Chapter 213: Chapter 213: Vigilance

Julian extended his slender fingers, picking up the delicate porcelain bowl that was barely the size of his palm. He turned it slowly, admiring the masterful hand-painted strokes, before his gaze drifted toward the corner of the room. A small vase sat there, a subtle touch meant to soften the otherwise rigid and sterile corporate atmosphere. The administrative staff would occasionally swap out the arrangements depending on the season, or sometimes leave it entirely empty as a minimalist statement. Today, however, it held a few stems of pastel pink tulips. The delicate petals were still tightly furled, shy buds yet to fully bloom, looking exceedingly elegant and demure.

It was, undeniably, a pleasing sight, easily capturing the attention of anyone who stepped into the office.

Suddenly, a faint, meaningful smirk tugged at the corner of Julian’s lips. He quickly pulled out his phone and tapped out a message to Helen Lloyd: [Helen, did Ethan’s office change its floral arrangement style today?]

[You noticed it already, Jules? The boss specifically instructed us to prepare some hydrangeas today because he knows you like them. But unfortunately, the workshop informed us that the custom hydrangea-patterned tableware had a slight defect during the firing process and needs to be urgently remade. Please make do with the forget-me-not set for today. Next time, I promise to make it up to you with a beautifully crafted set of hydrangea bowls and a much larger vase of fresh hydrangeas!]

Recently, due to the overlapping projects and heavy workload, Julian and Helen had found themselves interacting far more frequently. The Chief Secretary’s tone when addressing him had gradually grown closer and more affectionate, much like an older sister doting on a younger brother in the family. Seeing that he didn’t have his preferred tableware today, she even took the time to patiently explain and coax him, as if pacifying a child.

Julian wasn’t one to make things unreasonably difficult for others. He obediently replied with a brief, polite “thank you” and left it at that.

Setting his phone flat on the desk, he began unboxing the meal. He carefully scooped a small portion of the noodles into the porcelain bowl, but he absolutely did not pick up the chopsticks to eat. Instead, he strategically arranged the items on the desk to look slightly cluttered, creating the highly convincing illusion that he had already taken a few bites. Then, he leisurely leaned back into the plush depths of the executive chair, his fingertips drumming a steady, rhythmic beat against the wooden surface.

It wasn’t long before a polite knock echoed from the other side of the heavy doors. Before Julian could even ask who it was, the voice of the newly encountered assistant, Nadine Locke, filtered through from the hallway: “Assistant Sterling, are you inside?”

“Yes.” Julian’s voice drifted out, laced with a heavy, deliberate hint of lethargy: “Come in.”

The moment Nadine pushed the door open, Julian seamlessly transitioned into a performance of subtle revulsion. He tossed the porcelain chopsticks onto the desk with a sharp clatter, his eyebrows knitting together to clearly project a sense of deep annoyance. As the woman stepped fully into the room, his frown deepened, acting as though he had caught a whiff of something highly unpleasant. Yet, in the blink of an eye, the expression melted away, replaced by a tight, forced smile meant to play the part of a polite colleague.

“Did you come back looking for Ethan? He hasn’t finished his meeting yet.”

“Oh, no, not at all.” She replied softly: “I came to swap out the vase in the room to properly match the CEO’s preferences.”

Only then did Julian seem to notice the porcelain vase in her hands. Its design was nearly identical to the one holding the tulips in the corner, with the sole exception being the vibrant, fully bloomed blue-purple hydrangeas currently resting inside. Nadine strolled leisurely toward the corner, carefully placing the new vase on the display table. As she meticulously adjusted each individual petal, she remarked in a gentle voice: “The CEO truly treats you so well. With the unpredictable weather these past few days, finding such beautifully even-colored hydrangeas is no easy task.”

“Is that so?” Julian replied blandly. His face now painted a picture of pure exhaustion, completely stripped of the energetic and friendly facade he had maintained when they first met by the elevators.

Observing the stark shift in his attitude, Nadine was perceptive enough to know when to retreat. She wisely kept her mouth shut. Once she finished perfecting the arrangement, she picked up the old vase of tulips, offered a highly respectful farewell, and turned to leave.

As she exited, she thoughtfully pulled the heavy mahogany door shut with the utmost care, ensuring it closed with barely a whisper so as not to disturb the resting man inside.

Julian waited with unwavering patience. Only when the sound of her footsteps had completely faded down the hallway and the door was securely latched did he resume the slow, rhythmic tapping of his fingers against the armrest. He silently counted to ten in his head. Then, with decisive speed, he snatched his phone from the desk. Swiping it open, the screen immediately glowed with the unfinished chat interface with Helen Lloyd. Without hesitation, Julian hit send on a message he had drafted beforehand: [Helen, please drop whatever you are doing and come back to Ethan’s office right now. It’s an absolute emergency. Use the private elevator.]

Message sent, Julian gripped the phone tightly in his hand. He closed his eyes and let out a long, heavy exhale, utterly drained.

He found himself bitterly reflecting on his day, wondering if he had somehow stepped out of the wrong side of the bed this morning. First, he had to deal with a brainless idiot looking for trouble at the university. And now, when he had finally made it to the company just wanting a moment of peace, someone else was actively trying to disrupt his quiet time. Unbelievable…

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