Chapter 19
She had already resigned.
Even without this incident, once they found her replacement, she would leave the company immediately.
But she knew that no one here cared about her affairs. There was no point in saying anything.
Adele silently turned to leave with the tray.
Before leaving, she heard Julia gently comforting Franklin, “Come on, Franky, I’m sure she didn’t mean to, don’t stay angry…”
Adele poured out the coffee and held her scalded fingers under running water, then expertly retrieved ointment from her bag to apply to the burn.
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Despite her current culinary skills and coffee making expertise, before marrying Franklin, she had never done housework, couldn’t cook, and had never even tasted coffee.
But after marriage, for Franklin and their child, she had learned it all.
The countless hours spent learning, progressing from terrible to perfect–only she knew the bitterness of that journey.
As for the ointment in her bag–what mother who personally
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for her child didn’t habitually carry some first aid supplies?
Though since Isabella had gone to Country A with Franklin, she rarely needed these medicines anymore.
Fortunately, they hadn’t expired.
After treating her wound, Adele pushed down the needle–like pain in her chest and returned to her desk to work.
Just as she finished organizing her documents, she overheard- “I heard the CEO’s girlfriend is visiting the company!”
“Girlfriend? The CEO has a girlfriend? Who is she? What’s her background? Is she pretty?!”
“Not sure about her background, but the front desk says she’s from a wealthy family, super beautiful, with amazing presence!”
The chatting colleagues noticed Adele getting up and, remembering they had a meeting with her, quickly fell silent with awkward smiles, “Work first, gossip later.”
Adele knew their “CEO’s girlfriend” meant Julia. But her expression remained unchanged as she left the office and entered the elevator with her colleagues.
Leaving the elevator, heading toward the meeting room, they encountered Julia approaching with four senior executives.
The executives crowded around Julia, their manner careful, fawning, and eager to please.
Julia was saying with a smile, “Thank you all for taking the time to show me around the company.”
Dressed in luxury brands, every movement revealed her wealthy upbringing.
Though her words were polite, she carried herself as if already the company’s first lady, her courtesy tinged with distance, clearly treating the executives as her subordinates.
The executives smiled obsequiously, “Given your relationship with the CEO, this is just our duty, Miss.”
“Indeed, indeed.”
Seeing Adele’s group exit the elevator, despite them already moving aside to clear the way, the executives immediately frowned.
“How careless! What if you had bumped into Miss Julia? Absolutely no manners!”
The two colleagues beside Adele stole glances at Julia while quickly backing up against the wall.
Julia also noticed Adele.
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But Julia quickly shifted her gaze away with indifference, clearly not considering Adele worth her attention, and proceeded to the elevator. surrounded by the executives.
After the elevator doors closed, Adele’s colleagues exhaled in relief, then excitedly began gossiping.
“That must be the CEO’s girlfriend, right? God, she’s so beautiful, and wearing all designer brands–must he expensive! No wonder she’s from a wealthy family, so confident and commanding. The difference between her and us common people is really obvious!
“Exactly, exactly!”
They turned to Adele and asked softly, “What do you think, Adele?”
Adele lowered her eyes and replied quietly, “Yes.”
Julia was actually her father’s illegitimate daughter.
Though “illegitimate” might not be the right word. After all, when she was eight, her father had insisted on divorcing her mother to marry Julia’s mother, not wanting Julia and her mother to face discrimination.
After the divorce, she lived with her mentally unstable mother, grandmother, and uncle
Over the years, her uncle’s business declined while Julia’s family’s prospered.
Reportedly, to make up for Julia’s difficult childhood, her father gave her the best of everything, spending countless money on her upbringing.
And Julia hadn’t disappointed, apparently becoming quite accomplished.
So the once–illegitimate daughter had become a proper wealthy heiress.
After more than a decade as a young lady of privilege, Julia now carried herself with more aristocratic grace than Adele, the original heiress, ever had.
She had thought her life would never intersect with Julia’s after childhood. But fate seemed to especially favor Julia.
Though she and Franklin had grown up together, no matter how hard she tried, he never saw her–yet he had fallen completely in love with Julia at first sight-
“Adele, are you alright?” Seeing her pale face, her colleagues looked worried.
Adele snapped back, “I’m fine.”
She and Franklin would divorce soon; whoever he loved wouldn’t matter to her anymore.
