Chapter Eleven

Chapter Eleven

Bella stood in front of the room's door, taking a deep breath before knocking, but there was no sound from inside. Knowing that Max was still in his office, Bella continued to knock. This time, a very faint rustling sound came from within. Bella waited outside for a long time but didn't hear Max inviting her in.

In that moment, she forgot her employee identity and pushed the door open, which surprised her because not only Max was in the room, but also Pearl.

Both of them were neatly dressed, but Pearl's face had a slight flush. Bella silently understood that something had been happening in the room that they didn't want her to know about.

However, Bella wasn't here to catch them in the act. She quickly brushed off her surprise and confidently walked up to Max's desk.

"Mr. Cooper, here are the documents for the new project. Ms. Diana asked me to bring them here for your review and approval of the project," Bella said with a smile, appearing very natural and not at all concerned as she had initially thought.

Max and Pearl were even more surprised than Bella. They both stiffened, staring at Bella from head to toe without saying a word. Max, looked bewildered and anxious, fearing that Bella might have discovered the dark deed he had just done.

"Bell, why are you here?" Max still hadn't recovered from his astonishment, asking in a puzzled manner.

The atmosphere in the room became incredibly tense. Max gave Pearl a subtle nod, indicating for her to leave immediately if her presence would raise suspicion in Bella's mind. Pearl understood Max's intention and quickly left the room.

But neither of them knew that Bella had already figured out their hidden relationship.

Bella glanced at Pearl's departure, not saying anything, but instead focusing on the documents placed on Max's desk.

"Is there a problem with me going to work, sir?" Bella said with a professional smile on her face.

Max was flustered, continuing to inquire, "Why didn't you tell me? You don't need to work, you know. If you need money, just let me know. And if you're bored at home, I'll take you on a trip to relax. Working is tough, you know?"

Max pretended to be caring, intimate and spoke sweetly to Bella.

Bella arched her eyebrows and chuckled inwardly. But that was Bella's thought; she didn't voice it.

"Mr. Cooper, you can't speak like that. I have my own decision and don't need to ask for anyone's opinion or permission. And you know that I've never been short of money before." Bella laughed as she spoke. If she were short of money, she could ask her father. How much could someone like Max give her? It's quite amusing.

Upon hearing this, Max could only purse his lips, at a loss for words. Yet, he still tried to appear genuinely concerned about Bella. Just as Max was about to say something, Bella interjected, "Mr. Cooper, please quickly review the documents. They're waiting for your approval."

Max had no choice but to review the documents and swiftly give his approval. He wanted to talk more with Bella, but she didn't let that opportunity arise. She held the documents, nodded in greeting, and swiftly walked out. Not a single wasted action.

When Bella had just entered, Max was so surprised that he didn't even notice her alluring figure, which was so captivating. He stared fixedly at the seductive and graceful silhouette as she gradually moved away, lingering even after she had stepped out of his office.

Max hadn't completely shaken off the tension from earlier. He silently thought, "I have to be more careful in the future."

Pearl also returned to her office, feeling quite annoyed. She hadn't expected Bella to work here as well. Max was unaware of this, even though this was a subsidiary of Bella's father's company. But if Bella was truly working here, Max should at least have known about it.

Pearl anxiously bit her nails, then sat down in frustration. If Bella's presence persisted, her relationship with Max would surely become more complicated. Thinking about this, she promptly headed to the HR department.

"Where's Manager Lee? I want to see him!" Pearl arrogantly walked in and spoke, surprising everyone with her loud voice.

Upon hearing the commotion, Manager Lee stepped out. Seeing that it was Pearl looking for him, he displayed a hint of annoyance. "What brings you here, Pearl?"

"Step into the office. I want to talk to you privately," Pearl strode into Lee's private office without waiting for his permission. Everyone in the HR department discussed this matter, bewildered by what had just happened.

In Lee's private office, Pearl stood proudly in front of him, arms folded, and questioned, "Why is Bella working here? Did you hire her?"

Lee didn't appreciate Pearl's attitude. Given Pearl's current position, she shouldn't be interrogating him so aggressively. She was becoming overly arrogant because of CEO Cooper's support.

"What does this have to do with you? Hiring staff is my responsibility. It's not your job; you should focus on your own tasks," Lee replied gently, but each word was clear and direct, fueling Pearl's resentment.

"This matter is so unknown that even Mr. Cooper isn't aware; at the very least, you should have consulted with him!" Pearl still refused to back down.

Lee chuckled at Pearl's illogical retort, not getting angry and simply saying, "I've already said that this is my job. If I can't even handle my own tasks without asking the director for input, then I would have been replaced as the head of the HR department a long time ago."

"As for you, why bother coming down here to talk about unrelated and irrational matters? Bella does her job very well, and she gets along with everyone, her competence is highly regarded. Someone as capable and eager to learn as her, why wouldn't I hire her?" Lee continued, each of his words making it difficult for Pearl to argue back.

Furious, Pearl was about to leave, but Lee, who disliked her arrogance and lack of understanding, wasn't finished.

"Pearl, do you think you can cause chaos down here and then just leave? You have been affecting my work and disrupting everyone's tasks. I will report this to the board of directors. This isn't the first time you've caused trouble like this. I don't know what kind of relationship you have with Director Cooper, but work is work."

"Dare you!" Pearl angrily exclaimed.

"It's within my authority. You have been a nuisance to me and everyone in the department with your disruptive behavior. Do you think Mr. Cooper will keep protecting you indefinitely? Don't forget that you got into this company not through me, I can even report Director Cooper for abuse of power." Lee's tone was gentle but it struck hard at Pearl's emotions.

Pearl clenched her lips and left the room. Lee's words had successfully threatened her. Pearl's intention was merely to find out why Bella was hired and wanted Lee to fire Bella. She didn't expect Lee to warn her to the point of making her flee.

If Max knew about her mischief, he would definitely be displeased. That's why she chose to bear it silently and leave.

Back in her workspace, Bella was still stunned. If Diana hadn't asked her to bring the documents for Max's approval today, she wouldn't have known that Pearl also worked here.

"Bella, are you okay? Did you get scolded by Mr. Cooper or his secretary?" A concerned colleague beside her asked. It was Lauriel, the person who had always supported Bella since she started working here.

"Huh? The director's secretary? Who's that?" Bella asked in confusion.

Lauriel said, "Don't you know? The director's secretary is Pearl. Apart from being beautiful, her personality is quite terrible. I'm not sure about her relationship with Mr. Cooper, but it seems shady."

"What's Pearl's personality like?" Bella inquired, as Pearl had always appeared friendly and kind in front of her, seemingly vulnerable.

Lauriel sighed. "She often causes trouble for other employees, especially in the HR department. Sometimes it's minor, but it makes many people uncomfortable. Her position doesn't grant her the right to do such things, but she always claims that Mr. Cooper suggested it."

Listening, Bella nodded and smiled lightly. After conversing with Lauriel, she learned that Pearl wasn't approved by the HR department but had quickly risen to the position of the director's secretary.

At this moment, Bella realized that the day she had discovered their shameful behavior in Max's private office wasn't their first time. They had done it multiple times before without her knowledge. Bella also learned that Pearl's presence in the company wasn't communicated to her by Max.