Chapter 518 Go to the Fifteenth Floor
Willow squeezed past two lively interns and stepped into the familiar office.
Her mood lifted a bit. Growing up here, following Mitchell's path, seeing everything she knew brought back some confidence.
From afar, she spotted Elizabeth, glasses on, eyes glued to the screen, fingers flying over the keyboard and mouse. She was clearly drafting blueprints. A few others were scattered around, mostly unfamiliar faces, and many desks were empty.
Willow quietly approached Elizabeth and cheerfully said, "Elizabeth, I'm here."
Elizabeth, deep in her work, only noticed Willow when she called her name. She jumped up, delighted. "Willow, when did you get here? Why didn't you give me a heads-up?"
"I sent you a message on Facebook, but you didn't reply," Willow said, feigning hurt.
"No way I missed your message! If I didn't reply, I definitely didn't see it," Elizabeth said, checking her phone. "You sent it five minutes ago. You must've been in the elevator."
Seeing the timestamp, Elizabeth regained her composure.
Willow couldn't help but grin. "I came before lunch, ate upstairs, and rested a bit."
"Got it. You came to see Mr. Jonah and decided to drop by," Elizabeth teased.
Willow felt a bit embarrassed, like she had ulterior motives.
"Where is everyone?" she asked.
"Some are in meetings, some at the construction site. I'm a lonely soul," Elizabeth said, pulling out a pack of snacks from her drawer and handing it to Willow. "Try these. See if the little one likes them." Her drawer was always packed with snacks.
Willow used to grab some when she got hungry in the afternoon. They were all sorts of exotic treats, more varied than a convenience store.
She opened the pack and started eating. It was slightly spicy, chewy, and seemed to be made of tofu. Pretty good. "Has the company hired a lot of new interns? I saw many unfamiliar faces. I haven't been here for half a year, and I don't recognize many people."
Elizabeth opened her own pack of snacks, sitting on the table like a boss, giving her cushioned chair to Willow.
Willow's workstation was still there, but she had taken most of her personal stuff home. Other colleagues had piled documents on her desk, stacking them high. The interns had filled up the other workstations, leaving hers empty.
Willow didn't mind. She didn't work in the office much. The project department had lots of documents, and she used to keep them at her feet, stacking them until it was time to archive.
Elizabeth nodded. "Yeah, quite a few new interns, but only about a third will stay after the internship. Most leave when it's over."
Willow nodded, thinking about the hallway conversation she overheard. If the evaluations were fair, she wondered if Savannah would stick around.
Elizabeth suddenly leaned in and whispered, "Did you see that two-faced intern I mentioned?"
"Savannah?" Willow asked, tilting her head.
Elizabeth rolled her eyes. "Savannah? Are you that chummy with her? She's the one trying to mess with your husband. Calling her two-faced is being nice. She's a blatant seductress. Mrs. Jonah, show some authority and put her in her place."
Willow smiled. Elizabeth reminded her of Danielle—straightforward and hating evil. She liked being around people like that, avoiding complicated social interactions. She felt lucky to have had Danielle growing up and to have met Elizabeth at work. Must've done something right in a past life.
"Why are you smiling? What are you here for today? To flaunt your love with Mr. Jonah and let everyone, especially the newbies, see?" Elizabeth teased.
"I trust Mitchell wouldn't do that," Willow said.
"I trust Mr. Jonah too, but that doesn't stop others from trying to climb up by doing shady things. Doesn't that bother you?" Elizabeth said, hitting the nail on the head.
Willow felt uneasy. "So, what should I do?"
She couldn't just drag Mitchell around the office, announcing he was her husband.
"Easy, go find your husband. He's a natural at showing off love," Elizabeth said, half-joking.
Willow fell silent. She couldn't tell Mitchell she came because she heard someone was trying to seduce him. Besides, Mitchell had no such intentions. Given his status, making a fuss over rumors wouldn't look good.
They quickly finished their snacks. The slightly spicy treats had whetted Willow's appetite.
She stood up and said, "Got time? Let's go to the café downstairs for some cake. You've been raving about it."
Elizabeth jumped off the table. "No matter how busy I am, I must go. Not giving you face would be outrageous," she said, patting her chest, making Willow laugh.
Elizabeth had actually finished most of her blueprints before going for cake with Willow. She hadn't taken a lunch break, working non-stop. Though she liked to exaggerate, her work efficiency and ability were top-notch. After all, she was recruited directly from JK.
Elizabeth extended her hand and bent slightly. Willow, smiling, placed her hand in Elizabeth's. Arm in arm, they laughed, ready to go for cake.
Then a sharp voice rang out. "What's that smell? Who's eating in the office? It's disgusting. I just spent thousands on new clothes, and now they smell."
The voice was familiar—it was Savannah.