Chapter 29: I have heard rumors about you

She had to do it to save their father.

***

The following day, Alëna reported in her new office early. She was in a white top and a black short skimpy skirt and heels.

Alëna sat at her desk, sipping her coffee and staring at her computer screen.

She was trying to focus on the reports in front of her, but her mind kept wandering back to her plan for revenge.

Just as she was starting to get lost in thought, there was a knock at the door. "Come in," Alëna called out.

The door opened, and Caleb, Albert's assistant, walked in. "Hi, Alëna. Mr. Thompson needs to see you in his office."

Alëna's heart skipped a beat. What did Albert want with her? She tried to play it cool, smiling at Caleb. "Okay, I'll be right there."

Caleb nodded and turned to leave. "I'll show you the way," he said over his shoulder.

Alëna got up from her desk and followed Caleb out of her office. She couldn't help but wonder what Albert had planned for her.

——

Alëna walked into Albert's office, her heels clicking on the marble floor. She looked confident and poised, but inside, she was nervous.

Albert looked up from the papers on his desk, his eyes narrowing slightly as he took in Alëna's appearance. "Ah, Alëna," he said, his voice deep and smooth. "Thank you for coming in. Please, have a seat."

Alëna sat down in the chair in front of Albert's desk, her eyes meeting his. "Of course, Mr. Thompson," she said, her voice sweet and innocent.

Albert leaned back in his chair, steepling his fingers together. "I must say, I'm a bit curious about you, Alëna," he said. "You come from a wealthy family, and yet you've chosen to work for me. Why is that?"

Alëna smiled, her eyes sparkling with amusement. "I'm looking for a challenge, Mr. Thompson," she said. "And I must say, I'm excited to be working for Thompson's Group. Your company has a reputation for excellence, and I'm eager to be a part of it."

Albert raised an eyebrow, clearly skeptical. "I see," he said. "Well, I suppose we'll have to wait and see how you perform. But I must say, I'm intrigued by you, Alëna. You're not like most of the people I meet."

Alëna's heart skipped a beat at Albert's words. She could tell that he was interested in her, and she knew that she had to keep playing her role if she was going to succeed in her mission.

—-

Alena was about to leave when Alyssa walked into Albert's office, a bright smile on her face. "Hey, Albert! I'm so sorry I'm late. Traffic was a nightmare," she said, giving Albert a quick peck on the cheek.

Albert stood up, a look of surprise on his face. "Alyssa, I'm so sorry. I completely forgot that we had a meeting scheduled," he said, glancing at Alëna.

Alëna's eyes narrowed slightly as she watched the exchange between Albert and Alyssa. She remembered Alyssa from the party, and she knew that Alyssa had a thing for Albert.

Alyssa's eyes landed on Alëna, and her expression changed from friendly to frosty. "Well, well, well. Look who's here," she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

Alëna smiled sweetly at Alyssa. "Alyssa! It's so great to see you again. I didn't know you were friends with Mr. Thompson," she said, her eyes sparkling with innocence.

Alyssa's eyes flashed with anger, and she took a step closer to Alëna. "We're more than friends, actually," she said, her voice low and menacing.

Albert cleared his throat, interrupting the tense moment between the two women. "Alyssa, why don't we reschedule our meeting for another time? I have some business to discuss with Alëna," he said, his eyes locked on Alëna's.

Alyssa's face fell, but she quickly recovered. "Fine. I'll talk to you later, Albert," she said, spinning on her heel and storming out of the office.

Alëna watched Alyssa go, a satisfied smile spreading across her face.

Alëna's eyes followed Alyssa as she stormed out of the office. She turned back to Albert, a curious expression on her face. "I'm sorry about that," she said. "I didn't mean to cause any tension."

Albert waved his hand dismissively. "It's not your fault," he said. "Alyssa can be a bit... intense sometimes."

Alëna's eyes sparkled with curiosity. "Intense?" she repeated. "What do you mean?"

Albert leaned back in his chair, a thoughtful expression on his face. "Alyssa and I have a bit of a history," he said. "We used to date, but it didn't work out. She's still got feelings for me, but I've moved on."

Alëna's eyes widened with interest. "I see," she said. "And how do you feel about her?"

Albert's expression turned neutral. "I care about her as a person," he said. "But romantically, I'm just not interested."

Alëna nodded, filing away this new information in her mind. She was starting to get a better picture of Albert's relationships, and she was determined to use this knowledge to her advantage.

Alëna's eyes locked onto Albert's, her expression curious. "I've heard rumors about you and Ryan," she said, her voice neutral. "Are you two still together?"

Albert's expression changed, a hint of sadness and regret flashing across his face. "No, we're not together anymore," he said, his voice low. "We broke up a while back."

Alëna's eyes sparkled with interest. "I'm sorry to hear that," she said, her voice sympathetic. "What happened?"

Albert hesitated, clearly unsure of how much to reveal. "Let's just say it was a complicated situation," he said finally. "We wanted different things, and it didn't work out."

Alëna nodded but she knew the whole truth. Ryan had got an accident because of Albert.