Mom wasn''t going to tuck her in tonight-fine. Gwh could sleep hugging the doll Violet had given her.


    Stubbornly wiping away her tears, she kept ncing at the crack beneath the door, half-expecting Victoria toe back andfort her. But all she heard was the shuffle of slippers; the sound faded down the hall, and then the master bedroom door clicked shut.


    That was it. There was no hope left. Gwh crawled under her nket, resigned to sleeping alone.


    She stared at the doll in her arms for a while, then, feeling suddenly annoyed, tossed it carelessly onto the little couch-she didn''t want to hug it after all.


    She''d wanted to provoke her mom, to make Victoriae back and check in on her, so she''d deliberately clutched the doll Violet gave her. But her n backfired -Victoria really wasn''ting.


    It was boring, lying alone in her little bed, thoughts drifting in a hundred directions. Before she knew it, Gwh had fallen into a restless sleep.


    Victoria picked up herptop, intending to head to the study. But then again, McNeil mighte home at any moment.


    Lately, whenever she stayed at McNeil''s house, she made a point of staying in the master bedroom. That way, the moment he walked in, he''d see her there- resting, looking every bit the perfect wife. Wasn''t that the homey, harmonious family atmosphere he wanted to present? A doting father, a devoted wife, a lovely daughter?


    Whatever he wanted to see, she would show him.


    As for what she truly felt inside-well, that was none of McNeil''s business.


    At precisely 9:30 p.m., the meeting began.


    Violet sat in the office with the entire tech team assembled. When she nced at Victoria''s spot and saw only aptop there, her expression shifted briefly.


    "Ms. Marchand, Victoria''s been assigned remote duties tonight, so I had her join from home," George spoke up before Violet could even ask, making it clear this had been his call.


    The tech department was the backbone of Quantum Core Technologies, and George was their star-once the top graduate from a world-ss university. Curtis Garcia had gone to great lengths to lure him away from a Fortune 500pany. Violet knew exactly how valuable George was, so even though she was annoyed, she kept herposure and nodded at him with a polite smile.


    "You''re a good team lead, George. But everyone''s here, and no one gets special treatment. We''ll let it slide this time, but don''t make a habit of it."


    George and the rest of the team all let out a quiet sigh of relief. Everyone knew that, behind closed doors, Ms. Marchand and Victoria didn''t get along. What puzzled people was just how strange their rivalry was.


    Victoria had once been Mr. Garcia''s secretary, then transferred to the Investment Department, and finally, Violet herself had brought her into the tech division. On the surface, it looked like Ms. Marchand recognized Victoria''s talent and didn''t want it to go to waste. But despite giving her opportunities, she also seemed to trip her up at every turn-setting hurdles, nitpicking, making things difficult. No one had ever seen such a bizarre dynamic at work.


    Nobody really understood it. But since Georgia''s departure and the change in Violet''s personal assistant, there was a rumor floating around that Victoria was always one step ahead-maybe she wasn''t just Mr. Garcia''s rumored mistress after all.


    The meeting kicked off. Victoria had changed into smart business attire, no different than if she were in the office. Theptop camera was focused on her alone, but she could see everyone else on the video call. Her expression was as calm and professional as ever.


    She listened intently to everyment. She took notes, focused and attentive.


    Violet opened with a confident, twenty-minute monologue, then invited the team to speak up.


    Violet''s meetings always ran long, but no one ever dared doze off.


    About forty minutes in, Violet announced a five-minute break. Only then did the tension in the room finally ease.


    “Still up thiste?"


    Victoria had just stretched when the bedroom door swung open.


    McNeil stood there, frowning, his voice deep and low.


    Startled, Victoria instinctively moved to block the screen with her body.


    "I''m on apany call..." she managed, rxing a little when she realized it was


    just McNeil. Only ten o''clock, and he was already home.


    Then it hit her-Violet was leading the meeting, and it wasn''t clear when it would end. Since Violet wouldn''t be keeping himpany tonight, McNeil must''vee home early.


    Their conversation drifted straight out through Victoria''s microphone.


    In the break, some of her colleagues were chatting quietly, but when a man''s


    voice echoed from Victoria''sptop, the whole room went silent.


    Was that Victoria''s husband?


    The man whose identity was thepany''s favorite rumor mill fodder.


    Ever since Victoria joined Quantum Core Technologies, the office gossip had exploded: her possible affair with Mr. Garcia, her mysterious background, the time she was picked up by a Rolls-Royce. Everyone wondered who her husband really


    was.


    "Is that your brother-inw?" someone whispered.


    Even with all the divorce rumors, tonight Victoria''s husband was home, and suddenly everyone was wide-eyed with curiosity.


    One voice carried, and both Victoria and McNeil heard.


    McNeil nced at Victoria. She couldn''t deny it, and she certainly couldn''t make up some wild story, so she just nodded and muttered, "Yeah."


    "Go on, I''ll take a shower," McNeil said, expression unreadable, but a faint smile tugging at his lips as he turned away.


    Victoria blinked, realizing she''d left her mic on. Was he doing this on purpose?


    No one caught the rest of their exchange, but the word "shower" came through loud and clear.


    Violet returned from the restroom and opened the conference room door, only to find the ce buzzing with suppressed giggles.


    "Well, well, Victoria—your husband''s off to take a shower. Is this bonus content for those of us without premium ess?"