The Paper Wife’s Empire novel Chapter 347

After they described her, Holden shot to his feet. There were only two women in the entire company who would have approached Brianna: Nova and Wisteria. The description of a woman with a “cold, almost managerial aura” could only be Wisteria.

Holden marched straight to Wisteria’s desk. She wasn’t there. He thought for a moment, then immediately headed for the employee lounge. If Wisteria took someone to change clothes, it had to be in the changing rooms.

As Holden headed toward the women’s changing room, he drew a lot of attention. Wisteria’s colleagues immediately followed. Ramona had warned them that Wisteria was blunt and prone to offending people, so they were supposed to look out for her. Now, seeing Holden storming over with such a purpose, they were all on edge.

“Wisteria, what do you think you’re doing?”

Holden was already simmering with rage. Seeing Wisteria standing in front of the changing room, blocking the door, his expression turned murderous.

Wisteria hadn’t expected him to find her so quickly. She immediately stood in his way. “Mr. Covington, this is the women’s changing room. I think you’ve taken a wrong turn.”

She was, of course, playing dumb. At this point, she had to stall for as long as she could.

From inside, Brianna heard voices and immediately started shouting, “Mr. Covington? Is that you, Mr. Covington?” She pounded on the door. “I’m locked in! Mr. Covington!”

“Open the door,” Holden commanded, his glare fixed on Wisteria, almost burning a hole through her. This was insane. First Nova, now Wisteria—two crazy women. In all his years at the Covington Group, he had never encountered anything so absurd. Melinda was right. Ever since Ramona came back, the whole atmosphere of the company had been off.

“I… I don’t know where the key is,” Wisteria mumbled, taking a hesitant step back. Holden looked terrifying, and she knew she had no justification for locking Brianna in a changing room. If this was investigated, not even Ramona could protect her. But this was the only way she could think of to buy time. She had promised Yancey she’d wait for him, so she had to hold out, no matter what.

Holden didn’t waste any more words. He grabbed Wisteria’s wrist and pried open her hand. There was no key.

She glared at him and yanked her arm away. “Don’t touch me.”

“The key,” Holden repeated through gritted teeth.

“Someone like you has the nerve to talk about me?” Wisteria’s sharp tongue was her greatest weapon.

Brianna, still fuming, glanced at Holden and said with forced composure, “Mr. Covington, it seems Ms. Huxley has no intention of apologizing. But her actions, if they were to get out, would not only make Gallop Inc. think the Covington Group doesn’t want to partner with us, but it would also make people think your employees are all lunatics. The damage to your reputation… would be severe.”

Holden couldn’t care less about their squabbles and had intended to just go through the motions. But Wisteria was being stubborn. His patience ran out. With a single look, the bodyguards holding Wisteria prepared to force her into a ninety-degree bow.

“Let her go.”

Just as Wisteria’s body was about to give way, a sharp voice cut through the crowd from behind. A collective gasp went through the onlookers as they parted to form a path. The guards holding Wisteria froze, giving her a chance to break free.

Yancey’s tall, handsome figure appeared before them. He strode directly toward Wisteria.