It had been three days since Diana had joined the office. And slowly, she had become the center of attention for different reasons.
Aline was happy with her work. Though everyone believed that Evelyn did nothing and she was only here because of her relationship with Damien, Aline knew the woman was a gem. She kept a low profile to not gain much attention and Damien's wrath but there was nothing she could not do.
From arranging files to making contracts, but she never got the praise she deserved. Aline was the only one who had felt bad that she left.
But it was for the better. She had suffered miserably here. But even then, Aline was sure she was going to get a headache without Evelyn. But surprisingly, Diana had made sure that did not happen. The girl was talented and no matter what task was given to her, she completed it with such speed that Aline was sure she had the skills to be a head secretary or even assistant of Damien.
But this attention had cost Diana her peace, since the days she had been praised for the first time, the whispers never truly stopped.
"She's quick with her hands, but not with her brain," Mira muttered once.
"Pretty face! Did she think she had the ability to get attention just because she knew how to make some files? She is so poor that her dress looked secondhand.," Grace scoffed on another day.
It had been three days since Diana started, and though her file had impressed Damien himself, the staff found other ways to keep her in place. They admired her efficiency, her speed, her tireless commitment but never without the sour tang of envy or mockery.
She had heard them whispering when they thought she couldn't hear. That she used to work in a rundown part of the city. That she came from a family of nobody. That the only reason she was in this office was because Damien had dragged her off the street bleeding and unconscious.
But Diana never answered them. She dressed modestly, kept her head down, and worked harder than everyone else. She spent her lunch breaks memorizing board members' preferences, reading quarterly reports, and perfecting the cadence of her presentation voice. But it only increased the mocking that she could not afford lunch.
"Look if you are going to faint, tell us. We offer food to beggars often. We will offer that to you instead." laughed Grace as she placed the leftover of her meal on Diana's desk.
Diana looked pale looking at them. She wanted to refuse but all the other secretaries were standing behind grace and laughing.
"Oh come on, that lunch came from the best french restaurant, if not for grace, you would have never gotten the chance to taste such delicacies. You should already bow and thank Grace. What are you waiting for!" laughed Mira loudly, making Grace smug.
"Yes, start eating already. We would not charge you." laughed another, making Grace smirk.
"That is enough! The lunchtime is over. Why are you still standing there and chatting. Boss is going to come soon and choose her partner for today's dinner." Aline stared at them with a cold look on her eyes. Grace bit her lips and passed her a condescending glance before returning to her seat.
Others left hastily too. Aline looked at the leftover pieces of food and sighed. She approached Diana while reviewing a guest list for the upcoming corporate dinner.
"Though I said that my boss would choose me. He would only take one who knows about the contract. You have read the file earlier right?" when Diana nodded, Aline smiled reassuringly. "Then you will attend the Veltoir Group dinner tonight with Mr. Albercht" she said suddenly.
Grace nearly dropped her pen. Mira choked on her tea. Diana blinked, playing the part of the surprised girl, though she had been planting the idea for two days, leaving files at Aline's desk with little notes, casually mentioning her public speaking experience, subtly suggesting that Grace had mixed up names during last month's dinner.
"Me?" she asked meekly.
"You speak well, and you're the only one who can pronounce the Veltoir CEO's name right. Don't embarrass us. Be there by seven, sharp. The car will wait."
The venue was a five-star rooftop hotel lounge. Diana had dressed with care in an elegant black gown with modest sleeves, her hair pinned up to expose her neckline and highlight her earrings. She looked simple, polished, and impossible to forget.
Damien barely glanced at her when she entered the car. He wore a midnight suit, sharp as ever, his jaw tight and his silence sharper. She knew better than to speak first. So the car drove with strange silence.
When they reached the venue, the dinner was already buzzing with wine and industry gossip. Damien walked ahead without waiting for her, but Diana didn't falter. She greeted the clients with poise, introduced herself correctly, and only spoke when addressed. Her presence was just enough to seem respectful, never so much that Damien would notice her as a nuisance.
And still, he noticed. Because she wasn't clumsy like Grace, or trying too hard like Mira. She listened, laughed softly when needed, and refilled Damien's glass each time he set it down.
"Where is Evelyn tonight?" the Veltoir director asked halfway through the meal.
Damien's eyes darkened. He downed his wine. Diana refilled it with a quiet hand.
"She left," he said shortly.
"She did?" the man frowned. "Though she speaks less, she was a gem and knew how to make me laugh and attend to my business at the same time."
Diana refilled Damien's glass again before he could say anything else. Her hand was steady and calm. Her face betrayed nothing but serene professionalism.
"She had better offers so she chose one of them. I am sure she is doing better where she is." the man nodded with a sigh and picked up the glass.
"If I had known she was planning to switch, I would have offered her a job."