Chapter 6 The New Director

Lyric trudged back to the training venue under Chelsey's watchful eye. After filling her belly, Chelsey took a quick shower and then hit the sack.

Come evening, Gabriella reached out.

News of Chelsey's ordeal first reached Gabriella through Rayna's lips. Up until then, Gabriella had assumed Chelsey and Yosef had a pleasant chat. However, Rayna set her straight over the phone, dropping the bombshell that Yosef had been stabbed by Chelsey and whisked away to the hospital.

Gabriella, who had dreams of Chelsey marrying into wealth, found herself shedding tears at the thought of her daughter's near encounter with rape. She vowed to confront Rayna, her fury palpable even through the phone line.

Alarmed by the potential backlash from the Copeland family, Chelsey swiftly interjected, "Mom, Yosef Copeland didn't have his way with me."

Gabriella raced over, her heart breaking at the sight of Chelsey's wounded neck and hands. Teeth clenched and tears streaming, she vowed vengeance. "I'll give them a taste of their own medicine!"

"Mom!" Chelsey rose, gritting her teeth against the pain, guiding her mother to the couch. "But how? Gerardo Copeland had laid down the law, promising more shares to whoever blessed him with a great-grandson. Hence, Yosef's mother was on the prowl, hoping to lure you in. But with Yosef's reputation in tatters, no decent girl is lining up to marry him. So she set her sights on me, hoping to reel you in. Now that Yosef's nursing stab wounds and under police scrutiny, the Copeland family is in a tizzy. If you walk in there, you'll just be fanning the flames."

Gabriella's rage refused to be quelled. "So what's the plan?"

Chelsey slouched back, heaving a sigh. "Yosef had it coming. I won't take a beating for nothing."

After a lengthy discourse, Gabriella reluctantly relented, for the time being.

But she had doubts. "I heard it was the Morris family who tipped off the cops about Yosef. How do they fit into all this?"

Lyric had filled Chelsey in on Trevor's hand in the matter, gunning for Yosef to rot in jail a while longer.

Yosef's transgression against Chelsey only warranted a few years behind bars, and they couldn't conjure up false charges. The law had to do its due diligence.

Though the Copelands seethed, they dared not cross swords with the Morris family.

Rayna knew Gabriella and Chelsey were mere pawns in the Morris family's game. She had initially thought they wouldn't bat an eyelid even if Chelsey were Yosef's victim. Who would have thought they would step up to the plate this time?

"Is it Trevor?" Gabriella speculated, eyes narrowing. Trevor was currently steering the Morris ship. She couldn't think of anyone else.

Chelsey's heart skipped a beat; she feared Gabriella could unearth something.

Chelsey reasoned, "Well, you're Cary's wife. Cary entrusted them to watch over us before he bit the dust. If we're being bullied, the Morris family won't just twiddle their thumbs."

Thankfully, Gabriella didn't probe further, buying into the seemingly plausible explanation.

Come Monday, Chelsey trudged to work, concealing the bandage on her neck with a high-collared shirt.

Her hand wounds weren't so easily hidden, prompting inquiries from concerned colleagues. She simply brushed them off, blaming it on a kitchen mishap over the weekend.

"Hey, Chelsey, heard we got a new head director," the intern from the neighboring cubicle whispered.

Chelsey, who had taken the intern under her wing, nodded.

"Yep, it's Mireya's time to shine."

As she turned on her computer, Chelsey glanced at the intern. Their former director had vacated the spot ages ago, leaving it barren. Mireya Gill, the deputy, was long overdue for the promotion.

The intern shook her head. "Nah, it's an outsider. I got wind of it this morning."

Chelsey furrowed her brow. But workplace politics were a dime a dozen. Either the newcomer was the real deal or had hitched a ride through connections.

"Poor Mireya. Should've been her turn!" The intern sighed, tasting the bitter pill of office politics for the first time.

Chelsey passed her a candy. "Hey, chin up. I'll treat you to coffee later!"

