Chapter 33
After washing up and changing clothes, I worked hard to adjust my emotions and make myself look calm as usual.
Since I'd decided to keep up the act, at least until Indigo recovered, I couldn't show any weakness first.
Walking down the stairs, the aroma of breakfast drifted from the dining room. I was about to head over when I unexpectedly noticed a young woman standing in the living room.
She had her back to me, tall and slender, wearing a well-fitted beige professional suit. Her straight hair fell smoothly over her shoulders. Just from her silhouette, she gave off a fresh and refined feeling.
Seeming to hear my footsteps, she turned around.
At that moment, even I had to admit that this girl was strikingly beautiful.
Not like Amelia's carefully crafted delicate charm, but a natural, innocent purity untouched by the world.
Her skin looked flawless, her features as delicate as a doll's.
Especially her eyes—crystal clear, carrying the innocence of someone fresh out of school and a hint of timid curiosity.
She looked at most twenty-something, like a recent college graduate.
When the girl saw me, her face immediately showed a polite but slightly reserved smile, her voice clear and pleasant. "Hello, are you Ms. Smith?"
I found it a bit amusing, but I was still curious about who she was. Just as I was about to explain, a sarcastic voice came from the direction of the stairs, full of undisguised malice.
"Audrey, you've got the wrong person. This isn't any Ms. Smith." Amelia slowly descended the stairs, wearing a fake smile, but her gaze cut through me like a knife.
"She's James's wife, Sophia. But..." She deliberately drew out her tone, satisfied to see surprise appear on Audrey's face, before slowly adding. "About to divorce James."
These words were like throwing a huge stone into a calm lake.
The smile on Audrey's face instantly froze, replaced by complete embarrassment and panic.
She quickly bowed to me apologetically, "I'm sorry! I'm so sorry, Mrs. Smith! I didn't recognize you—I got the wrong person! I'm Mr. Smith's new secretary, Audrey Carroll. Today's my first day, and I came to deliver some documents to Mr. Smith. I didn't know that you... I really didn't know."
She looked at a loss, her cheeks flushed, looking pitiful like she'd made a terrible mistake.
"It's fine." I maintained a proper smile, my tone calm. "No harm done. Audrey, you are very young and energetic."
My gaze seemingly casually swept over Audrey's face. In the depths of her clear, large eyes, I keenly caught a flash of something unusual.
Although she disguised it well, almost immediately returning to that innocent, pitiful appearance, I was certain that this Audrey was definitely not as simple as she appeared.
James's new secretary?
At this point, when our relationship was tense and divorce rumors were spreading, he arranged for such a beautiful, young girl with seemingly hidden motives to be by his side?
I sneered inwardly.
Before Amelia was completely dealt with, a new "threat" seemed to have already eagerly made its entrance.
There really was never a shortage of "surprises" around James.
"What are you all standing around here for?" James's deep voice came from the stairs.
He'd changed into his suit, impeccable, back to his usual cold and imposing Smith Group CEO appearance, as if last night's loss of control had never happened.
His gaze coolly swept over us, his eyes pausing on Audrey for a moment, his tone questioning. "You are..."
"Mr. Smith, I'm your new secretary, Audrey. I came to get your signature." Audrey immediately straightened up, her voice crisp in response, her expression mixing the respect of a workplace newcomer with a barely noticeable hint of admiration.
James's brow furrowed almost imperceptibly, showing a trace of displeasure at being disturbed. "Audrey? I remember the email said you didn't need to report to me this morning. I have family matters."
Audrey looked like a startled deer, panic and helplessness appearing on her face.
She quickly pulled out a document from her briefcase and held it forward with both hands, carefully trying to please. "I'm sorry, Mr. Smith! I might have missed that email. It's because this urgent document about overseas cooperation absolutely needs your signature this morning. The legal department is pressing hard, so I took the liberty of disturbing you..."
She bit her lower lip slightly, her eyes timidly looking at James, appearing completely devoted to work but afraid of angering her boss.
James glanced at the document, his expression still unchanged.
He didn't take it, just spoke coldly. "Leave the document in the study. This isn't where you should be. Take a cab back."
Embarrassment flashed across Audrey's face, but she quickly adjusted her expression, her tone soft and somewhat aggrieved. "Mr. Smith, this is a villa district, it's not easy to get a cab..."
Amelia, seeing this, immediately assumed the posture of the lady of the house and gently interjected. "James, don't make things difficult for Audrey. She's just being diligent about work. Have the driver take her back to the company."
Her words seemed to help, but were actually emphasizing her right to speak in this house and her closeness to James.
James pondered for a moment and nodded, essentially agreeing.
Audrey looked relieved and quickly expressed her thanks. "Thank you, Mr. Smith, thank you, Ms. Martinez."
She picked up the document and walked briskly toward the door, as if the earlier embarrassment had never happened.
Just as she was about to step out the door, James suddenly spoke, his voice not loud, but the clear warning carried to everyone's ears. "Audrey, remember your position. Keep your mind on your work."
Audrey's back stiffened for a moment. She didn't turn around, just responded quietly before hurrying away.
This little episode seemed to settle down, but it was like a pebble thrown into the lake of my heart, rippling outward with layers of doubt.
This Audrey—her acting was much more natural than Amelia's. That innocent helplessness and grievance came so easily to her.
In the car on the way to pick up Indigo from the hospital, the atmosphere was awkward.
Amelia sat in the passenger seat while James and I sat in the back.
Amelia glanced at me through the rearview mirror, her tone carrying its usual sarcasm. "Sophia, I'm not trying to criticize you, but the women around James—you get rid of one, and another comes along. As his wife, sometimes you need to manage this. Otherwise, with all the gossip outside, it's not good for the Smith family's reputation either."
I mimicked her tone, my lips curving in a half-smile as I shot back. "The way you put it—isn't our most important thing right now to work together and help Grandma get better quickly? As for other matters, don't you know what the real situation is?"
Amelia's expression changed slightly as she immediately distanced herself. "How would I know about your marital affairs?"
"Really? You don't know?" I raised an eyebrow, looking at her expressionlessly.