From Neglected Wife to CEO’s Obsession novel Chapter 156

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The girl blinked at me, those big, clear puppy-dog eyes sparkling with a mix of innocent curiosity and a little mischief she thought she was hiding well. She was so cute, honestly—completely transparent in her attempts to feel me out.

“Hey Mandy. I’m Avery, Director of Engineering at Elite Tech. Here’s my contact info—my number’s synced with WeChat.”

Mandy’s face lit up as she added me, scooting her chair closer. She started scrolling through my socials and chatting away.

“Wow, Avery, your makeup looks gorgeous! That palette is perfect on you.”

“You’re really a tech genius? So cool! But seriously, you’re so pretty—don’t you get bored working with numbers and code all day?”

She fired off questions one after another, and I could almost feel the temperature drop beside me. Elliot, the human block of ice, was frowning so hard it was like the air around us was freezing.

Mandy was so bubbly, recommending beauty bloggers and fashion brands I’d never even heard of. After a bit, as we got more comfortable, she leaned over and whispered, “So… about Elliot. Any secretaries flirting with him? Girls bringing him lunch? Does he ever bring women to the office to stir things up? Give me the tea!”

If you’re going to gossip, at least keep your voice down. But Mandy just couldn’t help herself—her voice rang out, clear as a bell. The frostiness from my left was getting intense, my arm nearly numb from the chill. I ended up hugging my right arm to myself for warmth.

The air conditioning was set perfectly, and no one else looked the slightest bit cold.

Which made me stand out even more.

Blake glanced over, confused. “Ms. Greenwood, are you cold?”

I shot a quick look at Elliot, who could have passed for an ice sculpture, and decided to play it off. “No, not really. Just a little itch on my elbow.”

Elliot flicked his gaze at me, completely expressionless, then pulled out his phone. He dialed, slid the phone across the table toward me, and Mandy’s face instantly fell. She hit end before the call could connect, pouting.

“Ugh, what’s his problem? Such a snitch.”

I couldn’t help but laugh at her pout. Sometimes it really does take a bigger bully to keep the little ones in line.

Mandy shot Elliot a glare, then grabbed my hand, her voice bright and clear. “Avery, you’re gorgeous and talented. Seriously, stay away from Mr. Iceberg over there—you don’t want to freeze to death.”

Whether she meant it or not, it made me grin, and I gave her a big thumbs up.