Chapter 147: Are You Choosing Subordinates or Picking Women?
Passersby initially looked at her like she was crazy, but when they saw the snakes, they quickly fled.
Why!
Why couldn’t she get close to Enrico? Why wasn’t she the one who had Enrico’s special attention?
She didn’t want this! She didn’t want this outcome!
Sitting on the ground, tears quickly welled up and streamed down her face as she sank into utter despair.
…
Since that conversation with Enrico at the football field, Paige had become even more focused on her work at the Public Law Council.
Paige approaches every task with enthusiasm and consistently excels in her work. During this time, she skillfully navigated attempts by colleagues to sabotage her and passed the challenges set by her superiors with ease. Before long, everyone at the Public Law Council knew of her. Her path to promotion was remarkably smooth, often leading to competition among her superiors to secure her talents.
On the other hand, Enrico, who had talked about taking her on vacation, seemed to have vanished-likely due to being too busy with work, leaving him with very little free time. The two-month holiday quickly passed, and as the school break came to an end, she had already become the Chief Assistant to Beatrice, a 50-year-old lawmaker known for being rigid, stubborn, and dismissive of others. However, Beatrice had fought fiercely with several other council members to secure Paige as her assistant.
In the luxurious presidential palace, a world-class billiards match was being broadcasted on television, featuring a top player from Country A. The opulent hall also housed a billiards table, where Rafael, holding a cue, bent down slowly to match the commentary on TV. However, his words were about Paige.
“…”
Enrico sat nearby, one leg crossed over the other. He wore a white shirt with a dark vest over it, all buttons fastened tightly, giving him a cold yet elegant appearance. He was playing with a teacup, the tattoo on his hand revealing a mix of calm and wildness. His gaze was on the match on TV, though he seemed distracted.
Rafael, still standing there, looked at him and said, “You know, you treat everything like a game. Nothing ever seems to catch your interest. But let me tell you, this Joss is something else. If you got to know her, I’m sure you’d find her fascinating.”
Rafael couldn’t help but laugh at how he sounded like he was making a sales pitch.
Enrico glanced at him nonchalantly. “What’s so special about her?”
“In just two months, she went from being an intern to the Chief Assistant to Beatrice. That’s an unprecedented promotion record in the history of the Public Law Council. They say she has a photographic memory-once she reads a complex legal document, it never leaves her mind. No one at the Council has her abilities,” Rafael explained.
“…”
Enrico took a sip of his tea.
“Also, you know about Peak Club, right? You even went to one of their matches.”
Rafael aimed his cue at the billiard ball, chatting casually, “Well, Joss is the one who founded it. The students under her guidance have all become big names in the country within just two months. That guy Rey, for instance, won an international technology award, which I presented to him myself. He’s now a significant figure in the tech industry. And that girl, Carrie, she took Joss’s advice and landed a small role in a hit drama, becoming an overnight sensation nationwide.”This belongs to NôvelDrama.Org.
The speed of this success…
The name Peak Club wasn’t an exaggeration at all.
“…”
Enrico kept watching the TV, seemingly uninterested.
“A group of students with no connections or background suddenly became prominent figures. Without Joss founding Peak Club, they wouldn’t have had these opportunities,” Rafael continued. “That’s why I say Joss is someone capable of achieving great things. She has a strategic mind.”
He took a shot, but the ball didn’t go in.
Feeling a bit frustrated, Rafael handed the cue to Enrico.
Enrico stood up from his seat, expressionless, and took the cue from him. He approached the table and assessed the situation.
Rafael loosened his tie and looked at Enrico through his gold-rimmed glasses. “I’ve been wanting to introduce you two. Honestly, this girl is really interesting-she reminds me a bit of you.”
Confident, and just as arrogant.
“…”
Of course.
How could his woman not be like him?
Enrico took the cue, made a shot, and the ball smoothly fell into the pocket-a perfect start.
Rafael, accustomed to Enrico’s silence, noticed he wasn’t annoyed, so he considered continuing, but then changed his mind. “No, wait. This Joss is a treasure I found. You’ll definitely appreciate her when you meet her, but you can’t steal her from me.”
Paige was the subordinate he had his eye on-having someone like her working for him in the future would be invaluable.
“Steal her?”
Enrico slowly raised his eyes to glance at him, full of disdain.
She was already his. Why would he need to steal her?
Rafael mistook this as Enrico looking down on Paige and said, “Don’t underestimate her. Besides the fact that her name doesn’t sound great, there’s nothing wrong with her. She’s not only beautiful but also has a photographic memory, strong capabilities, and a decisive personality-never one to drag things out.”
“Bang.”
Enrico sank another ball, his gaze suddenly darkening. “Are you choosing a subordinate or a woman?”
Why does it matter if she’s beautiful?
Hearing this, Rafael laughed elegantly. “I wouldn’t mind, but someone like her would be wasted in a romantic relationship. Properly cultivated, she could outshine many under my command.”
“You wouldn’t mind?”
Enrico struck the cue with force, his long, narrow eyes locking onto him, focusing on the key point.
“…”
Rafael suddenly felt a chill, unsure why, but Enrico’s gaze felt like a knife. He awkwardly chuckled, “What’s the matter?”
Can’t I even admire a woman?
Enrico stared at him for a long time before slowly lowering his gaze, his handsome face clouded over as he coolly maneuvered the cue. “Nothing. But just because you want her doesn’t mean she’d be willing.”
Could a woman living with him even consider Rafael?
“Am I that bad?”
Rafael felt a bit stung by the jab. “Just wait. Once she graduates, I’ll bring her into the presidential palace. Then we’ll see if my charm is enough.”
“Bang.”
Enrico pocketed another ball, then tossed the cue onto the table, his face grim.
Rafael looked down-the game was over.
He sighed in resignation. “You couldn’t leave me one ball?”
Did he have to be so ruthless?
“No. I. Won’t.” Enrico glared at him coldly.
For some reason, Rafael felt like Enrico was grinding his teeth, but after thinking about it, he decided it must be his imagination.
As they stepped away from the table, the butler immediately offered a warm towel.
Rafael took the towel to wipe his hands and sat down nearby. “Actually, I’ve been saying all this because I wanted your advice. At first, I thought Joss was just trying to climb the ladder, but now I’m starting to doubt that.”