Seven Years a Fool One Day a Queen (Kristine and Colton) novel Chapter 9

Gideon had expected Calvin to be shocked.

Instead, his reaction was surprisingly calm. “Derek still hasn’t given up?”

“You mean… this isn’t the first time he’s tried to poach Eliza?”

“Mhm.” Calvin sounded indifferent, even certain. “He can’t lure her away. Eliza won’t go with him.”

Gideon snorted, agreeing. “Exactly. As if Eliza could ever bear to leave Everest. As long as you’re here, she’ll never leave.”

Then, with a mocking air, he added,

“That woman’s just too calculating. I bet she deliberately met Derek at Moonlight, hoping I’d see them and spread the word to you, so you’d think she was considering leaving, and you’d feel compelled to stop her. What a cheap trick. Doesn’t she know men hate it when women get jealous and play petty games? The more she acts up, the more she’ll push you away.”

He sneered.

“Really, who does she think she is? How could she ever compare to Sister Medea? Anyone with half a brain knows who to choose.”

Calvin didn’t have time for Gideon’s gossip. After a few perfunctory replies, he ended the call.

Opening the stack of files waiting for his signature, his gaze immediately caught on Eliza’s resignation letter.

His brows creased, just slightly. Then he set it aside and continued signing the rest.

Meanwhile, Eliza was having a pleasant dinner with Derek. She felt lighter than she had in days. On her way home, she even stopped at the flower shop downstairs and bought herself a bouquet.

Back at her apartment, though, she realized she didn’t own a vase.

Glancing around at the room stuffed full of things that weren’t hers, her good mood dimmed a little.

She fetched a cardboard box, packed away all the files, and finally cleared the dining table.

Searching the room, she found something that could serve as a vase, a trophy.

The Everest “Outstanding Employee Award.”

Calvin had personally handed it to her.

She had treasured it like a prize.

The last time her friend Belle had crashed at her place drunk, she’d woken in the night nauseated and grabbed the trophy to vomit into. Eliza had snatched it away, choosing to let her ruin the bed rather than soll the trophy.

Now she filled it with water and placed the flowers inside.

After staring at it for a long moment, she murmured, “At least it’s useful for something.”

Before bed, she powered off her phone, a new habit and slept soundly through the night.

At nine sharp the next morning, Eliza arrived at the office,

Her coworkers were surprised. She was usually the first one in, yet today she came later and not in her stiff business suit, but a pale blouse and skirt.

“Secretary Grant, you look different today.”

She smiled. “Different how?”

“Prettier.”

More accurately, stunning.

With just a touch of light makeup, her whole aura had shifted, clear, graceful, beautiful, yet warm.

An absolute head–turner, the kind who could captivate men and women alike.

“Thank you,” Eliza said, her mood lifting even more.

She had eaten breakfast on her way in, so once at the office she went to the breakroom to take her stomach medicine with water.

At the door, she overheard colleagues gossiping.

“Who do you think is prettier, Secretary Grant or Director Wynn?”

“Good morning.” As if she hadn’t heard a thing, she breezed in, got her water, and greeted them all lightly.

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