Chapter 166
My People Don't Need to Be Timid and Cowed
"Molly, you just became Claire Bennett's assistant and you already think you've latched onto some big shot? Sure, Claire Bennett was sent in by upper management, but at Maison Verne, Manager Pierce is the one who calls the shots. You'd better not bet on the wrong horse!"
"Exactly! We only said a couple things about Claire Bennett, and you jumped right out to defend your master. Even a dog isn't as loyal as you. Who knows, maybe Claire Bennett will reward you with a bone someday."
Claire Bennett stood at the doorway, listening as two mocking, sarcastic voices rang out one after another.
Although she couldn't tell who was speaking, the person they seemed to be targeting was her assistant, Molly Lee.
She hadn't seen what was happening inside, but just hearing those words was enough to make her anger flare. Still, she wanted to hear a little more and find out what exactly had happened, so she forcibly held back all her emotions for the moment.
Molly Lee was the assistant the company had assigned to her. She was a cute girl with a round face, and the first day Claire Bennett met her, she thought she was bright and enthusiastic.
Now, from the two women's words, she could roughly guess what had happened.
Most likely they had been gossiping about her behind her back, and Molly Lee happened to overhear it. She probably couldn't stand it and jumped out to argue with them, only to end up being mocked by both of them together.
In the break room, Molly Lee looked at the two women in front of her. One was Naomi Pierce's assistant, Yoyo, and the other was an employee who was usually close to Yoyo, Rachel Chang from HR.
Molly Lee was trembling all over from anger at what the two of them had said.
She wasn't sucking up to Claire Bennett; she just thought they were wrong. But these two women didn't care about right or wrong and immediately started sneering at her. It was infuriating!
Molly Lee said sternly, "I'm not wrong. You've only heard rumors. You don't have any evidence at all, so what gives you the right to talk behind Director Bennett's back?"
"So what if we did?"
"If you've got the guts, go report us!"
Claire Bennett usually didn't go looking for trouble, but she wasn't some soft pushover either. Now that Molly Lee was one of her people, there was even less chance she would stand by and watch her get bullied.
She turned and stepped into the break room.
Yoyo and Rachel Chang still had arrogant, overbearing looks on their faces. They never expected Claire Bennett to suddenly appear in front of them, and both of them were badly startled.
"Director... Director Bennett." The two of them immediately lowered their heads.
Claire Bennett folded her arms across her chest and looked at the two women coldly. In a casual tone, she said, "I didn't hear what you were saying just now. Why don't you tell me to my face now?"
The two of them were all bark and no bite. They could act smug and domineering toward Molly Lee, but in front of Claire Bennett they didn't dare say much. After all, Claire Bennett seemed to have someone backing her, while they were only minor employees. How would they dare go up against her?
Claire Bennett looked at Molly Lee and praised her. "You handled this very well. My people don't need to be timid and cowed."
At that moment, Yoyo's eyes darkened, and she gritted her teeth. "We weren't lying. How you got into Maison Verne—do you think people won't know just because we don't say it?"
Claire Bennett's eyes narrowed slightly.
It looked like quite a few people at Maison Verne had issues with her parachuting in, and judging by the way these two looked, their resentment ran deep.
"What's going on?" a voice sounded from the doorway.
Ethan Sterling appeared in front of them. Seeing the tense atmosphere in the break room, he asked, "Did something happen just now?"
The moment they saw Ethan Sterling, Yoyo and Rachel Chang's faces instantly turned pale, and they didn't dare speak again.
They knew Ethan Sterling's status, so they were wary of him.
Ethan Sterling looked at Molly Lee and said, "You tell me."
Hearing Ethan Sterling's words, Molly Lee secretly glanced at Claire Bennett. In the end, she told him what had just happened.
It was exactly as Claire Bennett had guessed a moment ago.
She had overheard Yoyo and Rachel Chang talking trash about her behind her back, and because she was so angry, she had snapped back at them with a couple remarks. She hadn't expected the two of them to turn around and mock her instead.
After Ethan Sterling finished listening, his expression darkened heavily.
He looked at Yoyo and Rachel Chang and said coldly, "Our department does not allow people to gossip about coworkers behind their backs. This time you'll each receive a major demerit, and this month's bonus will be deducted. If it happens again, you'll be severely punished!"
A look of surprise appeared in Claire Bennett's eyes. She didn't know why Ethan Sterling was suddenly helping her. In her impression, he wasn't that kindhearted.
It would have been good enough if he hadn't kicked her while she was down.
She couldn't help giving Ethan Sterling another look. He noticed her gaze and gave her a faint smile that looked warm and gentle.
Claire Bennett couldn't help shivering.
Something about it made her skin crawl. What exactly was Ethan Sterling trying to do?
Over there, Yoyo and Rachel Chang, who had been punished, had faces as dark as paste. They wilted completely, with none of the arrogance they had just shown.
Ethan Sterling ordered, "Why aren't you back at work yet?"
Yoyo and Rachel Chang didn't dare linger and immediately turned to leave.
Molly Lee also withdrew with them. Naturally, Claire Bennett didn't want to stay alone in the break room with Ethan Sterling either. She was just about to follow Molly Lee out when Ethan Sterling grabbed her wrist. "Claire, can we talk?"
Claire Bennett radiated resistance from head to toe. "Manager Sterling, I don't think there's anything for us to talk about."
The way she addressed Ethan Sterling pushed distance between them.
Ethan Sterling didn't get discouraged. He still said firmly, "Didn't you say that day that you'd forgiven me? Does that mean we can't talk now as friends?"
Hearing that made Claire Bennett want to throw up a little.
Who wants to be friends with you!
Where on earth did Ethan Sterling get the confidence to think that after everything he'd done, she could still be friends with him without holding any of it against him?
Claire Bennett sneered. "We're not friends, and I don't want to talk to you either."