Chapter 45 Idle Chatter
Queenie said, "It wasn't me. I was too late. I just happened to run into President Oscar, who was rushing to the scene. Pearl, President Oscar must have known somehow; I could tell he was really worried about you."
Queenie still seemed puzzled as she talked about it and told Pearl, "You don't know, President Oscar was like a different person when he arrived. He was furious, took out Morgan, and beat those guys. President Oscar was so angry, he picked you up and wouldn't let anyone else touch you."
Queenie's words made Pearl pause, and she instinctively reached for the water cup beside her.
"Pearl, does President Oscar really care about his employees this much? I've never seen it. If I were hurt, would he be so concerned about me?" Queenie didn't quite understand, mumbling to herself as if searching for something. "Even after all the years that someone has been at his side, I've never seen him this anxious. Pearl, could it be that President Oscar likes you?"
"Cough, cough, cough..."
Pearl choked on her water when she heard Queenie's insinuation.
Quickly, Queenie patted her on the back. "Pearl, how did you manage to choke on water like that?"
Pearl felt a bit guilty and denied it hastily, "Impossible. How could President Oscar be interested in me?"
Still puzzled and eager to gossip, Queenie continued, "Everyone says President Oscar's heart belongs to Haley, that pop star. He spends a fortune just to win her smiles and it's rumored she's President Oscar's first love. They say her return has reignited their old flame. But something doesn’t seem right to me."
"Pearl, you must know more about this," Queenie thought. After all, as President Oscar's personal secretary, and having been by his side for so many years, she would know his private matters better than anyone.
Pearl dismissed the gossip nonchalantly, "I don't know. Maybe."
"No, no," Queenie felt increasingly confused. "If this were true, wouldn’t there be some solid evidence? Forget President Oscar admitting to a romance; a pop star like Haley making a scene would surely get caught on camera by someone, but there's nothing—no photos or videos. These are just allegations with no proof. These rumors are probably just that."
This type of gossip had circulated around the company more than once.
Pearl listened but never participated.
As for the many times Haley had visited the company, it was only natural for people to speculate about her relationship with Oscar, especially since Haley had business dealings with the Brown Group.
There were many celebrities in the entertainment industry more famous than Haley who were willing to collaborate with the Brown Group.
Yet, Oscar had specifically chosen Haley.
At the end of the day, he probably still held a soft spot for her.
"Let's drop the topic of President Oscar's personal life and focus on our jobs," Pearl finally said.
"Sure, Pearl."
When Pearl returned to work, she sensed an odd atmosphere lingering in the air.
Everyone treated her with apparent respect, chatting and laughing, but behind closed doors, the CEO looked at her with a peculiar glare.
Peilin had toned down a lot and no longer competed with her for attention, yet every glance she threw her way seemed tinged with schadenfreude.
Having navigated the corporate battlefield for years, Pearl had learned to adapt to any environment without overthinking things, focusing on her job.
During her lunch break, Pearl visited the restroom.
The water was running in the sink while several employees were whispering nearby. "Have you guys heard? Pearl has taken a few days off from work because she was raped!"
"What? No way! Pearl is one of President Oscar's favorites; who would dare do that?"
"You're out of the loop then. It's because Pearl wanted to climb up the social ladder. Being President Oscar's secretary—and not able to be his wife—she's probably been seeking a new path for years. Thinking she could rely on her looks to become Morgan's mistress, and when that didn't pan out, she claimed Morgan raped her to ruin him. Poor guy might even end up in jail!"
"Considering how nice Pearl usually seems to be, it's surprising that she had it in her to take down Morgan like that. No wonder she's managed to stay close to President Oscar for so long; she must have used all sorts of tactics!"
"Ha, you're only now realizing how cunning Pearl is? I've seen it for ages. Look at the long-timers here; any of them are stronger than Pearl. Peilin has both the skills and the seniority, way more than Pearl. Yet Pearl outshines her simply because she seduces President Oscar with her foxy charms! Now she's gotten her comeuppance, trying to steal and losing out instead, ending up raped..."
With a loud "bang," Pearl emerged from one of the stalls, appearing right behind them.
The employees, who were applying makeup, jumped in shock, smudging their lipstick.
"Good afternoon, Pearl!"
They stood upright and greeted her respectfully, except for the rumor spreader, who arrogantly lifted her head and glanced disdainfully at Pearl, unapologetic for her harsh words.
She was one of Peilin's subordinates, a young woman named Hillary, with some family connections that had landed her a position in the Brown Group fresh out of college.
Peilin, who had worked her way up from the lower ranks, understood the balance of power and knew how to use Hillary's family background to her advantage.
Pearl's face remained impassive; she didn't blame them and just washed her hands. Unsettled and unable to read Pearl's mood, the employees felt very uneasy.
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