Chapter 170: Her Husband’s Difficult Situation

Chapter 170: Chapter 170: Her Husband’s Difficult Situation

He dragged out the meal for a full half-hour before it was finally over.

Claire Kendall scrambled out of his arms to get back to business.

She carried a large bag of food containers and went out, delivering afternoon tea to every office and workstation, not missing a single one.

A wave of delighted exclamations rose throughout the company.

"Mrs. Warren, you really shouldn’t have."

"Strawberries are so expensive this time of year."

"Thank you, Mrs. Warren!"

...

Her husband was so reserved; she had to help Miles Warren build a good relationship with his subordinates.

Claire Kendall was about to return to Miles Warren’s office when she passed by the workstations and overheard snippets of hushed conversations, each one crystal clear.

"You came in late this morning, so you didn’t see it. That Mr. Monroe was so arrogant, he didn’t give Mr. Warren the time of day."

"I think Mr. Warren is great. In the half-month since he took over, I feel like my performance has clearly improved."

"That’s because we’re selling more medicine, and we’re not being forced by those shareholders to take kickbacks!"

"Sigh, I don’t know how long Mr. Warren, our righteous official, can last. They’re trying to sabotage him every day."

"Just now, Mr. Warren’s budget for drug research and development was rejected outright. They cut it by two-thirds! Mr. Warren may be aloof, but he doesn’t understand these things. He’s going to be bullied to death!"

...

The more of this gossip Claire Kendall heard, the angrier she became.

Her chest tightened with a sour ache. She was both furious and heartbroken for him.

’So this is the toxic environment he’s working in. Can he really handle all of this on his own?’

’He’s just a simple doctor. He doesn’t understand all the deception and backstabbing of the business world. I have more experience with this than he does.’

Claire Kendall turned, took two steps back, rounded a corner, and headed toward Caden Monroe’s office at the other end of the corporate corridor.

Outside the office, a female secretary with exquisite makeup was looking down, organizing files.

"Hello, are you here to see Mr. Monroe?"

Claire Kendall shook her head. "Nothing important. I just brought some fruit and thought I’d share it with you all."

She handed over the fruit container, but her gaze lingered on the secretary for a long moment.

The secretary took it gingerly and placed it on the desk. "Thank you."

"Don’t mention it," Claire Kendall said with a slight smile. "That outfit you’re wearing is quite unique. You have great taste."

The secretary paused, her expression a little unnatural. "Thanks," she said dismissively. "It’s just some cheap thing I bought online."

Without betraying any emotion, Claire Kendall turned to leave, but she stopped after just two steps.

Her gaze went past the secretary and landed on the half-human-height money tree by Caden Monroe’s office door.

Its glossy leaves were lush and layered, its trunk thick. A single glance told her it was professionally maintained.

’So well-cared for.’

Claire Kendall’s lips curved into a smile.

She walked over to the water cooler, nonchalantly filled a cup with hot water, and waited until no one was looking.

SIZZLE—

She tilted the cup, pouring it all in. Black smoke billowed from the ceramic soil, thick enough to make one choke.

’A money tree, you say? It’s blocking my husband’s path to making money. This tree has to go.’

With a spring in her step, Claire Kendall returned to Miles Warren’s office.

He was on the phone, but when he saw her return, he quickly gave a few instructions and hung up.

He stood up from his leather chair and pulled her into his arms.

"All done?"

"All done," Claire Kendall said, sitting on his lap and tilting her face up, her eyes sparkling. "And I did a good deed while I was at it."

"What was that?"

"Smell me. What do I smell like?"

The ceramic soil mixed with hot water had released a strong, earthy scent that clung to her.

Miles Warren lowered his head, sniffing his way down from her ear and along the side of her neck.

The warm puff of his breath tickled her skin. He finally stopped at her chest and went still.

"You do have a scent," he said, his voice low and husky, his lips brushing lightly against her collarbone.

"A milky scent."

Claire Kendall blushed from his teasing and pushed him away. "I’m being serious!"

"Mm, but I am being serious. You have a faint smell of milk on you."

Miles Warren enunciated each word. "Claire, what are you thinking about?"

Claire Kendall: ...

"What’s wrong with your nose? It’s an earthy smell!" A triumphant look danced in her eyes. "I just took the liberty of watering Caden Monroe’s money tree to death."

"That’ll teach him to use his power to bully you every day. He definitely won’t be getting rich now."

A gentle, doting look filled Miles Warren’s eyes as he twirled a soft strand of her hair. "Amazing."

’Real corporate warfare is just this simple and unpretentious!’

"Then I’ll have to reward my Claire properly."

The next second, his lips captured hers.

His tongue tangled with hers, his palm pressing against the small of her back, holding her so she couldn’t move.

Claire Kendall was kissed until she was dizzy, her fingers clutching the buttons on his shirt.

Her lips were rosy, and a thin, shimmering layer of moisture welled in her eyes.

Miles Warren’s thumb brushed across her lower lip, his voice heavy and hoarse.

"Do you have anything this afternoon? Don’t go back."

The kiss left Claire Kendall’s lips tingling. She hung limply on his arm, taking a moment to recover.

"I have to go back."

’If I stay here, he’ll bully me to death.’

Claire Kendall’s expression suddenly turned serious. "Right, Caden Monroe’s secretary. Have you seen her?"

"I have."

"The outfit she was wearing, it’s a cashmere and silk blend. The subtle pattern on the cuffs is hand-embroidered, and it’s not a local technique. It should be from the Italy headquarters. But she claimed it was something cheap she bought online."

Claire Kendall analyzed seriously.

"I might not know about other things, but how could I not recognize clothes?"

She could tell almost everything from a single glance; she was absolutely certain she wasn’t mistaken.

Miles Warren raised an eyebrow. "So Caden Monroe bought it for her?"

Claire Kendall shook her head. "I don’t think so. That outfit has to cost at least a million. Would Caden Monroe really be willing to spend that much on his secretary?"

’How much did that old geezer embezzle to be so rich?’

A million-plus. Caden Monroe probably wasn’t that generous.

Miles Warren’s long fingers slowly traced circles on the delicate skin of her lower back.

"Mm, I’ll have someone look into it."

In Caden Monroe’s office.

The female secretary pushed the door open and, moving with practiced ease, walked around the desk and sat on the armrest of the leather chair.

"Caden, that wife of young Mr. Warren came by earlier."

The secretary’s voice was soft and coquettish, her tone dismissive as she twirled a strand of hair around her finger.

"She went around the whole building handing out fruit, a box for everyone. Strawberries and cherries. So generous of her."

A look of disgust filled her eyes. "Those idiots downstairs were so moved, calling her ’Mrs. Warren’ this and ’Mrs. Warren’ that, more affectionately than they’d call their own mothers. Do they really think Miles Warren can hold onto this position for long?"

Caden Monroe wrapped his arm around her shoulders, kneading them as he let out a cold sneer, completely unconcerned.

"Petty favors, just a way to buy people’s loyalty. They’re all just fair-weather followers who bend with the wind. They might eat her strawberries today, but tomorrow, they’ll still have to do as I say."

The secretary’s fingertips slid from his shoulder to his collar, straightening his tie. "You’re always so composed, Caden."

Then she suddenly remembered something.

"But that money tree by the door looks like it’s wilted."

"What??!!" Caden Monroe shot up from his seat so fast he nearly knocked the secretary to the floor.

"That damn thing is a wealth-protecting tree I got from Quillmore! It was flown in by air!"

"It’s dead??"