Chapter 50 Will He Humiliate Her?
"It is already working hours," Alexander said, his tone clipped, each word carrying the weight of command. "As my assistant, should you not be keeping pace with me every moment of the day? Or do you expect your employer to wait while his assistant arranges her own schedule? Do you need me to roll out a personal invitation?"
Caroline snapped back to reality, her gaze jerking toward him in panic. Work? Now? So soon?
She dropped the piece of toast she had been unconsciously crushing in her fingers and pushed herself to her feet, too fast, too careless. The edge of her hand knocked into the glass of milk beside her. It tipped, spilling across the table. Kenna was there in an instant.
"Ma'am, careful," Kenna said quickly.
But Caroline barely heard her. She gave Kenna a quick, apologetic nod before hurrying toward Alexander.
He stood in the doorway, watching her scramble toward him, a cold amusement curling at his lips. Without pausing, without offering even a second for her to catch up, he turned and walked toward the front door.
Caroline lowered her head, her steps uneven as she followed, afraid to lag behind.
They moved in silence, the air between them heavy and taut. The drive ended in front of a skyscraper that seemed to pierce the clouds.
Caroline's heart slammed against her ribs as she looked up. This was the Hamilton family headquarters, one of the defining towers in Grandhaven's financial district.
She had seen it before—on television, in business news segments, from a distance during rare trips into the city. She had never imagined she would walk inside under these circumstances, with this identity.
Alexander stepped out of the car first. Caroline followed quickly, her head bowed, moving like someone trying to melt into the floor.
She had prepared herself in her mind for this moment, but the reality hit harder. The moment she stepped into the lobby, the weight of every gaze bore down on her.
It was the morning rush. Men and women in tailored suits moved with purpose, their heels clicking against polished marble, their conversations clipped and efficient. But now, their pace slowed. Heads turned. Eyes locked on her—the woman trailing behind Alexander.
"That's the CEO… Who's the woman with him?"
"She looks familiar… Oh my God, is that his wife? The one from the Neville Family?"
"Seriously? That's her? She looks like she just escaped from somewhere…"
"Her outfit… standing next to him like that… it's embarrassing."
"I heard she hasn't been stable since her sister died. The CEO's hands are tied."
"Shh! Keep your voice down unless you want trouble."
The whispers were low but sharp, each word finding its way into Caroline's ears like needles. She wanted to vanish into the floor.
But there was no escape. She lowered her head further, knowing that hiding only made her stand out more.
Ahead of her, Alexander's stride never faltered. But as she risked a glance upward, she caught the faint crease between his brows.
He thought she was humiliating him.
Her stomach knotted. Of course. Her presence here, in this state, was a stain on him and the Hamilton name.
She bit down hard, forcing herself into a near jog to match the sudden increase in his pace.
They crossed the lobby and stepped into the private elevator reserved for the top executives.
The ride was swift, a silent ascent to the top floor.
When the doors opened, Alexander's office wing stretched before them.
His chief aide was already waiting outside the elevator. "Good morning, sir. Today's schedule is—" The aide's eyes flicked briefly to Caroline, a flash of surprise before his expression smoothed back into professional neutrality. He continued his report.
Alexander listened, moving toward the office at the far end of the corridor. At the door, he stopped, gesturing toward Caroline with casual authority.
"From today, she is my assistant. Show her the ropes. And get her something decent to wear. I don't want her standing around here looking like this."
Without another glance, he pushed the door open and stepped inside.
Caroline kept her gaze low, her pulse hammering in her ears.
She saw polished black shoes stop in front of her.
Her breath caught.
Liam—Alexander's most trusted aide, the man who had been at his side for years, the man who knew every one of Alexander's secrets, including the truth about her and Edith.
In the few times she had seen him, he had always been a silent shadow, tall and imposing, a blade honed to perfection, waiting for Alexander's signal to strike.
Would he treat her with the same cold precision? Would his words cut as sharply as Alexander's?
She shrank slightly, unwilling to meet his eyes.
But the cruelty she expected never came.
"Ma'am, please follow me," Liam said, his voice steady, polite.
He stepped back slightly, gesturing for her to move ahead.
Caroline blinked, almost certain she had misheard.
She lifted her gaze cautiously, meeting his eyes.
There was no disdain there, no impatience—only the calm professionalism of a man doing his job without attaching any judgment to the person before him.
She hesitated for a moment before following him toward a door not far from Alexander's office.
Liam opened it, revealing a modest but well-appointed office space. The desk was clear, the shelves organized, a small adjoining room set up as a private rest area.
"Mrs. Hamilton, this will be your office," Liam explained. "It's close to Mr. Hamilton's, so you can respond quickly to any instructions."
He gestured toward the desk. "The red phone connects directly to Mr. Hamilton's office. The green line is for internal calls—you can reach me or the secretary's office through it. These are documents that need preliminary sorting today. You can use them to familiarize yourself with the process. As Mr. Hamilton's assistant, your duties will include managing his schedule, screening calls and visitors, handling non-critical paperwork, and completing any tasks he assigns on the spot.
"If you need a break, the rest room is yours to use. I've arranged for appropriate attire to be delivered shortly. It's standard business wear, sized to our best estimate. If it doesn't fit, let me know."
From his jacket pocket, Liam took out a business card and offered it to her with both hands.
"This has my direct contact information. If there's anything missing from your office, or if you have any questions, you can reach me at any time."