she was doing everything in her power to look after him.
As the call ended, Raymond's voice came from the other end, "I got paid and bought you a gift. Waiting for you to get back."
