Chapter 1

The garlic cream bun in my hand was half-eaten. I had not even swallowed the filling yet.

There were five people in the office lounge. The one who had worked for Ian for the shortest time had been working for six years. Their expressions were strangely uniform. They were all a bit conflicted, wanting to speak but afraid of saying the wrong thing. They wanted to grab someone but did not know whom to grab.

Fiona Zimmer was the first to lose her composure and chuckled. "Ms. Langley, this is Mr. Ian Sheffield's—"

"I know, Mr. Sheffield's sister," Erin Langley interrupted her without even looking at her. When she said 'sister', her tone rose slightly, carrying a subtle hint of condescension.

"But even a sister can't just do whatever she wants in the CEO's office, right? The garlic cream bun smells so strongly. What if clients are coming later?" She glanced at the box in front of me and frowned slightly.

"This is just my first day here, but it looks like the rules of the CEO's office still need to be established. When Mr. Sheffield isn't around, I handle the daily affairs."

She smiled, tilted her head, and looked at me as if she were soothing an unreasonable kid. "Good girl, pack up your things. How about I ask the receptionist to get you a ride home?"

Fiona grew anxious, her voice rising a half-octave. "Ms. Langley, you really don't understand. Mr. Sheffield specially provided this lounge for..."

"It doesn't matter who it's for." Erin turned her head, her tone still gentle, but every word carried an undeniable authority. "Fiona, you've worked for Mr. Sheffield for years. You should know better than I do that the CEO's office represents the entire group. If word gets out that a young girl is sitting here, eating a garlic cream bun, what will people think of Sheffield Group?"

The operations director, Zac Franks, put down his coffee cup, unable to hold back any longer. "Ms. Langley, I suggest you wait for Mr. Sheffield to return..."

"Mr. Franks." Erin turned her head, still smiling. "Mr. Sheffield authorized me to manage the day-to-day affairs of the CEO's office. This is within my job responsibilities. Or do you think there's a problem with Mr. Sheffield's authorization?"

Zac opened his mouth and closed it again.

I picked up a tissue and wiped my fingers unhurriedly. "What did you just say? You told me to get lost?"

Erin's smile faltered. "I didn't use that word. I said 'go play.''"

"Oh." I nodded. "So, you mean you can decide where I stay?"

"Ms. Trina Sheffield, everyone in the company knows how much Mr. Sheffield dotes on you, but work is work—"

I interrupted her, "By the way, the passcode on the door is my birthday, 0816. You can ask anyone here. This lounge is nominally mine."

Fiona nodded frantically beside me, like a chicken pecking at grain.

Erin was silent for two seconds. She took a deep breath and composed herself. This time, she did not smile. "Ms. Sheffield, everything I said today was for the good of Sheffield Group, not against you personally."

She turned to Fiona, her tone changing to that of an executive issuing an order. "Fiona, inform reception that non-staff members entering or leaving the CEO's office must register in advance from today onwards."

She paused. "Everyone, no exceptions."

Fiona paled instantly. "Ms. Langley, I'm afraid... this rule will have to be approved by Mr. Sheffield—"

"Mr. Sheffield has authorized me, so there's no need to consult him on everything," Erin calmly interrupted her and turned, her gaze returning to me.

This time, she did not even bother to maintain her gentle facade. "Ms. Sheffield, your behavior in the CEO's office today has disrupted the usual work order. As the administrative coordinator of the CEO's office, I have the authority to handle this."

She walked to the door, opened it, and nodded to the two security guards in the hallway. "Please lock this lounge temporarily."

She looked at me, her voice soft but clear. "Ms. Sheffield, stay here for a while and calm down. I'll let you out after I've reported today's events to Mr. Sheffield. Consider it... a lesson."

Fiona jumped to her feet. "Erin! You!"

Erin raised a hand to stop her, her smile returning with a gentleness that sent chills down everyone's spine. "Fiona, calm down. I'm doing this for Ms. Sheffield's own good. Someone needs to teach this spoiled little girl some manners, right?"