Chapter 125 Don't Touch What Isn't Yours
Serena couldn't help feeling annoyed. Why were these two staring at her like that?
She glanced around the office area. Most people were working at their desks. These two standing here with those expressions really did look like kids being punished after school.
Serena had planned to just ignore them, but her gut told her their little timeout had something to do with her. After a moment's hesitation, she walked over to Lilith's desk and asked quietly, "What's going on?"
Lilith looked surprised. "You don't know?"
"Know what?"
Lilith seemed even more shocked. Mr. Locke had just stormed out and absolutely lost it, and Serena had been right there in his office but had no idea? A realization suddenly struck Lilith—this Ms. Rothwell must be someone important to Mr. Locke. Otherwise, why would he have spared her from his wrath?
With that understanding, Lilith didn't hold back. "I don't know all the details, but Mr. Locke was furious just now. I'm pretty sure it has something to do with the Sweetwater City project materials."
"Got it. Thanks."
Serena thanked her and headed to the restroom, turning Lilith's words over in her mind the whole way. She'd already gone through the Sweetwater City materials once. When she'd first started organizing them, she'd found them completely chaotic—out of order, with tons of duplicate content and rejected proposals mixed in. Just sorting through that mess had taken her over two hours.
At the time, she'd thought it was weird that a major company like the Locke Group would have such disorganized files. Now, connecting the dots with what Lilith said, everything clicked. Stanley must have resented handing over the project and deliberately given her the raw, unprocessed materials as some kind of power play.
Adrian's anger meant he'd figured it out. Of course he'd be pissed that his employees were pulling this crap right under his nose.
Anyway, since it was his subordinates who'd been sabotaging her, the fallout wouldn't land on her head. She didn't particularly care what happened to them.
After washing her face and fixing her messy hair, she called Blake to remind him to take Sarah for her chemo appointment. Then she headed back to Adrian's office.
---
By the time she returned, Stanley and Rosanne were already inside. Figuring their drama had nothing to do with her, Serena went straight to her makeshift workstation and sat down.
Stanley was carefully explaining to Adrian, "I'm so sorry, Mr. Locke. Someone on my team screwed up and gave Ms. Rothwell the raw materials by mistake. I've already had them compile the updated files. They'll be here any minute."
Adrian's gaze shifted to Rosanne standing behind Stanley. He hadn't said a single word yet, but the ice in his eyes and the sheer weight of his stare were enough to make her knees buckle. She couldn't even meet his gaze, much less speak.
Stanley shot her a pointed look. "Well? Go gather up those materials."
Only then did Rosanne move toward Serena's desk, reaching for the files scattered across it.
Serena slapped her hand down on the papers. "Don't touch those."
Just two words, but delivered with an authority that brooked absolutely no argument.
Unable to pull the files free, Rosanne glared at Serena with pure resentment bordering on hatred.
Serena was genuinely speechless. These were materials she'd just spent hours painstakingly organizing. Of course she wasn't going to let someone trash them again. And for that, this assistant was shooting her death glares? Talk about a serious attitude problem.
Meanwhile, Stanley was still trying to salvage the situation when Adrian cut him off impatiently. "If you can't handle something this basic, there's no point keeping you at the Locke Group. Pack your things. You're done."
Hearing that, Rosanne's whole body trembled. She turned to Stanley with a look of wounded helplessness that practically screamed for rescue.
Standing right next to her, Serena saw that pleading gaze crystal clear. Her mind immediately jumped to Brielle. Wait. Were Rosanne and Stanley actually having an affair?
Stanley caught Rosanne's desperate look and turned to Adrian. Even knowing his boss was already furious, he gathered his courage to plead. "Mr. Locke, Rosanne's been with the Locke Group for three years. This is her first mistake. Could you please, for my sake—"
"Your sake?" Adrian's lips curved in a cold smile, his tone utterly flat. "Stanley, keep your personal feelings out of the workplace. Otherwise, you can get out with her."
Stanley went rigid with shock.
Serena shot them both a look of pure disgust. So they really were screwing around. Cheating on his pregnant wife with his assistant. Absolutely revolting.
In the end, Stanley didn't dare say another word.
Seeing her fate was sealed, Rosanne's emotions boiled over. She roughly started gathering the materials, anger making her movements jerky and graceless. She even tried to take Serena's notes.
Serena yanked her notebook back. "Don't touch things that aren't yours."
The double meaning wasn't lost on anyone—a pointed jab at the mistress stealing someone else's husband.
Serena couldn't help it. She had zero sympathy for homewreckers who knew exactly what they were doing.
Rosanne shot her one last venomous glare before storming out with an armful of files.
---
Shortly after, Lilith appeared with new documents. This batch was about two-thirds smaller than the previous disaster.
Serena flipped through them casually and let out a dismissive snort. "Not even as good as what I put together myself."
From behind the partition, Adrian caught her smug little expression. A smile tugged at his lips despite himself. "Oh yeah, you're so talented, little princess."
The long-forgotten nickname made Serena freeze mid-page-turn.
Years ago, because of Adrian, people in their social circle used to call her 'the Rothwell family's little princess.' It had been ages since anyone used that name. Hearing Adrian say it now stirred something she couldn't quite define—like memories awakening from deep sleep, bittersweet and tender all at once.
She found herself looking up at him automatically. Their eyes met across the office.