?Chapter 332:


    “Did you do this on purpose?” Dalores asked, suspecting that Eileen had deliberately sought her out in the job market.


    Eileen took a seat opposite her and shook her head. “I don’t have the time to do that. It was merely a coincidence!”


    Dressed in a business suit, her short hair styled neatly and her makeup impable, Eileen radiated professionalism.


    Realizing that Eileen had no intention ofplicating her life, Dalores let out a sigh of relief.


    “But I don’t want to work for you,” Dalores said.


    “The agreement is for a year. If you leave early, you’ll owe a penalty for breaking the contract,” Eileen exined. She didn’t want to be harsh, but she needed a secretary urgently.


    Additionally, this young woman, so firm in her likes and dislikes, had clearly cut ties with Julio. But Eileen was confident that Dalores would stay loyal to the Freguson Group and wouldn’t go against it.


    Dalores was broke; she couldn’t afford to break the contract. She resigned herself to her fate. “Alright, I’ll stick it out for six months, and then I’m done.”


    Eileenughed softly. Avoiding the topic of Julio, she grabbed the employment contract and stood. “Time to get started.”


    She led the way, her tall heels making her almost a head taller than Dalores. Her slender silhouette and quick movements showcased her capability.


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    Dalores trailed behind, feeling small as she absorbed Eileen’s directions.


    As they approached the Freguson Group’s entrance, Dalores hesitated, haunted by the embarrassment she had previously endured there.


    “Rx, you’re not working for Freguson Group. You’re my personal secretary. Your contract is directly with me, and nobody here, including Julio, has the right to interfere,” Eileen reassured her. Noticing her difort, Eileen deduced that Dalores had a difficult past with Julio and preferred to avoid him.


    It was time for the employees to head out, and many greeted Eileen as they passed by.


    “Good morning, Ms. Curtis.”


    “Good morning, Ms. Curtis.”


    Eileen nodded and smiled in acknowledgment, giving Dalores a moment to gather her thoughts.


    After a brief pause, Dalores collected herself. “I’ll be leaving after six months,” she dered.


    She had no desire to interact with Julio or remain any longer than necessary.


    “That’s eptable,” Eileen responded. “After your contract ends and you’ve transitioned your responsibilities, you’re free to go. Now, let’s head inside.”


    Eileen entered the Freguson Group building, her demeanor shifting from gentle to more authoritative.


    She instructed the security guard at the door, “This is my secretary. She is not part of Freguson Group. Please allow her direct entry from now on.”


    “Yes, Ms. Curtis,” the security guard replied promptly.


    Dalores followed, her admiration for Eileen’s assertiveness being the only thing that piqued her interest. She felt detached from her surroundings and the role she was about to take on.


    Dalores’s new workspace was located just outside Eileen’s office, reminiscent of Eileen’s previous position as a special assistant at Apex Group.


    “Leave your bag here ande inside. I need to discuss a few things with you,” Eileen said as she moved into her office.


    Five minutester, Dalores entered the office and stood in front of the desk. “Ms. Curtis, what do you need me to do?”


    After finishing her signature on a document, Eileen looked up and asked, “You’re familiar with Julio. Are you aware of his recent activities and the current state of Freguson?”


    “He’s still alive?” Dalores responded sharply, her tone betraying some bitterness.


    Eileen sensed that Dalores had some knowledge but was mostly focused on Julio himself.


    “Julio had been scheming to return to Freguson Group for quite some time. Now that he’s back, thepany is facing instability. He returned to reim his ce in the Freguson family, leaving most of thepany’s management to Benjamin and me. His father, Kaysen, still has allies within thepany, trying to stir up trouble,” Eileen exined.


    Eileen spoke as she observed Dalores’s expression attentively.


    Dalores frowned slightly as she listened.


    “The documents I handle are highly confidential to Freguson Group and must remain secret,” Eileen exined. “That’s why I need a secretary who ispletely loyal. The job might not be too demanding, but keeping secrets is crucial. You will likely face bribery attempts; that’s expected.”


    Eileen leaned back in her chair, her gaze steady as she regarded Dalores. “Actually, this is another opportunity for you. If you feel this role is too risky or if it’s not what you want, you can leave now, and I will cancel the penalty.”


    She hoped Dalores would stay, trusting her instincts about Dalores’s reliability. Yet, understanding the potential dangers of the role, Eileen wanted to honor Dalores’s choice.


    Eileen anticipated that Dalores, who had seemed eager to leave, would seize this opportunity to walk away without hesitation.


    However, after a moment of silence, Dalores agreed, “I have no issues. I can keep secrets, though I’m still learning about the corporate world. If you’re okay with me possibly making mistakes, I’m willing to try.”


    Eileen nodded approvingly. “You must keep all work-rted information and my whereabouts confidential, even from those closest to you. As long as you can manage that, it’s good enough for me.”


    Dalores nodded with determination. “Alright, I can do that.”


    Observing Dalores’s serious demeanor, Eileen couldn’t help but smile. “Don’t stress too much. While you might face mary temptations, your safety will be protected.”


    “I’m not afraid,” Dalores responded confidently.


    Eileen advised her to familiarize herself with thepany’s operations before returning to her own tasks.


