Derek's eyes darkened. "I thought I had seen it all, but I have never seen a white lotus and a green tea combo before. You deserve an award." He spat out. "Follow me."
Without waiting for her reply he turned around and strode to the elevator. Snow wiped her tears before following him into the elevator. The reporters followed behind them.
They arrived on the 42nd floor. The workers continued stealing glances at her.
"Isn't that the woman who claims to be Mr. Quinn's wife?" One of the ladies asked, walking to meet her other colleagues.
"Yes, she is the one."
"She looks so ugly, why would Mr. Quinn have any interest in her? Not to talk about him marrying her."
"She looks so pitiful. Have you all wondered what if she is telling the truth? What if Mr. Quinn is just lying to cover his face? Think about it, he has been hiding his face claiming that he had never touched a woman before. What if that is just a strategy to build a good reputation for the company?" One of the male colleagues said.
"We shouldn't be too quick to pick sides." He added.
The other colleagues kept quiet as if they were in deep thought.
A small smirk formed on Snow's lips hearing his words, but before they could move farther along the hallway.
A chilling and suffocating aura stretched through the air, causing Snow to halt and turn around.
Her eyes met Adrian's for a brief second. In those seconds, she knew how much the man hated her… it was all visible in his eyes.
His heavy footsteps approached her, and his polished shoes made clicking sounds against the marble floor.
He passed her without sparing her another glance.
The workers instinctively ran back to their positions, their heads bowing before they even saw him.
Adrian Quinn stood in front of the workers. His tailored suit, slightly undone at the collar, only sharpened the raw fury in his eyes. The air around him pressed down like a storm cloud ready to burst.
His gaze landed on the worker who had spoken earlier. The man paled, his knees nearly buckling.
"Repeat what you just said." He commanded.
Snow walked towards them, wiping the tears off her face.
The man swallowed hard, stuttering, "M... Mr. Quinn, I… I didn't mean…"
Adrian's lips barely moved, but his words cut sharper than steel. "You're fired."
Gasps broke out, but were silenced with a single look from him.
Snow bit her lower lip, her expression softened seeing the dejected man. Why was Mr. Quinn so rude? How could he fire a worker just because he voiced his opinion?
"Hubby." She said softly, drawing the attention of everyone. "Don't you think you are too harsh? If you behave like this, you will give off the impression of a tyrant. Or do you want people to think there is no freedom of speech in your company?" She gently lowered her head, pouting.
Adrian turned to face her, his jaws twitching. "First of all, I'm not your hubby. And gossiping is not allowed in my company… They are here to work." His figure towered over Snow.
Snow lifted her head to look at him. She blinked innocently at him. "Can he keep his job? I feel bad because he lost his job because of me. Hubby… Please."
Adrian shut his eyes, inhaling deeply. "Bring the certificate, let's see if you really are a Mrs. Quinn."
The ticking of the clock was the only noise in the room, Snow sat across Adrian, acting pitifully like a woman her husband is about to abandon.
She wiped her eyes with the tissue in front of her. 'At this rate, my eyes will become a fountain of water.' she thought to herself.
To the far end of the glass table, a handwriting forensic, took a magnifier, examining the marriage papers and Adrian's signature.
Derek stood by the door, while the reporters waited outside the room.
Snow clenched her fist in her lap, her heart skittering in her chest. She couldn't ignore the 'what if' in her head.
Seconds rolled slowly into minutes. Finally, the forensic examiner dropped the magnifying glass on the table.
"Mr. Quinn," the forensic began, and the world seemed to stand still. "It's your signature. It is authentic."
Adrian's brows knitted together in confusion. "You mean it is really my signature?"
"Yes, Mr. Quinn. Congratulations on your marriage." The forensic examiner bowed and left the room, leaving him in a whirlwind.
Snow sobbed, hitting her hand on her chest dramatically. "I can't believe you made me look like a liar, all I did was love you and accept your proposal."
Adrian pushed back the chair causing a loud screeching sound. He walked around the table, stopping in front of her.
She rose to her, blinking innocently at him. "You hurt me, hubby…"
Before Snow could finish her words, he grabbed her by the neck.
Snow flailed her hands dramatically, her nails dug into his skin, but he only tightened his grip.
"Who sent you here? Why are you doing this? Tell me now!" His eyes darkened dangerously.
"I would have known if I had gotten married to a woman. You bloody liar… I can make you disappear with a single flick of my finger. Do you think you can mess with me?" His voice lowered dangerously.
Snow hit his hand, she could feel her consciousness leaving her, left with no choice she nodded her head frantically.
Taking it as a sign to talk, Adrian let go of her. She slumped to the floor, gasping for air. Her eyes turned red and welled with tears.
Her lips quivered, her eyes became distant and cold, but as soon as she turned to face him, they looked innocent and pitiful.
"Spill out the truth," Adrian demanded, veins popping out of his throat.
She staggered her feet, her shoulders trembling. "I'm not lying." She lowered her head.