Chapter 75

Chapter 75

"Layla! Can you pay more attention? You can't even handle such a simple task! The last page should be in the third column, but you put it in the fourth! Now, reorganize it. I want to see it done correctly in five minutes!"

I was so scared that I quickly grabbed the files and fumbled to reorganize them, my heart pounding.

Five minutes later, I brought the files over. He checked them once, said nothing - I guess that meant I passed.

Back at my desk, my back was completely soaked with sweat.

Selina secretly handed me a tissue and said, "Don't take it personally. Mr. Fields is like this with everyone. Last time I put his pen in the wrong color, and he yelled at me too."

I took the tissue and smiled. "It's okay, it was my own carelessness."

Although I was on edge every day, I was learning a lot. Alan's design talent was truly impressive. His sketches had smooth lines and unique creativity. Every time I watched him draw, I couldn't help but be amazed.

I crouched in front of the filing cabinet in the archive room, holding Alan's design sketches from last year, carefully brushing away dust from the surface with a soft brush.

Each sketch had to be sorted by collection, and I had to check if the edges were worn. Alan's requirements were so strict that even paper creases weren't allowed. I'd already been busy here for almost an hour.

Voices came from the doorway of the break room - it was Cara from the design department. Her voice wasn't loud, but it drifted right into the open archive room door.

"Hey, what's Layla's real story anyway?"

"Mr. Fields is so picky. He wasn't satisfied with over a dozen assistants, yet she, with hardly any experience, managed to stay? How?"

Another young colleague, Mica, chimed in, "What else could it be? Look how pretty she is. She's probably sleeping with Mr. Fields. Otherwise, with her resume, how would she qualify to be Mr. Fields' assistant?"

Cara said confidently, "That's what I'm saying! Last time I saw her go into Mr. Fields' office alone at noon, and she didn't come out until half an hour later. Something fishy was definitely going on.

Alan never had a kind word for female assistants before, but with her, when she put files in the wrong column last time, he barely scolded her. If that's not a personal relationship, what is?"

My hand paused, the brush stopping on the paper.

I came early and left late every day, being so careful with everything, afraid of making mistakes, yet I still couldn't escape these malicious assumptions.

I pretended not to hear, picked up the stack of organized sketches, gently closed the filing cabinet door, and turned to head back to my desk. But just as I reached the hallway corner, I ran into Cara and Mica coming toward me.

When they saw me, their faces clearly stiffened.

I didn't plan to argue with them. I kept my head down and tried to walk past them.

But Cara suddenly said loudly to a colleague passing by, "Well, if it isn't Layla? Just coming out of the archive room? How come you leave as soon as we start talking? Don't tell me we hit the mark and you feel guilty?"

Several colleagues passing by stopped and looked at us curiously.

Mica fanned the flames too. "Cara, you can't say it like that. Maybe Layla really does have something to do? But then again, to catch Mr. Fields' special attention, her skills are certainly 'exceptional.'"

I gripped the sketches tighter, wanting to argue back, but what good would arguing with them do? It would only make things worse.

I bit my lip and kept walking, just wanting to get away from this mess.

But I hadn't taken two steps when I heard someone shout from behind, "Stop!"

I turned around to see Alan standing at his office door, looking darkly at Cara and Mica, and the other colleagues watching the drama unfold.

The entire hallway instantly fell silent - they could hear a pin drop.

Cara and Mica turned deathly pale and quickly lowered their heads, not daring to speak anymore.

Alan walked over step by step, stopped in front of Cara and said, "Not working during office hours, but gathering here to gossip? The company pays you to talk behind colleagues' backs?"

Cara trembled all over, stammering, "Mr. Fields, we... we were just talking casually, we didn't mean any harm..."

Alan laughed coldly and said, "Just talking casually means you can spread rumors? Saying Layla got her position through a personal relationship? Are you blind? Haven't you seen that she comes earliest and leaves latest every day? Haven't you seen that her organized files are perfect down to the smallest detail? Haven't you seen that her basic sketches are better than some of your finished products?"

Everyone in the design department was alarmed and poked their heads out to look.

Alan looked around and said sternly, "Everyone, go to the conference room for a meeting right now! No one is excused!"

Then he turned to look at me and said, "You come too."

I was stunned for a moment, then followed him into the conference room holding the sketches. The conference room quickly filled up, everyone keeping their heads down, not daring to breathe loudly. Alan sat at the head of the table, his face still dark.

Alan's voice echoed in the quiet conference room, "I called everyone here today for one thing. Spreading rumors and gossiping about colleagues behind their backs is absolutely not allowed in this company.

Since Layla joined, what has her work attitude been like? What are her abilities like? I believe anyone with eyes can see clearly."

"What gives you the right to question her? Just because she's good-looking? Just because she can meet my work requirements and stayed in the position you all wanted? If you don't have the skills yourself, you attribute others' hard work to personal relationships. Don't you feel ashamed?"

Alan tapped the table and said, "From today on, whoever dares to gossip about colleagues behind their backs and spread rumors, no matter who it is, will be fired immediately! No room for negotiation! The company wants people who can work and have abilities, not people who stir up trouble!"

As soon as he said this, the conference room erupted. Cara and Mica's faces instantly turned deathly pale.

Several other colleagues who had just watched the drama and joined in also looked regretful.

After the meeting, Cara and Mica were the first to rush up to me, heads bowed, apologizing, "Layla, we're sorry. We were wrong. We shouldn't have made wild guesses or talked about you behind your back."

Other colleagues who participated in the gossip also gathered around, apologizing one after another, "Layla, we were wrong. We'll never do it again."

"Yeah, we were too narrow-minded."

I took a deep breath and looked at everyone, saying, "I accept your apologies, but I also want to make things clear. I'm able to stay here not because of my looks, and not because of any personal relationship, but because of my own hard work and abilities."

"If you still doubt me and think I don't have the skills, that's fine. We can compare professional abilities. Design sketches, creative concepts, factory coordination details - pick any one, or all three if you want.

Whoever loses has to publicly admit they're not as good as the other person, and can never question the other person's abilities again."