Chapter 48
Quinn was dressed to the nines, and even the handbag she carried was worth a small fortune. She was surrounded by several senior engineers from the Bradford Corporation, all looking at her with admiration and respect. Most of these engineers were in their mid–thirties, and the younger ones seemed particularly taken with Quinn.
Spotting Clara, Quinn greeted her with a warm smile, “Hey Clara, are you staying here too?”
The engineers recognized Clara from a previous livestream competition between her and Quinn. Their faces showed nothing but disdain.
“Miss Clara, do you have time to hang around? Have you shipped out the thousands of orders?”
“Yeah, some folks never achieve anything. Miss Quinn has already spearheaded several multi–million dollar projects.”
“If it weren’t for the livestream, I wouldn’t have known she was the eldest daughter in the Bradford family.”
the ey, and
They all laughed among themselves, clearly enjoying the banter.
Quinn quickly stepped in. “Alright, enough. You guys work for the company, and technically, she’s your superior.” Someone piped up, “Does she own shares in the Bradford Corporation?”
Quinn paused for a moment, then carefully said, “Mom and Dad plan to give her some eventually.”
“Then she’s not really a superior.”
Laughter broke out again, but Quinn turned to Clara, offering a reassuring smile, “Clara, they’re just being blunt because they’re techies. Don’t take it personally.”
In any company, senior engineers are the backbone. They don’t typically get involved in power plays but are crucial to the company’s success. Earning their support could solidify one’s position. Quinn had already done just that and even got them on board for a small community project. It highlighted Quinn’s high standing in the company.
Clara wasn’t interested in these petty games and turned to leave, but the engineers were not having it. They were respected, so how could this “useless” young lady ignore them without fearing any backlash?
“Miss Bradford, what’s your problem? Do you think you’re better than us?”
Clara stopped, a hint of irritation in her eyes. “So what if I do? You’re a bunch of grown men gossiping about a woman–does that make you feel important? You’ve probably been praised so much at work that you’ve lost your grip on reality. I have no beef with you, and to me, you’re just a bunch of smug, middle–aged guys. Why should I respect you?”
The words “smug” and “middle–aged” set their tempers flaring.
“Even your father, Johnny, treats us with respect. Who do you think you are?”
“If Johnny is respectful to you, imagine how he’d feel knowing you’re fawning over his daughter behind his back, especially since he hasn’t stepped down yet.”
“You!”
They were left speechless, their faces flushing with anger. Their fondness for Quinn was tied to her looks, her family name, and her capabilities. Many of them were middle–aged and had wives at home, but Quinn’s youth and elegance made them forget their own realities. Clara’s bluntness was like ripping away a glamorous cover to reveal the rottenness beneath.
Clara gave a slight smile and headed for the door, only to bump into Simon as he walked in.
Simon looked troubled, having overheard the conversation.
23:15
Chapter 48
“Clara, I thought your online slip–up was noe intentional. But now you’re spreading rumors about Quinn in person, too? What did you mean by those words? Are you implying something inappropriate between Quinn and these guys? How could you be so awful? Quinn is your sister, and you’re spreading lies about her?”
Clara was baffled. When did she ever suggest Quinn had anything improper going on with them? She was merely pointing out their inappropriate admiration for Quinn. But Simon had completely twisted her words.
She opened the car door, eager to leave. After all, the thousands of orders weren’t going to ship themselves.
Simon grabbed her wrist, his anger boiling over.
“You blocked my number, and then you followed Quinn to South Ashford without a word, just to smear her on a live stream? Do you know how harshly she’s being criticized online? No wonder your brother, who grew up with you, sides with Quinn. How can he hold his head high when he has a sister like you?”
Mentioning Ryan hit Clara hard. She’d known Ryan for years, but after Quinn returned to the Bradford family five years ago., Ryan favored Quinn so much that it was something she couldn’t ignore, even if she tried to convince herself otherwise.
Chapter 49
