Chapter 13

Over on the other side, the news about Maria joining the company had already gone viral within the office. No one knew she used to be James's ex-wife. All they remembered was how she once threw shade at him publicly and even dropped eighty million on a contract termination—definitely not your average new hire. Their whole vibe just screamed “not normal.” But what really had everyone talking was how she handed over that massive penalty fee and still came back… as a secretary! Of course, the gossip mill went into overdrive. Everyone was dying to know how Amelia would take the news. She’d been around the company for ages and had her own network of people. The second she heard about it, she completely lost it and stormed into the office, ready to confront James about it. Bad timing though—James had already left for the day. Unclear on what James was actually planning, Amelia decided to switch tactics and go after Maria instead, hoping to pressure her into quitting. “Get Tina in here,” she ordered her assistant, tone like ice. The moment Tina stepped in, Amelia flipped the switch and put on a friendly face. She told her assistant to grab them a couple of coffees before diving right in: “You've probably heard—there’s a new stylist coming in tomorrow. I want you to assign Charlie Cruz to her.” As she spoke, she slid a check across the desk toward Tina. Tina’s eyes lit up at the sight of it, but she hesitated. Charlie was notoriously hard to manage—hot-tempered, high-maintenance, and an absolute nightmare on bad days. Add in the fact that Maria probably had a deeper connection with the boss… Tina wasn’t exactly eager to ruffle feathers. Amelia noticed her hesitation and didn’t bother hiding her irritation. She shot her a sharp glare and said coldly, “Think real hard about who you’re willing to piss off.” After doing some mental math, Tina realized Amelia still held more sway in the company than a newcomer. She wasn’t about to say no. So she took the check and left. Now, as the manager of all stylists in the company, Tina did have some status. She handled all the stylist-artist pairings. And honestly, the second she took the check, she had her mind made up—higher profile celebrities got the better stylists. That was how the pecking order worked. Charlie Cruz was definitely one of the top names, and handing him to Maria could actually be seen as a vote of confidence in her abilities. Even if James asked questions later, she could spin it easily. Charlie had shot to fame thanks to a popular romance drama. He played a younger boyfriend type—sweet, obedient, sometimes playfully bossy. His acting was solid, and once the drama aired, he racked up a massive fanbase. But in real life? Totally different story. He’d gotten famous, and with it, his ego had blown up too. Back when he was a nobody, he was still pretty humble. Now? Pure arrogance. Treated everyone like they were beneath him. He was super into keeping up appearances, so he had insanely high expectations for his look—and an even lower tolerance for people who didn’t meet them. Even Tina had eaten his sarcasm more than once while working on him. No one could really control him. Handing him to Maria? Amelia’s meaning couldn’t be clearer. Knowing Maria's personality, it was only a matter of time before sparks flew. One’s a top money-making celeb, the other got a reputation for being hard to get along with—obviously, James’s choice was a no-brainer. The next day, Maria officially started work. She had just parked her car when she heard a voice she really didn’t want to hear. "Maria." She turned around, and yep—Amelia, grinning away. "What do you want?" Maria had zero patience for her, and it showed. Seeing her attitude, Amelia got even more annoyed, but still put on a smug “lady of the house” posture. "Welcome to Bennett Corp. Since you’re now assisting James, there are some things you should keep in mind." "James only drinks black coffee—no sugar. Oh, and he hates anything with a lavender scent..." "Enough," Maria cut her off fast. "I’m a secretary, not his maid. And definitely not his mom." Amelia gave a little chuckle. "Right, you’re just his secretary. I’m the fiancée, remember." Maria caught her meaning and smirked coldly. "Funny how you remember that so clearly, yet James didn’t make you his secretary. Kind of a waste—seems like you'd enjoy the job." She never thought Amelia would one day see her as a threat. Back then, James was head over heels for his childhood sweetheart. But now? It didn’t really look like he treated her all that well. Amelia’s smile froze a little, but she forced it back on. “I’ve got my own career. James says that's the side of me he loves most.” Maria felt her stomach churn. She turned on her heel and left—any more of that and she might actually gag. Inside the office, an employee led her to her new workspace. It was a secretary-slash-styling office, neat and fully stocked. Clearly someone had put some thought into this. She started unpacking her things, but before her seat even warmed up, someone came rushing in. "Maria? Tina's asking for you." “Got it.” Maria followed the assistant out. She’d looked up Tina beforehand—the head of the styling team. Since she accepted this job, she was ready to give it her all. Basic respect and manners weren’t going to be a problem. Tina had heard Maria was gorgeous, but seeing her in person still caught her off guard. Honestly, looks-wise, this woman didn’t just pass for a stylist—she could’ve easily been one of the company’s top stars. She might even outshine Amelia. But Tina shook off the moment’s surprise. Amelia’s instructions came rushing back to her. She gave Maria a quick once-over. "From now on, you're handling Charlie Cruz. He’s got a short fuse, so be careful how you deal with him." A nearby stylist handed Maria a stack of A4 papers. It had all of Charlie’s basic info and a full list of do’s and don'ts. Entire page, single-spaced. One line stood out: "Charlie hates anything rose-scented. Strictly no." “Any problem with that?” Tina asked, voice flat. Maria still hadn’t caught on to how much trouble that “assignment” might bring her. She just nodded. “No problem.”