Chapter 8 The New CEO Assistant

• After the call ended, Eleanor cleaned up and went home to change into a suit before heading to Bellridge Group.
• That was her first time at Bellridge Group. Her heart leaped to her throat in anxiety when she saw the employees clad in suits striding around purposefully.
• It used to be her dream to work in a big company, but she was now utterly helpless.
• She belatedly realized she had never prepared anything to achieve her dream.
• At the HR department, she received a contract from the department head, Felicity Tanner, offering her a job as the CEO's assistant.
• “Ms. Tanner, can I sign the contract now?” Eleanor asked nervously and gulped.
• Felicity had read Eleanor's resume and found it horrible.
• However, she had no choice but to carry out the chairman's order.
• “Yes. We've analyzed your resume extensively, and the CEO wants you to be his assistant. Your annual salary is five hundred thousand. How does that sound? Ms. Cabot, the opening is in demand. You can learn a lot from the CEO. Besides, your salary is the highest among the CEO's assistants in Summerbank. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, so I hope you contemplate the offer carefully before making up your mind. I need to inform you in advance that due to your lack of experience, we need you to sign a five-year contract to guarantee the company's interests. If you agree to sign the contract, the company will instantly pay you one year of your salary to help you with your expenses.”
• Eleanor's breathing grew rapid. She didn't hesitate and immediately signed the contract on the spot.
• After all, she was in need of the five hundred thousand to solve her current problem.
• “Congratulations. Welcome to Bellridge Group. Let's work hard together!” Felicity got up and shook Eleanor's hand.
• “Thank you!” Eleanor gave a grateful nod. Finally, she had found herself a proper and respectable job.
• She couldn't wait to see the CEO that she would be assisting for the next five years.
• Clutching her contract, Eleanor left the HR department and went to the CEO's office under someone's lead.
• She was informed that the CEO was busy today, and she was told to wait for him outside his office.
• Before the next order was issued, she was to sit at the desk outside his office and read the books given to her—How to Win Friends & Influence People; The Art of Communication; Crucial Conversations; and Natural Qualities.
• Eleanor sat at the desk in front of the CEO's office and stared at the books blankly.
• The last time she read a book was when she was still a student.
• After what happened to her, she had always been restless and was unable to focus on reading a book quietly.
• “Ms. Cabot, please read the books thoroughly. That is the CEO's order,” the employee from the HR department reminded her.
• “Sure, no problem.” Eleanor nodded.
• For the first time in eight years, she settled down and began reading a book.
• Eleanor felt it was really nice she was able to do so.
• As the CEO's assistant, I even get to improve myself. This is great!
• Emmanuel and Freddie had already left the company.
• “Boss, you left Eleanor in the company so she could read?” Freddie asked as he drove the car.
• “Yep. It's time for her to enhance her knowledge.” Emmanuel shut his eyes to get some rest. “Head back to the clinic. I have two patients today.”
• “Got it.”
• The car soon rolled to a stop before the clinic.
• Emmanuel had just gotten off his car when he saw Rosalind and Evangeline at the entrance of the clinic.
• Stunned, he immediately went over to greet them.
• After ruffling Evangeline's hair, he asked, “Mrs. Cabot, what's the matter?”
• Rosalind turned to Evangeline and said, “Eva, go play over there. I need to talk to your daddy.”
• Evangeline's eyes widened in surprise. She then swung Rosalind's arm and asked, “Grandma, is he my daddy?”
• Rosalind nodded quietly.
• Growing emotional, Emmanuel squatted down before Evangeline and brushed a finger across her button nose. “Eva, I'm your daddy. Say 'Daddy.’”
• His action caught Evangeline off guard, for the little girl hid behind Rosalind and refused to call him “Daddy.”
• Emmanuel let out an exasperated sigh as a helpless expression flitted across his face.
• Perhaps Eva hasn't accepted me yet. She couldn't call me “Daddy” as she had never called anyone by that form of address. I understand that, but I still feel bad for her.
• He then glanced at Rosalind, who seemed troubled. “Mrs. Cabot, do you need my help?”
• Rosalind sighed in frustration and explained, “Emmanuel, I don't earn much from my stall. Eva's school fees are due soon, and we need money to pay my husband's medical bills. We don't have enough money. Can you lend me some money?”
• “Sure!” Emmanuel pulled out a black card from his wallet. “Take this card. You can get the money you need from Vista Bank. I don't have to be there for you to get the money. You just have to show your ID card. If you are in trouble, just let me know. I'm Eva's father, after all.”
• “Thank you so much!” Rosalind gave him a grateful bow.
• “You don't have to thank me, Mrs. Cabot,” came Emmanuel's sincere answer.
• “In the past, I was young and ignorant and ended up hurting Eleanor. I came back to make it up to her, Eva, you, and Mr. Cabot. Feel free to come to me for help when you're in trouble.”
• Hearing that, Rosalind couldn't hide her astonishment. She saw the sincerity in Emmanuel's eyes, so it was obvious he wasn't putting up an act.
• “I-I have to bring Eva home. If we're free, I can bring her out secretly to spend some time with you. However, we can't let Eleanor find out about it.” After getting the black card, Rosalind didn't want to stick around anymore. She took Evangeline's hand and left the clinic.
• “Bye, Mister! I'm going back home!” Evangeline waved and looked over her shoulder every few steps to look at Emmanuel.
• Both father and daughter gazed at each other for a long time. After Evangeline's figure disappeared from sight, Emmanuel went into the clinic.
• Meanwhile, Rosalind was excited to have received the black card. Back home, she slapped Vincent's shoulder elatedly and beamed.
• “You're right, Hubby. We cannot sell Eva out, but we can use her to get money. Look, he gave us money!”
• “Of course! Emmanuel's rich. After this card reaches its limits, we can get more money from him,” Vincent chirped as he held the black card in his hand.
• When the CEO of Bellridge Group, Douglas Swanson, arrived at work, he heard that the company had spent a fortune to hire another new CEO.
• That news made him extremely upset.
• His face was grim as he headed to his office. He ignored every employee that greeted him politely.
• Everyone knew that he felt an impending sense of crisis at the arrival of the new CEO.
• “The CEO is here! He's here!”
• Right then, Eleanor heard someone shouting.
• Oh, the CEO is here. I'm the CEO's assistant, right?
• She immediately placed her book down and smoothened her suit carefully. Then, she went to the elevator and waited for Douglas to arrive.
• When the elevator doors slid open, Eleanor gave a polite bow. “Greetings, Mr. Swanson. I am your new assistant, Eleanor Cabot.”
• My new assistant?
• Douglas frowned and gave Eleanor a once-over. She looked pretty and seemed professional.
• Thus, he assumed the chairman gave him a pretty assistant to make it up to him.
• Even so, he remained in a foul mood. Waving at her, he said, “Come with me.”
• Inside his office, Douglas stated calmly, “Show me your resume.”
• Eleanor bobbed her head and ran out of his office to get a copy of her resume. She then showed it to Douglas.
• Initially, she was quite confident as Felicity told her Douglas wanted her to be his assistant.
• Her resume was terrible, but she thought he wouldn't mind.
• Slap!
• The next minute, Douglas tossed her resume into her face and roared, “How dare you become my assistant when you're this bad? Scram right now! I don't want to see you ever again. How dare that old man make you my assistant? Is this an insult?”