Chapter 92 Self–worth
Five days later, Chandler made an exception and agreed to let Erin transfer back to the design department.
Being a secretary was not suitable for her at all. Since she moved into Chandler’s office, she had practically nothing to do on a daily basis.
Chandler delegated all his tasks to Kyle, and he never assigned any tasks to her. After all, their areas of expertise were different. She lacked experience in important matters, and minor tasks made her feel like she wasn’t valued.
As an excellent designer, she couldn’t spend her days just ordering meals and making coffee, could she?
Finally, after five days of constant lamenting and complaining, the formidable Chandler gave in to Erin.
At this moment, Erin was tidying up the last few things on her desk, her face filled with excitement.
Chandler stole glances at her. Noticing how quickly her desk became empty, he couldn’t help but feel a hint of uneasiness.
Throwing his pen aside, he spoke in a teasing and cold tone, “Are you so thrilled to be away from me?”
Erin’s hand, which was placing the pen holder down, froze. Worried that this unpredictable man might change his mind at any moment, she quickly approached him. She then stood behind him and offered to massage his shoulders.
With a soft voice, she said, “Mr. Frost, we’re actually not that far apart. I’m just downstairs…”
Chandler snorted and said, “Downstairs is not far enough for you?”
Erin was speechless.
She smiled and said, “You see, we live together at night. If we spend 24 hours together, you’ll soon get tired of me!”
He frowned slightly and asked, “So, are you returning to the design department just to maintain the novelty between us?”
“Yes! Besides, my expertise is in design. I feel restless sitting here. I’m used to earning money through my own hard work…”
Chandler raised an eyebrow and said, “If you serve me well, you’ll earn more in a lifetime than you would by working. Why bother working?”
His discriminatory remark caused Erin’s hand, which was massaging his shoulder, to freeze.
Her expression turned cold as she walked up to him and said earnestly, “Chandler, if that’s what you truly think, then maybe I should resign and find another company!”
Chandler’s face fell, but before he could speak, Erin continued, “Please let me finish. Although I agree to stay by your side, both of us are independent individuals, and I hope you won’t objectify me. I need to prove my worth through my own efforts. I don’t need special treatment from you. Just treat me like any other employee.”
Chandler scoffed at her lofty and proud declaration of self–worth. He just couldn’t understand why she would give up what other women would go to great lengths and even resort to unethical means to obtain.
What most women desired could be easily obtained by pleasing him alone.
Yet she insisted on taking a longer route to achieve her own success.
He sneered, “Erin, you’re truly an ungrateful woman.”
Erin understood Chandler’s words. She responded, “I know how you perceive me. You probably think I’m foolish, don’t you? But I prefer to obtain what I want without relying on anyone. It gives me a sense of genuine accomplishment.”
Suddenly, Chandler stared into her eyes. Erin’s eyes seemed to be sparkling as she spoke. A feeling of admiration welled up in
his heart.
Based on his past ruthless policies, he always treated male and female employees in the company equally. He never discriminated against them.
However, when it came to Erin, he subconsciously treated her as his possession, hoping she would rely on him.
Yet, Erin wasn’t that kind of woman in reality.
Chandler couldn’t help but think of the women he had encountered before. After they took his money, they never bothered him again. It was not because they didn’t want to, but because they didn’t dare to.
They were all obedient and well–behaved, but Erin was different!
A slight smile appeared at the corner of his mouth. Perhaps he was obsessed with Erin because of her uniqueness.
“What does that smile mean? Are you mocking me? I don’t think I said anything wrong!”
Before Erin could finish speaking, Chandler suddenly stood up and embraced her. He sighed. “Alright, let’s not talk about it anymore. Although I don’t understand why you insist on these principles that, in my opinion, are unnecessary, I choose to respect you.”
Although he couldn’t meet her expectations completely, she was satisfied with him choosing to respect her.
“Chandler, thank you.”
She hugged him tightly, easing the conflicting emotions in his heart.
After releasing her, Chandler said, “Remember to keep your distance from Caleb once you return to the design department.”
His words didn’t sound angry, but they had an ominous undercurrent.
Erin smiled and said, “Are you really that worried about me? Or do you lack confidence in yourself?”
Chandler turned his face away, sneering coldly without answering her question. Once he resumed his seat, he said, “Once you’re done organizing your things, you can leave.”
His expression was somewhat complex, and though she couldn’t quite read it, she tried to appease him and asked, “Shall we have lunch together?”
“No, you go ahead and eat on your own. After work, you can go back to the villa by yourself.”
He didn’t provide any further instructions. Erin felt a subtle sense of disappointment in her heart, but she didn’t show it. She returned to her seat, carried the paper box in her hands, and prepared to leave.
She reminded herself that it was better to leave here before getting accustomed to a life of luxury.
After encountering someone like Ian, she no longer held as much anticipation for the future as she did in the past.
Life lessons taught her that the greater the hope, the greater the disappointment.
Before leaving, Erin glanced at Chandler and whispered softly, “Okay…I’m leaving now.”
Chandler didn’t lift his head to watch her, and with a tone devoid of warmth, he simply let out a hum.
Ten minutes later, Erin returned to her original seat in the design department.
She quickly arranged the items on her desk, and in the meantime, some nosy female colleagues couldn’t help but approach her
to ask her various questions.
Erin had already anticipated this and rehearsed her responses in her mind beforehand.
Although the excuses she gave didn’t change the way her colleagues saw her, it did work. Most of the people in the design department believed her explanation.
In general, the story was that their president felt that Erin couldn’t handle the position of an intern assistant, so he decided to transfer her back to the design department.
As for why she was able to become the president’s intern assistant in the first place, Erin came up with a plausible pretext. She mentioned that she had once helped the CEO with a small favor, and perhaps he impulsively chose her as an assistant because he thought she was reliable.
Unfortunately, she only managed to deceive the more naive female colleagues.
The female designers who loved spreading rumors had already crafted a new version of events.
Privately, they spread rumors that Erin tried to climb the corporate ladder by seducing the president but was rejected and humiliated. That was why she got transferred back to the design department.
Three female designers were standing in the pantry, gossiping and giggling.
At that moment, their director, Caleb, walked into the pantry to pour himself a cup of coffee. Seeing him enter the room, the three female designers smiled ingratiatingly before leaving.
Caleb placed the coffee cup on the coffee machine, but his mind was preoccupied.
He was the first to learn about Erin’s return to the design department because Chandler personally called him.
However, he wasn’t pleased with her return. He hadn’t completely forgotten her yet.
Yet Erin accepted Chandler’s offer and reappeared before him once again. It caused him a great deal of inner conflict and distress.
As he exited the pantry, he immediately noticed a delivery man handing Erin a large bouquet of roses. “Wow! Erin, who would be so generous to send you such a huge bunch of roses? How roman
