Chapter 20: Where Did This Stupid Dog Come From?
Chapter 20: Where Did This Stupid Dog Come From?
"The corridor was quiet, and the whole scene seemed to freeze. Especially the expression on Alger Chu's face, it was hard to describe with words.
Him? He looked pretty ordinary, like a waiter?Ccontent © exclusive by Nô/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.
It was the first time someone had evaluated him like that in all his years, and Alger Chu burst out laughing.
"What are you laughing at?" Steven Lu frowned and taunted, "Going out to sell yourself at such a young age, it's a disgrace to us men."
Olivia Xia covered her mouth to suppress her laughter, trying not to draw too much attention to herself. She had always known Steven to be sharp-tongued, but this was a new level of audacity.
Alger Chu regained his composure and looked at Steven with amusement. "You have quite the imagination, Steven. But if I were you, I'd focus more on my own affairs rather than making baseless accusations."
Steven scoffed, clearly not backing down. "Oh, really? And what affairs would those be, Alger? Running your little errands?"
Before Alger could respond, a voice cut through the tension. "Enough, both of you."
Everyone turned to see Olivia's father, Mr. Xia, approaching with a stern expression. "This is neither the time nor the place for your petty squabbles. We have more important matters to attend to."
Steven and Alger exchanged a glance but remained silent. Mr. Xia turned to Olivia and softened his tone. "Olivia, I need you to prepare for the upcoming meeting. We can't afford any distractions right now."
Olivia nodded, grateful for her father's intervention. "Of course, Father. I'll take care of it."
As Mr. Xia walked away, Steven muttered under his breath, "This isn't over, Alger."
Alger simply smiled, his eyes glinting with a challenge. "I'm looking forward to it."
Olivia sighed inwardly, knowing that this rivalry was far from resolved. She focused on the task at hand, determined to prove herself in the upcoming meeting.
In the boardroom, Olivia meticulously went over the presentation materials, ensuring everything was perfect. As she worked, Alger quietly entered the room and took a seat nearby.
"Need any help?" he offered, his tone surprisingly sincere.
Olivia glanced at him, slightly taken aback. "I think I've got it under control, but thank you."
Alger nodded, leaning back in his chair. "You know, Olivia, despite our differences, I do respect your dedication and hard work."
Olivia was momentarily speechless. "Thank you, Alger. That means a lot."
They worked in silence for a while, the tension between them easing slightly. Olivia couldn't help but wonder if there was more to Alger Chu than she had initially thought.
The meeting went smoothly, thanks to Olivia's thorough preparation and Alger's unexpected support. As they exited the boardroom, Steven was waiting outside, his expression unreadable.
"Good job in there," Steven said, his voice begrudgingly respectful.
"Thank you, Steven," Olivia replied, genuinely appreciating the compliment.
As they parted ways, Olivia felt a sense of accomplishment. She had proven herself once again and had even managed to find common ground with Alger Chu. But she knew that the challenges were far from over, and she would need all the strength and resilience she could muster to face what lay ahead.