Chapter 326:
“He did,” Freya responded simply, her words hanging in the air like a sharp slap.
It felt as though Vivien’s face had been slapped with a cold, stinging truth. Her cheeks burned in embarrassment. What was the connection between this woman and Hugh? How did she even know about that?
“They got married ages ago,” Vivien blurted out, lying with all the assurance of someone trying to sell a broken clock as the latest model.
“Even if they did,” Freya replied coolly, her voice unwavering, “without my permission, you wouldn’t be able to join Briggs Group. Not even its subsidiaries.”
“What do you think you are to say that?” Vivien’s heart skipped a beat. Freya’s calm and collected demeanor sent a shiver of doubt through her. A strange unease gnawed at her.
“Because I’m the investment advisor at Briggs Group,” Freya said flatly, delivering a quiet blow. “Hiring employees is part of Briggs Group’s investments, and I have the authority to oversee it.”
Vivien seethed, her frustration bubbling up to the point where she felt she might explode.
Freya, unfazed by the seething glare aimed at her, turned and walked away, leaving Vivien to simmer in her own frustration as she made her way toward Alan.
Just as Freya neared the president’s office, she spotted Alan leaning casually against the corridor corner.
He spread his arms wide, a playful grin spreading across his face. “Come here. Let me give you a hug. Don’t cry.”
Freya was momentarily speechless. She walked past him, heading straight into the office, muttering, “Why did you think I was crying?” Clearly, it was Vivien who was on the verge of tears, not her.
“Enough,” Alan said, catching up with her, entering the office right behind her. “You don’t have to put on an act in front of me. Think I don’t know you’re bothered by Uncle Hugh’s relationship?”
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“He chose to be with her, and it has nothing to do with me,” Freya replied coldly, her voice as sharp as a blade.
Alan saw the walls she had built around herself, and while he didn’t push, he understood. Everyone had their own reasons, their own hidden wounds.
“Later, send a notice to HR. If they see Vivien Garza’s name on any application, they should reject it immediately,” Freya instructed, her tone firm and final. “If the chairman asks, just tell him it was my decision.”
Alan’s lips curled into a knowing smile, his eyes sparkling with amusement.
Freya shot him a puzzled look. “Why are you laughing?” she asked, raising an eyebrow.
“Referring to him as ‘the chairman,'” he teased, flicking her forehead gently. “You don’t have to be so formal with him.”
Freya didn’t answer. She knew Hugh had been good to her and Ethel, but he had failed her mother, and that was something Freya couldn’t forgive him for.
“Have we had any dealings with Shaw Group recently?” she asked, swiftly changing the subject.
“Yes, we have,” Alan replied, focusing on the business at hand. “There’s an AI robotics project under negotiation. Do you want to take the lead on it?”
“Let me take a look,” Freya said, her professional instincts kicking in.
Only a handful of people, including Hugh, Ethel, a few close friends, and her assistant, knew about her brief marriage and divorce from Kristian. Alan was not among them.
Alan passed her the project details, and after scanning them, Freya nodded, taking the documents from him. “I’ll handle this.”
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