Chapter 217: Your Reward Is Another Round

Chapter 217: Chapter 217: Your Reward Is Another Round

Asher Keating stopped and looked at her with a slight frown. "Have I ever called you that?"

Seeing Phoebe Peyton’s face turn pale, he thought about it silently and realized he actually had called her that once. After a soft "tsk," Asher’s voice turned cold. "That name... I will only ever call *her* that from now on. Don’t get the wrong idea."

As Phoebe Peyton watched Asher Keating walk away without a backward glance, her face grew even paler. It was a long while before she composed herself and went inside.

All in all, the dinner that evening was a pleasant affair for everyone involved. Phoebe Peyton had a gentle personality and was a skilled conversationalist, so by the end of the meal, she had gotten to know almost everyone.

When the dinner ended, Phoebe Peyton suggested they continue the night elsewhere, but Asher Keating noticed Leah Sinclair wasn’t in high spirits, so he skipped it and took her home.

After they got home and showered, he wrapped his arms around her and kissed her slowly. The frustration in Leah Sinclair’s heart gradually melted away with his kisses. As her mind went blank, she heard Asher Keating whisper "Leah" in a low, husky voice, and her heart filled, bit by bit, until it was overflowing.

After they had cleaned up, Asher Keating held her as they leaned against the headboard. He took a box from the nightstand and handed it to her. "Open it."

"What’s this?" Leah Sinclair took it curiously and gave it a shake. Something inside went JINGLE JANGLE.

"A welcome-to-work gift for Manager Sinclair," Asher Keating said, twirling a lock of her hair around his finger.

She opened it and saw a car key—for a Mercedes. Leah looked at Asher Keating in surprise. "I don’t need a car."

"You’re a manager now. Are you planning on squeezing onto the subway every day?"

"..."

Leah honestly hadn’t thought about that. Asher Keating reached out and pinched her cheek. "And what about when you visit construction sites? Are you going to make your team squeeze onto the subway with you then?"

"..."

Leah thought about it and realized he had a point, so she happily accepted the gift. Asher Keating was surprised she didn’t ask what model it was, but Leah offered an explanation.

"It’s a Mercedes, so it can’t be that cheap. I’ll have to visit construction sites and carry a lot of things, so I’m guessing you definitely wouldn’t have bought a sedan. It must be an SUV, right?"

Asher Keating saw the little flecks of laughter in her eyes, and his own eyes softened with a smile. "Since you’re so smart, I’ll reward you with another round."

"..."

’Who’s this a reward for, exactly?’ Before Leah could get the question out, he had already pushed her down onto the bed, and a new round began.

With the arrival of Monday, Leah Sinclair officially began her work in Project Department Three at Baystream. Shawn Grant had offered to accompany her, but Leah refused, asking only for the HR manager to go with her.

Before arriving, Leah had already studied the department’s personnel structure. Project Department Three had been established only six months ago and didn’t have many employees—just over a dozen people. All things considered, it wasn’t too complex.

When the HR Manager, Jeffrey Walsh, obsequiously led her into the Department Three office, the previously bustling room fell silent. Everyone inside turned to look at Leah Sinclair.

Leah, in turn, quickly scanned the people in the room, mentally matching their faces to the personnel files she had reviewed.

"This is the new manager of Project Department Three, Leah Grant. Manager Grant. I hope you will all give her your full support. Let’s give her a warm welcome."

As per Leah’s earlier instructions, Jeffrey Walsh didn’t make a point of emphasizing her background. Leah knew her identity couldn’t be kept a secret, but there was no need to flaunt it either.

"Welcome, Manager Grant!"

A young man shouted the greeting and began to clap. A few others mumbled along and clapped sporadically. The atmosphere wasn’t exactly enthusiastic, but it was enough to save face. The young man who had started it all awkwardly lowered his hands and rubbed his nose.

Jeffrey Walsh looked a little embarrassed, but Leah seemed unfazed. She smiled and said, "Hello, everyone. Since this is my first day, I’m still getting familiar with the situation. Let’s have a brief meeting in the conference room in ten minutes."

No one objected. Leah nodded to Jeffrey Walsh and walked into her office. The space had been recently renovated. It was in a prime location, with a full wall of floor-to-ceiling windows and a warm color palette that Leah found quite pleasing.

After Leah entered her office, the employees outside quickly formed small cliques and began whispering amongst themselves.

"Miles Kessler, were you out of your mind? Didn’t you see Manager Flynn’s face turn black?"

"Exactly! Deputy Manager Flynn was about to be promoted, but then they just parachute in a new manager. And it’s the inexperienced young miss from the Grant Family, no less. He must be furious."

The young man who had led the welcome, Miles Kessler, grew flustered by their comments. "I just wasn’t paying attention... Besides, didn’t you guys hear? She worked at Aevon before she went abroad."

"Tch, so what if she worked at Aevon? She went abroad without ever finishing a single project. Plus, she’s so young. In my opinion, she’s just here to get some grassroots experience for a few months before she gets promoted straight to the top."

"Does that mean we were too cold to her just now? What do we do? She’s the second daughter of the Grant Family, after all. After the way we just acted, do you think she’ll hold a grudge and make things difficult for us?"

"That’s hilarious. If she tries to make my life difficult, I’ll just quit! It’s not like the Grants own the only architecture firm in Riverfall."

"What are you all gossiping about? Didn’t you hear Manager Grant call for a meeting? Get a move on! Do you want her to say my management has been incompetent?" Deputy Manager Finn Farrell strode over, his face cold.

The others quickly dispersed. Finn Farrell glanced at the closed door to Leah’s office and sneered. "A gilded vase is still just a vase."

Ten minutes later, in the conference room, Leah took attendance with a list of personnel files, putting a face to every name. Once that was done, she began to ask about their current workloads.

She needed to select three people to work with her on the renovation of the Peyton Group’s building, making a team of four. She also didn’t want this new project to interfere with their existing work.

After Leah finished explaining the renovation project, the conference room fell silent. She scanned their faces before speaking. "I know that everyone is currently working on another project. The Peyton Group building renovation isn’t overly complex. I need three people. Manager Flynn, could you please recommend three candidates?"

Finn Farrell also scanned the room, then said with a troubled expression, "Manager Grant, you’re new, so you might not be aware, but our department is truly short-staffed at the moment. If we assign three people to your project, our other work will inevitably be delayed."

"Then what do you suggest I do, Manager Flynn? I need people."

"I think you should probably press HR to speed up recruitment. Or perhaps you could see if the other two departments have anyone available to help you out for now? We’re just too busy over here."

Leah put down the files in her hand and gave Finn Farrell a faint smile. "Manager Flynn, I am the manager of Project Department Three. Do you think it’s appropriate for me to go begging Department One and Two for manpower?"

"In that case, Manager Grant, your only option is to go to HR. This is a problem I can’t solve. I’ve already urged HR to hire people as quickly as possible, but they haven’t found any suitable candidates. However, I’m sure it will be more effective if *you* urge them. After all, our words don’t carry much weight." Finn Farrell sighed with a frown, looking as though the situation was truly out of his hands.