Chapter 263: Chapter 263: Is She the Boss’s Woman?
The scene seemed vividly etched in her mind.
Just as she began distributing water, Warren Prescott asked her to sit next to him and requested the middle-aged man who was passing water to serve her instead.
She could guess Warren Prescott’s reason for doing so at that time.
Warren Prescott was protective and had a strong sense of territoriality.
To Warren Prescott, in the company of helping people, she was the "property" on his turf, so he didn’t want to see his "property" humbly serving others, pouring tea and water.
This would make him feel as if his property was being encroached upon.
But this was not something she could control, nor was it something she wished to happen.
She had already carried over four heavy boxes of water, so what did a few bottles of water matter?
But she couldn’t be bothered to explain to Shawn Coleman.
She owed him nothing, and she had already done her duty.
Or rather, that wasn’t even her duty, it was "outside duty."
Ashley Shaw said expressionlessly, "I’ve done what I promised you. I did help you move the water to the meeting room. And I didn’t have anyone send messages to curse you."
"Even if not, it’s all your fault."
"What do you mean, I help you out of goodwill, and you still want to hold me accountable?"
Shawn Coleman chuckled softly, "I see you don’t even have a badge; you must be just a temp who hasn’t been made permanent yet, right?"
Ashley Shaw said nothing.
This matter was difficult to explain.
And there was no need to explain to Shawn Coleman.
Shawn Coleman continued, "Honestly, my brother-in-law works here, and he’s a big boss. If you want to be permanent, you should please me and apologize. Maybe if I’m in a good mood, I’ll put in a good word for you with my brother-in-law. For him, helping an employee become permanent is just a word."
"Sean Langley."
"What?"
"I said you are exactly like someone I met today."
"In what way exactly?"
"No ability of your own, but arrogant by association with capable people. Enjoy throwing your weight around, making others’ lives difficult within your tiny little realm of authority..."
Shawn Coleman originally thought that after his "advice," Ashley Shaw would try to please him.
But unexpectedly, Ashley Shaw launched into a string of words scolding him as soon as she opened her mouth.
Although there wasn’t a single swear word, the more he listened, the more infuriated he became.
Until Ashley Shaw finished with, "The kind of person I despise most is exactly like you," Shawn Coleman finally erupted.
He glared with wide-open eyes.
"You little wretch! How dare you speak to me like that? Ungrateful! You don’t want to work here, do you? Which department are you from?!"
Ashley Shaw found it amusing.
Rosalind Lynch, Sean Langley, and Shawn Coleman, people who had no abilities of their own and needed to rely on others, all liked to use the word "wretch" to curse people.
As if calling others wicked would somehow make them look more noble.
As always, she didn’t initiate trouble but wasn’t afraid of it either.
"You..."
"She’s from my department, and just who do you think you are?"
A low, deep voice came, cold and fierce like a biting wind.
Ashley Shaw and Shawn Coleman both froze and instinctively turned to look in the direction from which the voice came.
At the corner of the corridor stood Warren Prescott, who had appeared there without their knowing.
Behind him was a crowd of people who didn’t dare to make a sound.
Only one of them, with eyes that seemed to spit fire, looked as if he wanted to bore a hole through Shawn Coleman.
Ashley Shaw had seen this person before, in Warren Prescott’s office, the one who reported work to Warren Prescott.
Warren Prescott called him... Mr. Cheney.
Yet Ashley Shaw’s attention soon shifted from Mr. Cheney to Warren Prescott.
She was surprised; when did Warren Prescott arrive?
Had their meeting ended?
Warren Prescott walked a few steps to Ashley Shaw, as if an air-conditioned mobile unit had turned on.
Even before he fully approached, Ashley Shaw could already feel the chill emanating from Warren Prescott.
Shawn Coleman’s mind was momentarily blank.
He had never seen Warren Prescott before, and Warren Prescott looked so young, he had no way of associating him with being the big boss of Onlookers.
So Shawn Coleman soon looked past Warren Prescott, then saw his brother-in-law in the crowd behind.
"Brother-in-law!"
His eyes lit up with joy, and he quickly bypassed Warren Prescott to approach Mr. Cheney.
Then he pointed at Ashley Shaw, "This woman ruined me! I asked her to move a few boxes of water, and she couldn’t even handle such a small task, causing me trouble. Fire her now; a woman like her is just dead weight for the company."
Shawn Coleman dared to complain to Mr. Cheney in front of so many people because, one, Mr. Cheney was the company’s second-in-command, and he guessed that in this group, his brother-in-law was the biggest "boss."
And two, he wanted these higher-ups to see that Shawn Coleman had connections.
Especially he wanted it heard by the department supervisor who had been reprimanding him on the phone.
Sure enough, he glimpsed from the corner of his eye that all the faces around him changed.
Heh, afraid now?
He figured no one would dare criticize him in the future.
However, in the next moment, Shawn Coleman saw his brother-in-law’s face change too.
He had never seen his brother-in-law’s expression so grim, so terrifying.
It was as if he wanted to skin and dismember him.
Shawn Coleman’s body trembled involuntarily, and he tentatively spoke, "Brother-in-law?"
Mr. Cheney truly wished he were not Shawn Coleman’s brother-in-law, even regretting marrying Shawn Coleman’s sister a bit.
If it hadn’t been for his wife constantly nagging him and Onlookers currently needing people, he would never have arranged for this insensate brother-in-law to work at the company.
He took a deep breath and uttered two words: "Apologize."
Confusion flashed in Shawn Coleman’s eyes.
"Apologize? To whom?"
That low, deep voice rang out again.
"Mr. Cheney, is this your brother-in-law?"
Before Mr. Cheney could speak, Warren Prescott snorted softly, "You’ve certainly made a grand show of supporting him, haven’t you?"
Mr. Cheney’s skin prickled with goosebumps all over.
He quickly pulled over the still slightly dazed Shawn Coleman, forced his head down, making Shawn Coleman bow.
"Miss Shaw, Mr. Prescott Jr., I’m sorry, this guy is an idiot. I apologize on his behalf. Today’s incident, ultimately, is my fault, and I’m willing to forfeit my year-end bonus to express my apology."
Ashley Shaw didn’t want to blow things out of proportion, nor did she want to stand out; she just wanted to quietly wait for Warren Prescott to finish his business.
Plus, Mr. Cheney was sincere, so Ashley Shaw immediately responded, "It’s nothing, just let it be, forget it."
After all, they were adults; even if Shawn Coleman was a bit foolish, he finally began to piece things together.
Brother-in-law called this young man "Mr. Prescott Jr."?
This young man was actually the boss of Onlookers?!
His brother-in-law, such a formidable person, was actually working under this young man?
But even more shocking to Shawn Coleman was that the woman he thought he could casually order around turned out to be the big boss’s woman?!