With a mocking grin dancing on her lips and a trace of pity in her eyes, Phoebe Walker stared at Nia Mitchell. "Nia, you wouldn’t be skipping the event because you can’t afford an evening gown, would you?" Read full story at 𝙣𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙡⁂𝙛𝙞𝙧𝙚⁂𝙣𝙚𝙩 Phoebe mused internally, So that’s why she’s decided not to go and embarrass herself. The reason makes perfect sense; it’s exactly the kind of worry someone like her would have. Nia Mitchell clenched her fists, fighting the urge to lose her temper as she spoke to Phoebe. "It’s just a birthday party. If I have to go, I’ll go." Nia gritted her teeth. If I don’t agree, she’ll likely keep nagging me. "Good. I’ll be waiting to see you and your husband there, then," Phoebe said. Mentioning Nia’s husband again, Phoebe felt she’d found her vulnerability. Her husband is probably the last person she wants anyone to mention, Phoebe thought, a mental image swiftly forming: a penniless, short, ugly, old man. Hmph, only someone like that would be a match for Nia Mitchell. Watching Phoebe Walker leave with her head held high, Nia Mitchell finally breathed a sigh of relief. As she sat down, however, she noticed several messages from Alan Morgan. "Sister-in-law, please ask the CEO to let me off the hook." "Sister-in-law, you can’t just stand by and watch me suffer!" "Sister-in-law, you there?" Nia, thoroughly exasperated, awkwardly replied, "Here..." However, a long time passed with no reply. Nia had no idea that Alan Morgan was currently in dire straits. Maxwell Peary sat in his office chair, holding his signature pen, his brow furrowed as he looked at the document before him. In less than a minute, Maxwell swept the documents from his desk onto the floor, where several others already lay. "Why is all this trash being sent to me? Does Maxwell Peary only employ a bunch of incompetents?" Besides Alan Morgan, a group of department managers also stood in the office. These individuals were all high-ranking figures in their own departments, but here, they could only bow their heads, trembling, unsure even how to stand. Cold sweat trickled down their backs, and their hearts THUMPED wildly. Every slight movement Maxwell Peary made set their nerves on edge. "And this one! Utter garbage!" SWISH! Another document hit the floor. "If you can’t even handle trivial matters like these, you might as well pack your bags and leave now!" Maxwell Peary put down his pen. With a RATTLE, he pulled open a drawer and took out a cigarette. "Alan, have you been slacking off recently?" Alan’s heart clenched. It’s here, it’s finally here. The CEO is turning his anger towards me. "Yes, sir. I’ll make the necessary adjustments." Everyone else present was even more terrified than Alan. We’re doomed, we’re doomed! The CEO is even reprimanding Special Assistant Morgan! Who on earth provoked the CEO’s anger this time? they wondered. The last time the CEO got this angry was three years ago. That time, he fired every single manager in the company. Every single one! What about this time? Everyone’s palms grew sweaty with fear, terrified that the next words they heard would be, "All of you, get out!" "Make adjustments?" Maxwell sneered. "Can making adjustments truly compensate for the mistakes you’ve made?" Maxwell reached for his lighter. Just as he was about to light the cigarette, he paused. He suddenly remembered that Nia didn’t like him smoking. If she smelled smoke on him when he got home from work, she wouldn’t be happy. So, he frowned at the cigarette in his hand and hesitated for a moment. Then, with a flick of his finger, the cigarette drew a graceful arc in the air before landing on the floor.