?Chapter 322:


    She made no attempt to linger or eavesdrop; instead, she returned to her desk, resuming her work as though the incident hadn’t affected her.


    Her colleagues, sensing the tension, held their breaths and subtly retreated, giving her space.


    They had all witnessed the scene.


    Vivien had been seen entering the third meeting room with the chairman!


    “Good heavens… Vivien’s protector is the chairman himself?”


    “This is the end for that poor woman, isn’t it?”


    “I overheard Vivien mention she’s an investment advisor.”


    “I hope she’s fine!”


    “This mess is my fault. If Mr. Briggs intends to discipline that woman, I’lle forward and set the record straight,” dered the team leader, her hands slick with nervous sweat. She hadn’t anticipated that Vivien’s connections were so formidable.


    Despite her reluctance to walk away from the lucrative sry and perks at Briggs Group, she was adamant about not letting anyone else take the me.


    Vivien tuned out their endless discussions, disinterested.


    She had summoned Hugh not solely to confront that conceited woman but also to demonstrate her supportwork to everyone present. All day long, they relentlessly heaped work upon her. Did they truly believe she was here to perform any real work?


    In stark contrast to the bustling noise outside, the meeting room felt like a breath of stillness.


    Hugh perched to Freya’s right, his demeanor flustered and guilty, akin to a child caught in mischief.


    “Mina, it’s not what you’re thinking.” Hugh hurried to rify, eager to prevent any further misconceptions. “She was having trouble finding work, and her mother was getting anxious, so I mentioned Briggs Group. That’s all there was to it—no favoritism behind it.”


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    “Look at those three lousy proposals—one unfinished, two not even close to qualified—and she still gets twenty thousand a month,” Freya dered crisply. “Would you not deem that favoritism?”


    Anxiety written all over his face, Hugh nervously twisted his fingers.


    He hesitated to reveal that his rtionship with Vivien’s mother effectively made him her stepfather, which in his eyes justified arranging the job.


    He was well aware that admitting this could irreparably damage his rtionship with Freya.


    Moreover, she had long harbored resentment towards him.


    “Mina…” His words trailed off, utterly bewildered and at a loss for words.


    “Dismiss her,” Freyamanded, her voice leaving no room for debate.


    Hugh, feeling a profound sense of injustice, made one more attempt to defend her. “Briggs Group is a massivepany. It surely wouldn’t suffer from keeping her on.”


    “The principle of thepany has always been promoting people based on merit, not connections,” Freya retorted, her voice sharp with irritation. “Are you suggesting we abandon that principle for your newfound daughter?”


    “Absolutely not!” Hugh countered emphatically.


    He cherished his two biological daughters above all.


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