Chapter10 Mistaking Her for Willing
It only took the gallery clerk one minute to complete the transfer of ownership procedures on the front desk computer.
"Linnea, these ten paintings belong to you now. I'm so happy for you!"
Linnea glanced at her name tag and said quietly, "Thank you, Stella."
Meanwhile, Caius stood to the side, his expression cold and indecipherable. Amy held the palm-sized painting that Caius had bestowed upon her. Her heart was still beating irregularly from Caius's favor just now, but she didn't dare say a word.
Once Caius showed displeasure, someone would suffer.
Linnea left. Caius followed her out. He must be going to announce Linnea's dismissal, right?
Amy lowered her head, the corners of her mouth twitching from a smile she couldn't hide. Linnea, starting today, you'll also be abandoned by Caius.
Linnea was about to drive away when a large palm stopped her car window.
She instinctively shrank back. She was really afraid that once Caius came to his senses, he would beat her severely. But she suppressed her fear and tried to meet his meaningful gaze.
"Your slapping strength is quite impressive." Caius said softly. "Not quite like the little kitten in bed who only knows how to act cute and cry, begging her bed partner to be gentler."
Linnea forced herself to stay calm.
"My explosive power is pretty good. After all, I can't compare to pampered rich heiresses like Amy. I've struggled to survive in society. When I encounter harassment and difficulties, I can only solve them myself."
"Your solution isn't very clever." Caius deliberately ignored the resentment in her words again. "If the person you confronted just now wasn't me, you would have been fired for defying your superior."
Of course Linnea knew this.
But if she didn't have a special relationship with Caius, how would she have encountered this kind of thing?
But she didn't defend herself. She extended her finger and lightly scratched his hand where veins bulged.
"Caius, anyway, with you here, I can rely on you, can't I?"
After the sound of the car engine outside the door gradually faded, Amy emerged from the gallery, her cheeks flushed. "Caius, thank you for helping me..."
"No need." Caius calmly informed her. "Because starting today, you're fired."
Amy's face instantly turned pale.
"Caius, what did I do wrong? Please tell me. I can correct everything, as long as you forgive me."
"This doesn't need a reason."
"But you can't fire me without reason."
"Why can't I? As long as I want to, I can do anything."
After simple begging failed, Amy tried to gain his sympathy. "Caius, I was originally a child born to the legitimate wife of the Jane family, but there are too many illegitimate children in the family. I had to demonstrate my value through independent work..."
"Mm." Caius said. "So?"
"I really need this secretary job. Please don't be too harsh on me..."
Amy thought this might awaken some soft part in Caius's heart. She and Caius were both legitimate children of complicated families. They would be the same type of people.
But after listening, Caius showed extreme disbelief. "You want me to sympathize with you? But I don't think I've ever publicly proclaimed that I'm some generous and kind person."
Thinking of Linnea's exaggerated praise just now, his smile deepened.
See, that little cat had never misunderstood him. In her heart, he had always been an utterly wicked bastard.
"But why does that bitch from the slums with poor upbringing get your sympathy?" Amy stammered. "Is it just because of her looks? But your previous bed partners were never that sexy. To get close to you, I specifically got breast augmentation surgery..."
"She's from the slums? Doesn't seem like it."
Amy showed a desperate look.
She finally understood that she had already lost from the very beginning.
Not because of body, family background, personality, or anything else.
Caius was purely interested in that woman. That was all.
...
Three days later.
Before Linnea entered the inner room of the gallery, Stella asked her quietly, "The person who had a conflict with you that day was the CEO of Thorne Corporation, right? He didn't make things difficult for you, did he? After you left, he got really angry and even fired that secretary Amy."
Amy was a favored person by his side. He was actually willing to fire her? Hadn't he defended Amy in front of her?
Why would he do that? Could it be some kind of flirting tactic?
What a moody man.
Linnea complained inwardly as she walked into the gallery. She didn't notice the man's increasingly gloomy face in the depths of the studio corridor.
"Excuse me, where are those paintings?"
The gallery manager was a corpulent businessman with a shrewd appearance.
"The paintings, ah..." He stared at her obsessively. "Why are you so fixated on finding paintings? You yourself are a work of art."
"Please tell me where the paintings are."
The boss was interrupted, but there wasn't a trace of displeasure on his face. He said repeatedly, "Oh, oh, alright. Those paintings, well, they're already in my warehouse. I'll have my assistant fetch them, but it'll take a while. Please be patient. Perhaps we can chat about those... um, artworks."
"No need."
“You know, you really are a beauty. A woman like you only has to ask, and I can take care of anything for you.”
The boss’s voice was sticky and smug, and his bloated body shifted closer. The chair let out a heavy creak.
His eyes stayed glued to her, filled with naked, possessive hunger, like he might devour her whole the next second.
Linnea’s skin tingled with the same revulsion as being touched by something filthy, but for her mother’s sake, she dug her nails into her palm and forced herself to endure it.
His breathing grew heavier, his gaze roaming over her with increasing boldness.
Then he suddenly reached out, his fingers thick and greasy, full of entitled intent, moving toward her thigh.
Just before that hand could touch her skin, her stomach twisted hard, and her whole body went taut like a string about to snap."Starting now, you're fired."
"Starting now, you're fired."
This voice?
Is that Caius!