    Having previously worked as a cleaner here, Dalores was somewhat familiar with thepany, though she was unaware of the deeper turmoil within Freguson Group.


    She sat down and spent half the day researching thepany on herputer.


    Nine months earlier, Julio, as the majority shareholder, had ousted Kaysen from the CEO position. He had swiftly secured several projects to stabilize thepany, elevating Freguson Group to a leading position in the industry.


    It was rumored that Julio had been advised by a highlypetent individual.


    Recently, Eileen had rejoined thepany and taken up the role of general manager, sessfullynding a major project with the Walsh Group and earning provisional respect from thepany’s senior leaders.


    Yet, many rivals still kept a close watch on Eileen and Julio.


    This insight motivated Dalores to stay. She realized that Eileen needed someone she could trust.


    That also meant Julio needed someone he could trust.


    Lost in her thoughts, Dalores was suddenly jolted by a voice calling from outside, “Mr. Ferguson.”


    She nced up quickly and saw Julio stepping out of the elevator, dressed in a suit. His piercing gaze swept over the room before locking onto her eyes.


    He paused briefly, then continued walking. As he passed Dalores, he stopped and inquired, “Who is she?”


    “This is Ms. Curtis’s newly appointed secretary, Dalores Sampson,” someone quickly replied.


    Julio regarded Dalores with a look of unfamiliarity, as if he were not the same person who had lost hisposure with her before.


    Dalores averted her gaze and remained silent.


    Then, another voice chimed in, “Dalores, why aren’t you saying anything? This is Mr. Ferguson! You should greet him!”


    Prompted by this, Dalores looked up and gently greeted, “Good morning, Mr. Ferguson.”


    “Good morning,” Julio replied curtly, before proceeding into Eileen’s office.


    The associates apanying Julio were stopped at the door, while Julio entered alone.


    Once inside, he asked, “Why did you hire Dalores?”


    “It was a coincidence,” Eileen responded, noticing his strained expression. “I was concerned that Freguson Group’s HR department might bepromised, so I decided to hire someone directly.”


    “It happened to be Dalores. After she signed the contract, I made sure she understood the benefits and risks involved and offered her the opportunity to leave.”


    Yet, Dalores had chosen to stay.


    Upon hearing this, Julio pressed his lips together tightly, lost in thought.


    “Don’t worry; she’s merely a secretary,” Eileen reassured him. “The role involves being privy to a lot of information, but she doesn’t need to fully grasp it, so the risk for her isn’t that high.”


    The responsibilities of a secretary were quite different from her previous role as a special assistant. Dalores’ duties were limited to handling documents and attending social functions, not engaging in any strategic projects.


    Thus, any attempts to bribe Dalores would likely aim to track Eileen’s movements or steal documents. When it came to truly sensitive information, Dalores wouldn’tprehend the details.


    Hearing this, Julio’s expression softened slightly. Perhaps, under Eileen’s supervision, Dalores might even enjoy some protection.


    He changed the topic. “How is the Walsh Group’s project progressing?”


    “It’s going well,” Eileen answered.


    “Let’s move on to discuss a potential acquisition,” Julio suggested, sitting down opposite Eileen and tapping his fingers on the table twice. “The Warren Group.”


    Eileen was surprised. “Now you’re considering acquiring the Warren Group?”


    “We’vee to know that Kian’s influence has been undermined. Someone invested heavily to destabilize Warren Group just to target Kian. Now, they intend to pull out and offload their shares. With Warren Group in decline, this is the perfect time to buy at a low price, revamp, and develop the business,” Julio exined.


    Had the Warren Group fully fallen?


    Eileen experienced a whirlwind of emotions, reflecting on her past struggles under Kian’s oppressive leadership. Now, they were considering taking over hispany…


    “Currently, Kian is still the CEO of Warren Group. Any acquisition talks would directly involve him. We need to talk with him. After we acquire thepany, deciding whether to retain him will be up to us,” Julio continued.


    “So, shall we do it?”


    “I’m merely the general manager of Freguson Group; the decision is yours,” Eileen said, leaving the choice to him.


    After a brief pause to think it over, Julio said, “Then let’s proceed. Benjamin knows the Warren Group well. You two should evaluate its current value and figure out how much money will be needed for the acquisition.”


    Eileen promptly used the internal phone system to summon Benjamin.


    Upon learning about the potential acquisition of Warren Group, Benjamin was even more shocked than Eileen had been. However, he quicklyposed himself and began strategizing how to secure the deal.


    Eileen, Julio, and Benjamin spent the entire day in discussions, only stepping out as the workday concluded. As she was leaving, Eileen noticed a message from Bryan saying he was waiting for her downstairs at the Freguson Group building.


    Eileen had no chance to refuse, as the message had arrived an hour earlier. Bryan was likely already there, waiting.


    After everyone had left, Eileen picked up her bag and exited her office, telling Dalores, “Alright, you can head home.”


    Dalores responded by gathering her belongings. Her day had been spent mostly serving coffee and water, with no substantial tasks. Her workload was indeed minimal.


    She took the bus home, and by the time she arrived, night had fallen. She lived in a typical residential neighborhood.


    At the end of her street, a discreet ck sedan stood out, a vehicle she had never seen before. She could make out the glow of a cigarette and the familiar silhouette of a man inside the car.


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