shuhaige
Chapter 29
All eyes in the room turned to the woman speaking.
She was dressed in a crisp white blouse paired with a khaki midi skirt and white heels to match. It was classic office wear, but the lace trim on her collar and sleeves gave her a softer, more approachable look. While her face was not striking, she had a delicate charm when all her features came together. Her smile was gentle and non-threatening, like an innocent bunny that would make people instinctively want to protect her.
Chloe's gaze also landed on Linda, her beautiful eyes filled with coldness.
"I'm new here, just starting out, so I’d appreciate any guidance from you," Linda said, bowing to everyone. Despite her impressive resume, she introduced herself humbly.
The people present began to warm up to Linda. After greeting everyone, she approached Chloe.
"Chloe, we're going to be colleagues now. There's a lot I don't know, and I'm counting on your support."
Surprise flickered through the eyes of those around them.
Vivian spoke up, "You two know each other?"
Linda smiled, "Chloe and I were high school classmates and used to be best friends."
Chloe smiled, too, but her eyes remained cold. "We were classmates, yes, but I wouldn't call us 'best friends.'"
Linda looked somewhat embarrassed and lowered her head. "Right, I don't deserve to be your friend. My humble beginnings were just wishful thinking on my part."
The atmosphere instantly quieted. Linda bit her lip. The glimmer of tears in her eyes and her pitiful look could evoke sympathy even from strangers.
Sure enough, Vivian stepped forward. "Chloe, what's with the attitude? Linda is a top graduate from Columbia. Saying she's your friend is actually an honor for you. You really don't know what's good for you."
Then, she took Linda's arm. "Don't mind her. She's notoriously unpopular here, but we're your friends now."
Tony looked somewhat awkward. "Linda, why don't you start by following Vivian? She will give you an introductory tour and help you get familiar with things around here. Oh, and there's a news department meeting at 9."
As Linda was surrounded and led away by a group, Chloe felt a momentary stir in her heart but quickly regained her composure. Linda was exceptionally good at putting on a facade. Otherwise, she wouldn't have deceived Chloe during their high school years.
She always displayed her most vulnerable side, arousing everyone's protective instincts. People were always ready to fend for her when needed, even taking blows on her behalf. By intentionally mentioning her humble origins, Linda made everyone think Chloe looked down on her, prompting Vivian to immediately defend her.
Of course, Chloe could defend herself. But she didn't want to explain herself in front of a crowd that just wanted to see her fail. Moreover, Chloe knew no matter what she said, it wouldn't change others' prejudices against her.
Indeed, Chloe's popularity at the TV station was at an all-time low. She had once tried to mend her relationships with her colleagues but eventually realized it was futile. Conflicts of interest meant that any effort she made was construed as manipulative.
So, for the past year, Chloe simply stayed true to herself, regardless of others' opinions. Her career had progressed smoothly this year, but the complex social dynamics had left her feeling unhappy. Becoming a news anchor was fulfilling her childhood dream, not a survival necessity.
On the flip side, she had a wide array of interests and a ton of skills, each one enough to set her up for life. That was not even counting the annual dividends from QUEEN, which had already made her financially free.© 2024 Nôv/el/Dram/a.Org.