Chapter 76 Experience the Joy of Being a Woman
At seven p.m., Scarlett stepped through the doors of Culinary Haven. A server led her toward the private dining room reserved for tonight's welcome dinner—the entire design department would be attending.
Scarlett knew perfectly well that calling this a "welcome dinner" was generous. More accurately, it was a battlefield disguised as a banquet, all polite smiles masking razor-sharp scrutiny. The only question was whether she could handle the heat.
Her sudden parachute landing as head of the Boleyn Group's newly formed design team had sent shockwaves through the department. Especially since Ambrose had publicly blacklisted her not too long ago. Everyone was dying to know how she'd gotten in—and even more curious about how she'd manage to survive.
She pushed open the door to the private room. About a dozen people were already seated inside. The Boleyn Group's design department employed over twenty designers; some hadn't arrived yet.
"Ms. Mellon's here." Design Director Heath Rivera stood up with an amiable expression.
Scarlett walked over, giving him a slight nod without saying much. Under Heath's direction, she took a seat among her team members.
"Ms. Mellon probably doesn't know everyone in the department yet. Let me do the introductions." Heath gestured toward the man beside him.
"This is Jace Garcia, head of Team One. This is Rhys Martinez, head of Team Two. And this is head of Team Three..."
Scarlett nodded politely to each person in turn. Heath then proceeded to introduce the other designers, and Scarlett acknowledged each one with a courteous nod.
After completing the rounds, Heath introduced Scarlett's team to everyone, with special emphasis on Scarlett herself.
"You might not be familiar with Ms. Mellon, since she keeps such a low profile. But she's a star graduate from Aurora College's architecture program. She won international awards while still in school, and her abilities speak for themselves. That iconic landmark building in Silverlight City? That came from Ms. Mellon's brilliant mind."
As Heath finished, a murmur of appreciation rippled through the room.
"So that designer is Ms. Mellon? I'm so honored! I can't believe I'm actually meeting her in person—and working alongside her, no less."
A petite woman jumped up from her seat and rushed over to Scarlett, her eyes shining with admiration.
"Ms. Mellon, could I get a photo with you?"
"Vida, there'll be plenty of chances for photos later. Tonight's a welcome dinner—don't be a pest." Heath's expression turned stern as he cut her off.
Vida Barnes knew when to back down. With a bright smile, she changed her tune. "You're right. We'll be working in the same department anyway. Plenty of opportunities ahead."
With that, she scurried back to her seat at lightning speed.
Vida's little interruption actually warmed up the atmosphere. After that, everyone started chatting freely.
Of course, some troublemakers viewed Scarlett's arrival with suspicion. Their questions came sharp and pointed.
"Ms. Mellon, a while back, Mr. Boleyn issued an order to blacklist you. So how exactly did you get into the company?"
The moment those words dropped, the room went dead silent. You could've heard a pin hit the floor. Every pair of eyes locked onto Scarlett's face.
Scarlett had prepared herself for this before coming. This kind of minor interrogation didn't intimidate her in the slightest. She smiled faintly and responded smoothly.
"Through recruitment, naturally."
Wasn't Ambrose the recruiter, after all?
He'd used the blacklist as leverage to pull her out of the Ross Group and drag her straight into his own camp.
Sometimes she couldn't help but wonder if he'd set the trap from the very beginning, just waiting for her to walk into it.
Hearing the "recruitment" explanation, people grew even more curious.
"So is it true or false that Mr. Boleyn blacklisted you?"
She smiled slightly. "If it were true, would I be sitting here as your colleague?"
So it was just a rumor.
Everyone nodded in understanding. But this answer only fueled their curiosity further. They pressed on.
"So you were recruited by a professional headhunter that Mr. Boleyn hired?"
"Who recruited me doesn't matter. What matters is that I joined the Boleyn Group, and Mr. Boleyn definitely knows about it." Scarlett's response was both graceful and airtight.
Someone else was about to ask another question when Scarlett's phone rang. She stood up. "Excuse me, I need to take this call."
With that, she headed toward the door, stepping outside before pressing the answer button.
"Scarlett, you're at Culinary Haven?" Briar's voice came through the line.
"Yeah. Today's my first day at work. They wanted to throw a welcome dinner, so here I am at Culinary Haven."
"Ambrose went through all that trouble to get you into his company. Now that you're actually inside, I'm getting worried again. Is he genuinely into you, or does he just want to use your talent to make money for him?" Briar sighed.
Scarlett still couldn't figure out Ambrose's true motives. If he just wanted to sleep with her, there was no need to bring her into the Boleyn Group.
But he'd brought her in anyway—and right off the bat, he'd handed her an incredibly important project.
This project could not only make her career but also deliver serious results for his company.
"I just thought of Wesley. He used pretty much the same tactics back then. Scarlett, you don't think Ambrose is going to turn out like Wesley, do you?"
Scarlett paused for a few seconds before responding. "Don't worry. I won't fall into the same trap twice. I only signed a one-year contract with the Boleyn Group."
"That's good. I'm just worried about you. What if he's like Wesley and you can't leave even when you want to?"
Briar had been the one pushing her toward Ambrose in the beginning. Now that Scarlett had actually joined the Boleyn Group, Briar was suddenly full of concern.
Scarlett laughed. "There's no other entanglement between us—just a transaction. When the transaction ends, we go our separate ways. Nobody owes anybody anything."
"Well, that's a relief. Anyway, while you're at it, don't waste the opportunity to sleep with him. Enjoy the perks of being a woman." With her worries resolved, Briar was back to her teasing self.
Scarlett chatted with her for a bit longer before ending the call. After hanging up, she stood still for a few seconds. Then she turned around—and suddenly caught sight of a tall, lean figure leaning casually against the wall. His narrow eyes resembled a frozen lake, cold and sharp as they fixed on her.
Scarlett's heart skipped a beat. When had Ambrose appeared behind her without a sound?
She was about to complain when she met his gaze—cold, intense, unmistakably displeased. What was he upset about?
The two of them faced off in silence for about a minute. Finally, Scarlett broke the stalemate.
"What are you doing here?"
How long had he been there? Had he been listening to her entire phone conversation?
"Passing by." Ambrose's tone was flat. His hands were tucked in his pockets, his sharp gaze boring into her.
Scarlett couldn't figure out what that look meant. "Are you here for a business dinner tonight?"
"What did you just say—that when the transaction's over, you'll go your separate ways, and nobody owes anybody? What, you just joined the company, and you're already planning your exit?" Ambrose didn't beat around the bush. He asked directly.
Scarlett's brow furrowed. So that's why he was upset? Because he'd overheard her say that?
Wasn't it obvious that when a transaction ended, people went their separate ways?
Why was he fixating on that?