No Escape from Love

"Alright, everyone. Back to work," Alex's assistant stepped forward, dispersing the crowd. Turning to Jolene, he added, "Ms. Harrington, your tasks will now fall under my supervision. Please wrap up your handover and head to HR to finalize your resignation."

Jolene looked utterly defeated. Her face was pale, but her eyes burned with jealousy and resentment as they settled on me.

"The Hastings family are really something. You rich people must find it so amusing to toy with us common folk," she spat bitterly, wiping at her tears while hastily packing her belongings.

"You knew I liked Mr. Hastings. You knew I couldn't stand any woman around him. And yet, as his sister, you said nothing. You were probably feeling so smug, watching me act like a fool. Isn't that right?"

Her constant whining was starting to grate on my nerves. Standing abruptly, I raised my voice. "Let me set the record straight. You've been dumping your work on me since day one. You would've done the same to anyone else too.

"Instead of doing your job, you spend your time preening like you're in a beauty pageant. Alex hired a head office assistant, not a fashion model.

"And as for me toying with you? You walked into this mess yourself. Alex is the head of this company! Of course, there will be women around him. What gives you the right to be mean to them? If you hadn't been so arrogant and overambitious, you wouldn't be in this mess."

I kept my tone calm but firm without giving Jolene a chance to speak. Jolene glanced at our colleagues, but they merely nodded in agreement with me.

"I'll remember this," Jolene muttered, shoving a framed photo into a box. She shot me a hateful glare before storming out of the office.

"Jolene's too arrogant for her own good. She always thinks people would give in to her," one colleague muttered.

"Yeah! This time, she really bit off more than she could chew."

"She's always going on and on about Mr. Hastings," someone else scoffed. "You'd think she was married to him from the way she talked."

"I'm just glad she's out. Working here was unbearable with her around."

The office buzzed with whispers and complaints about Jolene, but I noticed their sideways glances directed at me.

"Uh... Serena," one brave colleague finally spoke up, offering me an awkward smile. "You're really Mr. Hastings' sister?"

on

moment, reflecting

bold declaration. He had no choice but to go along with it. Reluctantly, I nodded.noveldrama

left

"Wow!" The room erupted in exaggerated amazement, their reactions almost

theatrical. "Serena, you've been keeping such a low profile!"

"We were all so scared of Jolene that we didn't dare be friendly with you. Please don't take it personally."

I sighed, realizing what they were really after. "Don't worry about it. Let's just focus on our jobs from now on Alex and I aren't

blood-related siblings. It's just a formal arrangement. You don't need to treat me differently."

"Don't worry, Serena. We get it. We won't say anything to anyone," one assured

me.

Although they promised me, by lunchtime, I learned just how fast news traveled in an office.

"Ms. Ashford, have some fresh fruit," one colleague offered.

"Ms. Ashford, here's a yogurt for you," another said.

"Ms. Ashford, I just bought this makeup last week. It's quite good. You should try

it!"

I felt overwhelmed as I looked at the

gifts piled up on my desk and listened to the buzz around. Somez were eager to curry favor now that they knew my supposed status while others likely cursed me in hushed tones behind my back.

I could already imagine what they were saying about me.