Chapter 3 Went To His Beloved

Joanna slipped into a fresh dress and refreshed her makeup before sliding open the glass door. Her colleague, Lillian Mitchell, rushed toward her, clutching her arm. "Mr. Dixon received a call and rushed out before we could even wrap up the meeting."

A flutter of depression passed through Joanna.

The timing was critical. It was the close of the year, and senior executives from all of Dixon Group's branches had converged at the headquarters for their project presentations and the yearly financial summary. The stakes of the meeting were high.

Anthony typically didn't let personal issues interfere with business, especially not during crucial discussions.

Unless it involved her...

"Who was on the phone?" Joanna inquired.

"A woman. I couldn't catch everything over the phone, but she sounded quite distressed, lamenting about feeling neglected by Mr. Dixon, accusing him of ignoring her, and mentioning something about wanting to move abroad," Lillian explained.

It had to be Madisyn.

Ever since her engagement to Anthony, she had proven to be quite demanding.

Whether it was insisting on cakes from a specific bakery on the south side or requiring Anthony to stay up all night for comfort, her demands were incessant.

And Anthony consistently complied with her whims.

Lillian looked panicked. "Joanna, what should we do?"

Anthony had just left behind a room dominated by stern and shrewd seasoned businessmen.

As Joanna stepped through the doorway, the sound of shattering glass halted her - a crystal ashtray had met the wall, breaking into fragments.

Lillian flinched.

Joanna's eyes swept over the scene. Her features set into a steely resolve, her authority, honed by her experiences with Anthony, palpable. "Mr. Dixon isn't here. Nonetheless, the meeting will go on. Someone will be assigned to review the project data. Please forward your reports to my email, and Mr. Dixon will address them when possible. Furthermore..."

Her eyes narrowed, and she pressed the issue. "Mr. Williams, if you're in a hurry, you're welcome to leave and let others present their reports first."

Edwin Williams, the head of the investment department, had clinched two major deals this year, catapulting his department to the forefront of the company. He was eager to earn recognition from Anthony, but had not yet had the opportunity.

Now, to be taunted by a secretary? That seemed absurd.

Bolstered by his recent successes, he snapped back, "Who do you think you are? You're just a secretary. How dare you assert authority over the investment department? Do you really consider yourself that important? Expecting reports in Mr. Dixon's absence? Don't overestimate your role."

Murmurs of agreement rippled through the room. "Yeah, since when does a director report to a secretary?"

The tension in the room was palpable.

"Fine, make sure to note down his exact words and pass them to Mr. Dixon," Joanna directed the meeting recorder firmly. "Document every word."

The recorder continued to type diligently.

Edwin knew that if Anthony heard about this, all of his efforts could be dismissed.

"Miss Peters, this is crossing the line," Edwin protested as the sound of typing filled the room again.

"What the hell do you want? I didn't say I wouldn't report. Why make it so awkward?" His anxiety was evident as he faced the ongoing pressure.

Joanna smiled calmly and gestured for him to report. "Please."

Surprisingly, Joanna successfully controlled the situation.

In the meeting room, the principal seat remained vacant, symbolizing the absence of their boss. Yet, everyone diligently reported to the unoccupied chair.

Off to the side, Lillian discreetly shot Joanna a supportive thumbs up. "It's a good thing you're here," she whispered.

Joanna offered a gentle smile, her eyes briefly flicking to her phone which displayed a message from Anthony, sent just fifteen minutes ago.

"Carry on with the meeting. I only need the data."

Anthony seemed to have forgotten that she was a mere secretary and never thought about how she could manage these senior executives.

Through the digital exchange, his decisive tone was almost tangible.

She typed back promptly, "The documents will be in your email thirty minutes after we wrap up here."

The message was seen almost immediately - read, yet unanswered.

His priorities were clearly elsewhere, likely with his beloved.

With the meeting under Lillian's watchful eye, Joanna proceeded to the HR department to submit her pre-drafted resignation letter. The process was unexpectedly swift.

Soon enough, whispers began to circulate throughout the office corridors.

"Joanna, Mr. Dixon's personal secretary, is resigning."