The Ugly Wife’s Stunning Comeback (Felicia and Max) novel Chapter 6

“Finish the financial analysis for the Silveroak Partners report before lunch.”

Felicia went back to her desk. Even though she’d been bumped down to a junior position in the secretarial department, Sandy kept piling extra work on her that wasn’t even supposed to be her responsibility. She took it all without complaining. Maybe she was just trying to convince herself that if she worked hard enough, Max would notice her again. He never did.

Once she finished the analysis, Felicia handed both the digital file and the printed copy to Sandy, then ordered some takeout. The company had a cafeteria, but she always brought her own lunch. She just didn’t want to eat around other people, didn’t want their eyes on her, didn’t want to make small talk. All she wanted was a little peace and quiet. She hadn’t prepared lunch that morning, so takeout would have to do.

While she waited, a couple of coworkers came back from lunch, talking excitedly as they walked in.

“Mr. Hawthorne’s girlfriend is so young, right? She looks like she’s still in college.”

“Yeah, and she’s gorgeous. Seriously, she’s like a celebrity.”

“Did you see how he looks at her? He’s so gentle with her. I never thought our CEO could be so soft. It’s like a real-life romance story. The powerful CEO and his sweet little girlfriend.”

Their voices faded when they noticed Felicia sitting at her desk, silent and still, almost like she was a statue. Since her transfer, Felicia barely spoke to anyone unless it was about work. She was more withdrawn than ever, always wearing a mask, keeping to herself like she was trying to disappear. It was hard to believe she’d been the CEO’s assistant not that long ago, always in the spotlight.

Her phone buzzed. The delivery driver had arrived. Felicia got up to collect her food.

Down in the lobby, she spotted two hotel staff carrying covered trays and asking the receptionist for directions. The receptionist swiped them into the CEO’s private elevator. Felicia noticed one of them holding a bottle of wine that must have cost two million dollars. For Max, that kind of money meant nothing, just another minute’s work.

She picked up her simple takeout, just chicken and rice, and headed back upstairs.

Felicia glanced through the report. It didn’t take her long to spot the mistakes. The numbers were all wrong. She looked up. “Mr. Hawthorne, this isn’t the report I submitted.”

“I’m not interested in your excuses.”

Felicia squeezed the papers tightly in her hand. Max knew her work better than anyone. He wasn’t ignoring her excuses. He just wanted someone to blame.

Standing there, feeling how far she’d fallen in his eyes, Felicia felt small and ridiculous. Still, she took a deep breath, closed her eyes for a moment, and then spoke up, her voice steady. “I have a backup copy. I can send it to you right now. You can check it yourself, and then decide if I deserve to be reprimanded.”

Max’s eyes narrowed, his irritation clear.