Chapter 8
Standing in the office in simple jeans and a white blouse, she
looked like a delicate lotus in clear water.
“Mr. Gibson.”
She called out softly. If Willard dared to try anything else, she
would quit on the spot.
But Willard only snorted and gave her a once–over. “3,000
dollars a month. You’ll attend dinners with me and prep my
paperwork. Can you drive?”
“I can.”
“Perfect. Mrs. Melendez is now reduced to being my driver. I’m
honored.”
“I’m already divorced from Garrett.”
Willard squinted and then smiled. “Oh, I see. No wonder such a
beautiful woman’s back on the market. You can start now.
Come with me to a business dinner tonight. I’ll transfer half
your salary in advance. Deal?”
Adrienne didn’t know what gave away her current desperation,
Chapter 8
but he’d guessed right.
She lowered her lashes and whispered, “Alright.”
Someone quickly came to guide her through the rest of the
onboarding process and assigned her a desk.
Adrienne felt like she might be running a fever. Her body was
growing hotter by the minute.
Near the end of the workday, Willard called her into his office
and tossed her a set of car keys. “From now on, you’re my driver
and assistant. We’re leaving now. I’ll text you my upcoming
schedule.”
“Yes, Mr. Gibson.”
She clutched the keys, made her way to the parking garage,
found his car, opened the door for him, then got in the driver’s
seat.
Willard was on the phone with someone, showing off. “You
won’t believe who I just hired as an assistant. Remember Garrett
Melendez?”
Everyone in Gerberton knew Garrett. Even before the
Melendez family brought him back, he was already a rising star.
With his unreal looks, he was a self–made legend. Back then, he
Chapter 8
was everywhere.
Later, when he returned to his roots and gained the Melendez
name, he became even more famous.
But in recent years, he had kept a low profile, focused on
business, and never given interviews. Slowly, he faded from
public view.
Still, in Gerberton’s elite circles, no one didn’t know him.
Though Willard now operated in a lower business tier, he had
once been part of the Melendez Group’s leadership and had built
up some contacts.
“Yeah, his wife’s my driver now. Crazy, right? The guy used to
act like a god.”
The car stopped in front of a well–known hotel. Adrienne
parked and opened the door for Willard.
True to his word, he had already wired her $1,500.
A few insulting words from him were nothing. Compared to the
humiliation she’d endured in Garrett’s world, this was nothing.
She diligently fulfilled her assistant duties, even pressing the
elevator button for him. But to her surprise, the elevator wasn’t
Chapter 8
empty. Inside stood Garrett and Jared.
Jared’s eyes briefly flickered with surprise. Then he quickly
glanced at Garrett and stayed quiet.
Adrienne also said nothing. It was Willard who spoke first. “Mr.
Melendez, what a coincidence.”
Garrett’s presence was overwhelming. Though the elevator was
spacious and held only four people, it felt suffocating.
Willard stepped in first, smiling. “Come in, Ms. Norton. What,
need an invitation?”
Adrienne finally stepped inside and pressed the button for the
fifth floor.
The fifth floor was for business dining. It was expensive, but
still more accessible than the seventh, which was reserved for
VIPs and nearly impossible to book.
Garrett was headed for the seventh.
As the elevator arrived on the fifth floor and Adrienne
prepared to step out, Garrett suddenly spoke. “Jared.”
Jared stiffened, waiting for instructions.
But Garrett simply called his name, nothing more.
