Chapter 1398:
While she was laughing and chatting with the group, Linsey’s gaze drifted toward a distant office.
A thought struck her, and she turned to a colleague. “Does Mr. Wade drink coffee?”
Yana Gates, a woman in her thirties with a mid-level leadership role, looked her over before replying.
“Are you thinking of bringing Mr. Wade a cup of coffee?” Yana asked.
When Linsey nodded, Yana arched a brow, her expression carrying a spark of amusement.
“Mr. Wade usually doesn’t accept drinks from us, but…” Yana let the words hang for a beat before smiling warmly. “I heard he personally recruited you with a generous package. That puts you in a different position from the rest of us—you probably have privileges.”
Linsey chuckled. “You’re exaggerating.”
“I’m not.” Lowering her voice, Yana added, “I’ve been here for years. You’re the first female executive Mr. Wade has ever recruited himself. That alone shows how much he values you.”
Hearing that, Linsey couldn’t hide the flicker of joy in her chest—especially because Dustin was the man she had admired for years.
Encouraged, she picked up an Americano from the bag. “Then I’ll bring him this one.”
“Not the Americano—take this instead.” Yana handed her an iced latte topped with whipped cream and caramelized nuts beneath the clear lid, far more indulgent.
She passed it to Linsey and explained, “You’re new, so you wouldn’t know—Mr. Wade prefers iced latte over plain coffee.”
Trusting Yana’s experience, Linsey accepted it with a smile. “Thanks, Yana.”
“No need to thank me. Better hurry before the cream melts.”
Linsey nodded with an obedient smile. “Alright.”
But the moment she turned away, Yana’s smile slipped. A flicker of mockery flashed in her eyes.
“Yana, wasn’t that a bit much?” her sidekick whispered. “Everyone knows Mr. Wade’s allergic to cream. And you still sent her in? What if he gets mad?”
Yana looked anything but guilty. She tilted her chin with smug pride. “That’s exactly why I did it. I want Mr. Wade to think badly of her.”
Before Linsey came, Yana had always ruled the department. Her word was final. But since Linsey’s arrival, everything had changed. Yana was pushed aside, and even the projects she had worked so hard on were stripped from her.
How could she possibly swallow that?
Holding the coffee Linsey had bought, Yana leaned close to her sidekick and muttered, “Look at her—so young, so pretty. Do you really think she earned this job by herself? Not a chance. She must’ve pulled strings to get in.”
Meanwhile, Linsey was clueless that, on her very first day, she was already being stabbed in the back.
