Shredded Vows: The Billionaire’s Secret Heir novel Chapter 32

That was quite the bombshell! Seducing the boss?

The colleagues immediately turned to Lydia, waiting to see how she would respond.

"You keep calling him by his first name, but does he even give you the time of day?" Lydia looked back at her, completely unbothered. "I went to Belvoir Estate because I live there. That's my home."

"Ha! You really have no shame, do you? If you're going to lie, at least do your homework. Mrs. Gray lives at Belvoir Estate. Why don't you just claim to be Mrs. Gray while you're at it?" Serena was absolutely certain her private investigation was flawless.

She added, "Given how close I am with Gideon, don't you think I'd know if you lived there?"

"Close?" Lydia looked her up and down.

Serena looked utterly smug. "You still don't know how I got hired, do you? I didn't go through the standard recruitment process. Gideon gave me a free pass. What does that tell you?"

Lydia continued to study her. "If you two are so close, then you should also know he's a married man. Since his actual wife hasn't made a fuss about it, who are you to call me shameless?"

Lydia hadn't expected to be targeted by her, but she suddenly recalled the moment Summer had walked in on her and Gideon in the office yesterday.

She asked, "Did Summer say something to you? Are you just letting her use you as a pawn?"

"I'm stating facts!" Unexpectedly, Serena shot up from her chair, her voice rising in agitation. "Then why don't you explain it to everyone yourself? What were you doing in the executive office yesterday?"

Just as she suspected, it was Summer.

The gossip-hungry expressions around the room intensified, with everyone practically burning holes into Lydia with their stares.

What exactly had she been doing in the CEO's office?

Lydia felt the weight of their gazes, noting that even Jane looked deeply curious.

At the door, Stella Vance stood with a dark expression, having watched the circus for a good minute. "It's working hours. What is all this chatter about? Are you fully prepared for the upcoming International Fashion and Art Awards? We're having a meeting in ten minutes, and I expect everyone to present their design concepts!"

The office instantly fell dead silent. Everyone buried their heads in their notes, outlining their talking points to prep for the meeting.

Serena sat back down, looking thoroughly deflated.

Clearing her throat, Stella began.

"This International Fashion and Art Awards is a crucial opportunity for our design department. The theme is 'Heritage and Breakthrough.' Starting with Mona, I want each of you to pitch your core concept."

The designers took turns speaking, offering a variety of perspectives.

In reality, whatever Lydia said wouldn't matter, as Stella had already decided she wouldn't be participating in the project any longer.

But Lydia didn't know that. She had spent the last few days brainstorming and preparing extensively.

Some pitched a fusion of Eastern and Western aesthetics, others argued for minimalist breakthroughs, while a few tried to use eco-friendly materials as their selling point.

Stella listened intently, occasionally nodding or frowning, but she never interrupted.

When it was finally Lydia's turn, Stella picked up her water glass to save time. "You can skip your turn. Next."