Chapter 144: The Sharp-Tongued Man
This was Evelyn's first time visiting Vertex Innovations Group. From the moment she stepped through the entrance, she looked around with wide-eyed curiosity.
The lobby was spacious and pristine, the marble floors polished to a mirror shine. Despite the cool, minimalist aesthetic, the expansive space radiated an air of high-end sophistication.
Three receptionists staffed the front desk—two men and one woman, all dressed in black business suits. What struck Evelyn most was that the female employees weren't squeezed into fitted pencil skirts and blazers, but wore comfortable, slightly relaxed professional attire.
They even wore flats to work.
As they made their way to the elevators, Evelyn noticed most of the female employees dressed casually and comfortably. Some wore light, natural makeup and moved briskly in flat shoes.
Others went bold—vibrant makeup, perfume that announced their presence, shorts or miniskirts paired with heels, radiating confidence and self-expression. But it was clear they dressed this way because they wanted to, not because someone told them to.
This was nothing like the corporate world Evelyn had imagined. She'd always assumed office workers had to wear subtle makeup, professional power suits, and heels to project workplace authority.
But everyone here defied those expectations.
As the elevator ascended, Evelyn couldn't help but ask, "Sophia, doesn't your company have a dress code?"
"We do," Sophia replied simply. "When meeting clients, dress professionally and present yourself well."
That was it. The entire dress code for employees, regardless of gender, boiled down to that single guideline.
Receptionists were a special case—they had to wear business suits, though the cut and style didn't matter as long as it wasn't outrageous.
"But... doesn't letting people dress however they want make the company seem unprofessional?" Evelyn didn't know much about corporate management; it was just an observation based on what she'd seen so far.
Sophia shrugged. "I run a company, not a boarding school. If colleges don't police what students wear, why should I? As long as someone does their job well and doesn't tank a client pitch, what they wear or how they do their makeup is their own business."
Evelyn felt a sudden wave of admiration. Perhaps only a woman could truly understand what other women endured in the workplace. Vertex Innovations Group went out of its way to protect its female employees' safety and personal autonomy.
The elevator reached the sixteenth floor. When the doors slid open, Evelyn's eyes landed on a young man with short, bubblegum-pink hair.
He was slender, wearing a fitted tank top with black leather pants and an oversized peachy-pink leather jacket that slipped off one pale, smooth shoulder.
Gold tassel earrings dangled from his ears. Heavy makeup and a cloud of sweet perfume radiated an unmistakably feminine energy.
When his eyes crinkled into a smile, his false lashes seemed to flutter. "Ms. Johnson! Good morning!"
"Morning," Sophia replied with a warm smile, leaning against the back of the elevator.
Evelyn was visibly stunned. Sure, dress however you want, but... this freely?
The young man's gaze shifted to Evelyn, slowly taking her in with an appraising look that held a knowing gleam. "And who's this lovely lady? Ms. Johnson, did you hire a new executive assistant?"
"This is my sister, Evelyn."
His face immediately lit up with an exuberant smile. "Evelyn! You have amazing taste! That outfit is absolutely gorgeous on you!"
Evelyn forced a polite smile. Faced with someone whose gender presentation she couldn't quite place, she had no idea how to respond. "Thank you."
Sophia noticed Evelyn's discomfort and smoothly made introductions. "This is Liam Stewart. He runs Poppy Games, one of Vertex's subsidiaries."
Liam flashed Evelyn a dazzling smile, equal parts flirtatious and self-assured. "Just call me Liam, darling! I'd love to talk makeup with you sometime—your contouring is flawless."
Evelyn smiled shyly. "I only got this dressed up because I have plans today. I barely have time to do my makeup for work."
"But you've got the bone structure of a goddess! Every single feature is perfect." Liam's compliments flowed freely, his eyes filled with genuine admiration. "Whatever lucky bastard gets to take you out today should be thanking his stars."
Hearing this, Sophia couldn't help but laugh. "She's meeting Bruce."
Liam's face fell instantly, his smile evaporating. "Bruce? That nasty piece of work? god。"
Evelyn looked confused. "You know Bruce?"
Liam gave an exaggerated sniff, his expression dripping with disdain, as if acknowledging any connection to Bruce physically pained him. "Barely."
Sophia's lips curved into a teasing smile. "Yeah, barely. They only went to the same high school, shared a dorm room in college—no big deal."
Despite studying different majors—animation design for Liam, interior design for Bruce—they'd somehow ended up as roommates. If that wasn't cosmic punishment, what was?
Liam was dramatic; Bruce was brutally sarcastic.
Bruce thought Liam was insufferably theatrical. Liam thought Bruce was a temperamental asshole. Over the years, they'd bickered and sniped at each other endlessly.
They loathed each other on the surface but respected each other's skills deep down. When opportunities arose, they thought of each other. They were, in their own twisted way, the perfect team.
"Ms. Johnson, I came here to update you on the new game's progress. Can we please not talk about people who ruin my day?" Liam grumbled with mock indignation.
When they reached the executive floor, Sophia asked Liam to wait in her office while she took Evelyn to the lounge.
"Sophia, are Liam and Bruce close? Do they argue like that a lot?" Evelyn wasn't doubting Liam's intentions toward Bruce—she just wanted to know everything about him.
Sophia thought for a moment, then smiled faintly. "That's not arguing. It's banter. Want to know why Liam can live so confidently despite being... well, Liam?"