Chapter 180 Promotion and Raise to the President's Office
Lucia's mind was a mess, her eyes fixed on the customer's name and contact information on the order slip.
Because the customer's name wasn't a full name, and the number was Douglas' private number, she didn't immediately realize that Mr. Semona was Douglas.
She just thought that Regina's husband also had the last name Semona, and her face turned pale.
As she stood there, holding the cake with a strange expression, Regina walked over, took the cake from Lucia's hand without a word, and sat down at her desk.
Lucia felt very uncomfortable.
Since Regina joined the company, she had become the person Lucia hated the most because Regina had taken away all the glory that used to belong to her.
Moreover, Regina's gaze towards her had become increasingly cold and disdainful, making Lucia feel like she was something dirty in Regina's eyes.
Lucia clenched her fists, cursing silently, 'No, you're the dirty one.'
All afternoon, Lucia was distracted because of this.
As the end of the workday approached, the sound of high heels brought her back to reality.
Janet walked into the office, glanced around, and said, "Everyone's here. I'll take three minutes of your time to say a few words. At the beginning of October, our department will have an assessment. Those who perform well will be promoted to the position of executive assistant."
The Century Group was an international mega-corporation.
The translation department was, therefore, a crucial part.
Regina's work usually involved both translation and interpretation.
Translation included contracts, project documents, technical materials, product descriptions, and media reports, among other things.
The interpretation was a service department, with each field having an owner, the main interpreter for that field.
Interpreting needed varies greatly across different fields.
"We need to select the most well-rounded and exceptional candidate for promotion to the President's Office," Janet announced, "You all know what this means."
The position of Executive Assistant to the President needed no further explanation.
After all, this person would be the President's right hand, trusted above all others—a top executive level. The salary, benefits, and prestige associated with it were far beyond what anyone in the translation department could hope for.
The team's eyes lit up with enthusiasm. The rare opportunity had them all fired up and ready to give it their all!
"Alright, you have one more week to prepare. Let's gear up for the assessment," Janet said, and with that, she left the office.
As the end of the workday approached, the office was buzzing with excitement and speculation.
"Wow, Lucia, you were right about this!" Sue exclaimed as she rushed over to Lucia's desk. "You mentioned before that the President's Office would be picking an assistant from our translation department. How did you find out?"
Lucia smirked with a touch of pride.
How did she find out?
Of course, she had her sources.
Lucia wasn't just another employee without connections. She had managed to get into the Century Group with a bit of help from her uncle, Alan Jones, who was a senior executive there.
But landing a job at the Century Group through connections was one thing; staying and making a mark was another entirely.
At twenty-eight, Lucia was just a bit older than Regina. Still, she had been with the Century Group for nearly six years, making her a seasoned veteran with plenty of experience. Her lively personality and strong presence had once made her the standout star of the department.
However, Regina's arrival, just under a year ago, had sparked a surge of envy in her.
Now, with this new opportunity on the horizon, Lucia was determined not to miss out.
Thanks to her uncle, she had even gotten the inside scoop about the new assistant position opening up in the President's Office.
When Sue pressed her for details, Lucia played it cool, saying, "I just had a hunch, and it turns out I was right. I'm pretty impressed with my own intuition, if I do say so myself."
That evening, Lucia rushed home and immediately called Alan.
"Uncle, this opportunity means everything to me. Please, I need your help."
She hoped Alan could pull some strings to give her an edge in the assessment, making her stand out.
However, Alan sighed, sounding frustrated. "Since Mr. Semona took over as President of the Century Group, there's been a major shake-up. He despises favoritism. Over the past year, he's systematically cleaned out internal parasites."
The case of Marshall from Marketing, who was removed for sexual harassment and later died in prison, was still fresh in everyone's minds.
"Even if you ace the written test, what about the interview? I hear there are several interviewers, and Mr. Semona himself will have the final say. I can't get him to rig the process for you. If he finds out someone's trying to use connections to get close to him…"
Alan didn't need to finish that sentence. They both understood the implications.
Lucia remained undeterred and continued to plead. "I'm capable, Uncle. It's just that luck hasn't been on my side. I'm aiming for a flawless performance this time, which is why I'm asking for your support."
"Alright, alright. I'll think about it. If there's an opportunity, you'll be the first to know," Alan said before abruptly ending the call.
Lucia stared blankly at the darkened phone screen for a long moment, feeling a pang of anxiety she couldn't shake. She toyed with the device, lost in thought.
Suddenly, a number flashed in her mind—the one she had seen when she ordered takeout for Regina. Her memory was sharp; she had only seen it three times, but it was firmly lodged in her brain.
On a whim, she decided to do something about it.
She dashed into the living room, grabbed her mother's phone, and dialed the number.
After pressing the call button, the phone rang.
It kept ringing for a long time with no answer.
Lucia took a deep breath and muttered to herself, "What's going on? Why is it getting so mysterious?"
Her mind was racing like a fish darting in a pond, snagged by a baited hook.
Determined not to give up, she redialed the number.
After the second call rang four or five times, someone finally answered.
Lucia felt a surge of unexpected excitement. She thought, 'Regina's mysterious husband finally picked up!'
The first thing she heard was a noisy, flashy ambiance—music, clinking glasses, and the chatter of people mingling.
Lucia, who was no stranger to high-end bars and clubs, recognized the scene immediately.
"Hello, who's this?" came a voice with a hint of playfulness.
The voice was young and had a certain charm.
Lucia was momentarily stunned.
Her mind raced with the thought. 'Regina's husband is really a young guy?'
She held the phone, speechless, for what seemed like an eternity.
The caller's impatience grew. "Hello? Who's this? It's late at night, and you're calling twice without saying anything. Are you out of your mind?"
Lucia snapped out of her daze, realizing she needed to cover her tracks. She quickly changed her tone, trying to sound like someone else. "Oh, sorry, I must have dialed the wrong number. Are you my brother?"
The caller swore and hung up abruptly.
Lucia took a deep breath to steady herself.
That brief call had given her a vivid impression of Regina's husband—just a young, wealthy playboy.
She had even heard a woman flirting with him.
She thought, 'Given that Regina was only recently pregnant, his impatience is telling. It clearly shows he doesn't truly care about her.
'Even if he is rich, Regina is bound to be abandoned eventually!'
Thinking this, Lucia felt a wave of relief.
Meanwhile, at the Peace Club, Charles had just hung up from the nuisance call when Douglas walked in from outside, taking a deep breath of fresh air.
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