hapter 92
Stella sighed and reluctantly dialed Haynes‘ number again.
“Ring, ring, ring…” No answer.
Before long, the call ended on its own, timing out in silence.
The two receptionists exchanged a look, their expressions growing more disdainful, as if Stella were something unpleasant they had to deal with.
One of them glanced at Stella’s striking face, a flicker of envy crossing her eyes, and spoke with a sarcastic edge. “It’s laughable, really. Mrs. O’Brien herself can’t even get through to Mr. O’Brien… Do you think we’re fools?“}
“Yeah, since when did every Tom, Dick, and Harry think they could just waltz in to see Mr. O’Brien? Gold diggers these days hit new lows,” chimed in the other, her voice dripping with contempt.
“I’ve seen plenty of women who think a pretty face is all it takes to snag Mr. O’Brien, but none quite so bold as to pretend they’re Mrs. O’Brien,” she added, just loud enough for Stella to hear.
Stella was in disbelief. After five years of marriage to Haynes, there was no respect–not in private, and certainly not in public. “Is Haynes in the office today?” Stella asked, trying to keep her voice steady.
I’m sorry,” one receptionist replied curtly. “Company policy forbids disclosing Mr. O’Brien’s whereabouts to outsiders.“}]
The other receptionist sneered, “Aren’t you supposed to be Mrs. O’Brien? Shouldn’t you know if your husband’s in or not?”
Feeling their mocking eyes on her, Stella turned and walked over to the waiting area, unwilling to engage further.}]
The receptionists, convinced that Stella was just another woman with ulterior motives towards Haynes, became even more dismissive. “You should just leave. Mr. O’Brien won’t see you,” one called out.
“You know women like you just ruin the atmosphere around here!” the other added.
“If you don’t leave, I’ll call security!“}
“Get out of here!”
Stella had intended to let it slide, respecting that they were just doing their jobs. But their attitude had crossed a line, becoming a personal vendetta rather than professional duty.
As she turned to face them, she couldn’t help but smirk at their defensive hostility.
Haynes was even more of a catch than she had given him credit for.
“Oh? Is this the kind of professionalism The O’Brien Group’s receptionists are known for?” Stella shot back, pulling out her phone and pointing the camera at the two women.
“I wonder how this would play out online or in the media. Would it make headlines?” She mused with a smile. “The headline could be… The O’Brien Group’s receptionists behaving like fishwives–is it poor employee quality or a reflection of The O’Brien Group’s corporate culture?
“Do you think a story like that might affect The O’Brien Group’s stock value?” she added, her voice calm yet pointed.
The receptionists blanched at the sight of Stella recording them. Whatever they thought of Stella, their unprofessional behavior was another matter entirely.
If this incident hit the news and tarnished The O’Brien Group’s image, the consequences could be severe–a risk they couldn’t afford to take.
The two women started to panic. Working at The O’Brien Group was a coveted position, even for receptionists, and despite their behavior, it wasn’t the kind of job that was easy to come by.
They had grown complacent in their roles, feeling superior, but now they realized they had run into someone they couldn’t easily dismiss.
