Chapter 2 You're Not Shirley

Emily spun around to see Shirley waving a pink box in the air.

"Hey, Emily! I brought you some desserts," Shirley announced, strolling in without even knocking. "This is the kind of treat we young folks love." She really laid it on thick with the "young" part.

Emily took a slow sip of her water. After more than a decade in the corporate grind, she could see right through Shirley's little games.

"Thanks, but I'm not really into sweets," Emily said, turning her down.

Shirley looked shocked. "Seriously? How anyone wouldn't enjoy sweets! Don't tell me you've never had macarons before? Oh, right, you grew up in Silvercrest. No wonder you haven't had anything this fancy."

Emily didn't want to get into it, but considering Shirley's connection with Patrick, she knew she had to tread carefully. Still, Shirley kept pushing her buttons.

With a faint smile, Emily said, "Oh, I've had my fair share of macarons. I just prefer to keep my taste buds sophisticated—unlike some people!"

Shirley was caught off guard by Emily's words and looked a bit embarrassed.

Seeing Shirley quiet down, Emily calmly said, "Why don't you focus on your work instead?"

She pulled out the printed task list submitted by the branch offices for the month.

"All the completion statuses are in the company's public email. Summarize them," Emily instructed.

There were both paper and electronic versions. All Shirley had to do was create a table and fill it in. It was the simplest task.

Shirley flipped through the papers and asked, "Emily, what do I do next?"

Emily sighed and explained it to her again. Seeing Shirley still looking confused, Emily decided to give up.

"Never mind. Here's Mr. Rivera's schedule for next week. Coordinate with the airline and hotel," Emily said.

This was a task that required no thinking, just basic communication. If Shirley couldn't even handle this, then she was really useless.

What should have taken an hour dragged on until the afternoon, and Shirley still hadn't finished.

Frustrated, Emily went to find Shirley, only to see Patrick casually sitting in the office lobby in a tailored suit.

"Patrick, you got it done in just a few words. You're so amazing!" Shirley gushed.

Emily sighed. If every general manager handled all the travel arrangements themselves, the assistants would have it so easy. Knowing Patrick's usual strictness, Shirley would likely be scolded soon.

Before Emily, Patrick had fired several secretaries. She had carefully worked her way up from an administrative assistant to the general manager's assistant, knowing how tough it was.

Patrick said with a gentle smile, "It's okay, you're new to the company. It's normal not to be familiar with these tasks yet. Ask Emily if you have questions."

Emily was shocked. She didn't know he could be so understanding. When she first started, she got scolded harshly for a minor mistake. This made her meticulous and thorough, earning her a reputation for professionalism.

"But Emily always ignores me. Today, I even brought her macarons, and she mocked me for not being able to afford high-end brands..." Shirley whined.

Emily found it both funny and annoying and lost interest in listening further.

Back in her office, Emily was about to dive into the task completion reports when she saw a tall, familiar figure.

Patrick said coldly, "Why are you being so difficult about her?"

Immersed in her work, Emily was startled. Patrick had been in the lobby just moments ago. How did he get here so quickly? She looked up to see Patrick's stern face.

Emily quickly stood up and tried to keep her voice steady. "I'm not trying to be difficult; I just want to ensure that we're all on the same page," she replied.

Patrick frowned, tapping his fingers lightly on the desk. That small gesture was enough for Emily to know he was pissed.

She had no choice but to think to herself, 'Fine, when in Rome, do as the Romans do.'

"I'm committed to helping her..." Emily tried to explain.

Patrick said nothing, just stared at her with those sharp eyes that seemed to see right through her.

"Emily, do you think I'm easy to brush off?" Patrick's voice was low and powerful, each word hitting Emily like a hammer.

Emily looked up and met Patrick's cold gaze. Her heart tightened, knowing her response had displeased him. She tried to stay calm and said, "Mr. Rivera, I've been following your instructions to take care of her, but..."

"What's wrong?" Patrick interrupted, his tone leaving no room for argument.

"You seem dissatisfied with my arrangements!" he said coldly.

Emily's face changed slightly. She hadn't expected Patrick to be so blunt. She lowered her head, avoiding his gaze, feeling a mix of emotions.

What right did she have to be dissatisfied? As a secretary? A lover? Or...

Emily remained silent, clutching the hem of her shirt.

Patrick slowly walked toward her, exuding a powerful presence.

Emily instinctively stepped back. When they were just a foot apart, Patrick leaned in and said softly, "Emily, you don't hold a candle to Shirley in my opinion!"

Emily's heart sank, and she struggled to control her emotions.

"I know," she said with a bitter smile.

Patrick made no further move and turned to leave. He suddenly stopped and, in a commanding tone, said, "My sister's engagement party is tonight. Pick out a gift and send it over."

"That doesn't seem appropriate," Emily replied, the thought of the engagement party making her nervous, knowing Patrick's mother would be there.

"Emily, remember your place!" Patrick emphasized her role as a secretary, making it clear she had no choice but to go.

Emily chose a limited edition CARTIER MARCELLO BAG. It had been reserved by a local tycoon, but after offending a subsidiary of the Gray Group, his funds were cut off, and the bag remained available.

When Emily arrived at the engagement party with the gift, many guests were already there. In the center of the room, a middle-aged woman in a luxurious silk dress, slightly plump, wearing an expensive black pearl necklace, was chatting animatedly. It was Patrick's mother, Jennifer Rivera.

Emily hoped Jennifer wouldn't notice her so she could drop off the gift and leave. Because every time they met, Jennifer would harshly criticize her.

Emily anxiously looked for Patrick's sister, but turned and met Jennifer's gaze.

Jennifer glanced at her with disdain.

"People should know their place. Some women think they can marry into wealth just because they're pretty, without considering their background," Jennifer said to the wealthy ladies around her.

"Exactly. How could an ugly duckling become a swan? Girls like Karen, who are elegant and dignified, are rare."

Emily found it tiresome but knew it was inevitable. She stepped forward.

"Mrs. Rivera, hello. Mr. Rivera asked me to bring this engagement gift for Ms. Rivera..." Emily said.

Before Emily could finish, Karen Rivera approached.

"Oh, it's you! Since you're here, feel free to look around. Don't be nervous. You probably won't get many chances to visit such a high-end place," Karen said.

Emily didn't argue, just quietly handed over the limited edition bag.

Karen was stunned, saying, "Mom, this is the bag I told you about, the one I couldn't get!"

With the bag in hand, the atmosphere eased a bit. Just as Emily was about to leave, a familiar voice called out.

"Karen, we're here!"