?Chapter 554:


    He then nced at Kaiden for affirmation.


    Kaiden remained calm, waiting for Ellie’s decision. It seemed he would skip work if she declined.


    “Mrs. Thorpe, would you like me to have the secretary’s office team prepare some refreshments for you?” Even Bruce chimed in.


    Realizing Kaiden had been neglecting his duties for a while, Ellie agreed.


    The senior executives exchanged knowing looks and silently celebrated as they all got into the car. They addressed Ellie as Mrs. Thorpe, and Kaiden’sck of objection confirmed that Ellie was indeed married to him!


    It turned out that when they had pondered who Kaiden was married to, they had already met his wife.


    Kaiden led the executives to the conference room, while Ellie settled into thefort of the CEO’s personal office. The reception area was adorned with an assortment of snacks and a freshly brewed cup of milk tea.


    “Mrs. Thorpe, please let me know if there’s anything you need,” the secretary said respectfully.


    “I see there’s been a change in the secretary office personnel,” Ellie remarked, noticing a woman she didn’t know sitting where Zoey once had. It marked a significant change.


    “Yes, Miss Sawyer and another secretary from the media department have been fired.”


    “Really? But why?” Ellie asked, surprised. She couldn’t associate Zoey, known for herpetence, with being dismissed. Zoey had been a longstanding, trusted member of Kaiden’s team, even handling sensitive tasks like managing Carole’s situation.


    “The reason is,” the secretary said, ncing at the diamond on Ellie’s finger before continuing, “they failed to promptly deal with and report the rumors concerning Mr. Thorpe and Miss Lambert. It was a serious mistake on their part.”


    Ellie felt a pang in her heart, stunned by the news.


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    When Kaiden returned after the meeting, he found Ellie deep in conversation on the phone.


    “Grandma… I can’t make it home for a while. I’m not upset with you. There’s no need for apologies. I’m sorry, but I’m really tied up here.” After ending the call, she was lost in her thoughts, barely noticing that Kaiden hade in.


    “Is everything alright?” Kaiden asked, gently touching her head.


    Only then did she notice him. “Grandma is asking me toe home.” However, her previous bad experiences held her back.


    It wasn’t anger she felt; it was a deep sense of heartache. Kaiden settled onto the couch, and in the next moment, he gently drew her closer, lifting her to sit on hisp with his arms encircling her waist. This position was unmistakably intimate.


    “Ah!”


    Caught off guard, she didn’t resist but allowed him to embrace her.


    “Have you been troubled?” Kaiden inquired softly.


    Ellie pressed her lips together, remaining silent. Kaiden guessed that Cecelia must have been involved.


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