The intern's face lit up, and her spirits lifted.

Monday mornings meant the usual meetings. Chelsey settled into her seat, silencing her phone.

The meeting room door swung open once more, hushing the previously chatty colleagues. Chelsey knew what was going on-the new bigwig had arrived.

She looked up and froze.

"Hey, folks. I'm Aimee Pineda, your new boss. Pleasure to meet you all!"

Warm applause filled the room.

Chelsey hesitated for a moment before reluctantly joining in, clapping along with the rest.

Aimee, with grace and confidence that could rival a prima ballerina, appeared to Chelsey's age and was a looker.

Boasting an impressive background as a graduate from a prestigious foreign university, Aimee seamlessly immersed herself in work after introducing herself, attentively absorbing reports from the team.

Chelsey, perhaps prone to overthinking, couldn't shake the feeling that Aimee's gaze carried a subtle weight whenever it inadvertently landed on her.

After the meeting, while fetching some water in the pantry, Chelsey heard gossip circulating and didn't give a hoot until Aimee's name in the conversation.

"Chelsey is truly a head-turner. No matter how many beauties parade in, she holds her ground. Aimee might be a looker, but Chelsey outshines her."

"Fun fact, I went to the same university as Chelsey. Back then, she was the campus belle, and she lived up to the title!"

"Beauty aside, I heard Aimee's got some serious connections."

"What?"

"She's headed for the altar!"

"What's wrong with getting engaged?"

"She's tying the knot with Trevor Morris, of the illustrious Morris family! What do you make of that?"

"Oh my God, she's one lucky lady!"

Chelsey walked in without a word, and the gossipers swiftly changed their tune upon spotting her, suddenly occupied with pouring water and handling fruits.

The revelation that Aimee was Trevor's betrothed took Chelsey by surprise.

However, she didn't dwell on the matter for too long and redirected her focus to her desk, immersing herself in her workload.

Come evening, a contract modification demanded her attention, leading to overtime that extended far beyond regular office hours.

With most colleagues gone, she shut down her computer and rose, coincidentally as the director's office door swung open.

"Burning the midnight oil, too?" Aimee quirked an eyebrow.

Chelsey nodded. "Just fine-tuning some contract details."

Aimee nodded in understanding and accompanied her into the elevator.

As the doors closed, their similar heights became apparent. The intern's unsanctioned investigation had concluded that Chelsey held a slight edge in height, a quirk in their departmental tradition where newcomers were inevitably compared to Chelsey's standard of beauty.

As the intern put it, she was the beauty standard there.

For unfamiliar people, Chelsey had nothing to say. As the elevator descended from the 32nd floor, Aimee broke the silence. "Chelsey."

Chelsey turned to face her.

"We crossed paths at Misty, didn't we?" Aimee's lips curved in an inviting smile.

Chelsey didn't deny it. "You were dining with Trevor that day?"

Aimee nodded, her gaze fixed on Chelsey's face. "I heard from Tre that you're Cary's stepdaughter."

Chelsey clenched her fingers, expressionless.

"You've got some skills. Word is, Mireya might be on the move soon. When that happens, I'll put in a good word for you," Aimee continued.

"Appreciate that," Chelsey replied, smiling without revealing much.

After leaving the office, she hailed a taxi and headed to the Morris Mansion. There were matters she needed to clarify with Gabriella.

The mansion, aglow with lights, turned the courtyard into a dreamlike scene.

The front fish pond was being renovated; it was full of cement and stones. Chelsey needed to go in a different direction.

"Gerardo Copeland dropped by today, seeking leniency for his grandson. Trevor, why the sudden interest in Chelsey's affairs?"

Chelsey halted, standing in the shadows behind a tree, inadvertently eavesdropping on the exchange between Kaden and Trevor.

Trevor's voice, cold as a winter breeze, sent shivers down Chelsey's spine. "The Copeland family dared to cross us. No one messes with our affairs, even if it seems insignificant!"