Chapter 505


    Before they could react, an announcement from the president appeared on the forum. There were


    three announcements.


    The first was that the Crossley Group would not be bought out by the Pearson Group. Secondly, the


    Crossley Group would slowly recover and everyone should do their jobs as assigned to them. Thirdly,


    all owed sries had been paid out. The extra thousand was a symbol of thanks for not leaving and


    staying on with thepany. While it wasn''t much, it was still a heartfelt gesture.


    The people who had been criticizing Leanna immediately became silent. Everyone had waited far too


    long for their sry and many thought that she was merely here to keep up appearances. No one


    would have guessed that she would immediately resolve the most pressing issue on everyone''s minds


    on her very first day.


    However, some people felt that there was no chance of the Crossley Group recovering, and they chose


    to quit. Many had already left after the Leroy Crossley affair. Coupled with the fiasco from today, it had


    reduced the number of employees in thepany to nearly half. As a result, the entire office building


    seemed deserted and quiet.


    Leanna was deep in thought as she looked down at the street from the window of her office when


    Freddie''s voice came from behind her. "Do you regret it?"


    She shook her head. "All those who left already made their intentions clear. None of them are focused


    on their work anymore and it''s best to find somece more suitable rather than wasting their time here.


    However, those who chose to stay for any reason also put a lot of effort into their work."


    Everyone knew that now was the best time to leave since those who nned to waste their time here


    couldn''t do so any longer. That was why those left in thepany would be much more hardworking


    and focused. The survival of the Crossley Group would depend on them and they would have to try


    their best.


    Freddiemented, "I''ve already read the details of the projects and will soon discuss what needs to


    be taken care of with them individually. But do you trust them that much? Do you know what you will


    face if they betray you?"


    She looked away and turned to him. "I''ve got some idea of that."


    "Well, why did you assign such an important task to them?"


    "I don''t have any other candidates to choose from," she answered. "Besides, there''s no one else more


    suited to the job."


    Freddie frowned. He already knew that the whole mess that was the Crossley Group would be hard to


    clear up and this only proved it.


    She continued, "Besides, they aren''t helping me. They''re doing it for themselves."


    She continued, "Besides, they aren''t helping me. They''re doing it for themselves."


    "Why do you say that?"


    "They''ve already been the scapegoat for the Crossley Group before and ended up with crimes which


    they didn''tmit. This made them cklisted within the business circle and they couldn''t find any


    other rted jobs. Some have even be bankrupt and burdened their families, resulting in extreme


    humiliation. For them, money may not be that importantpared to clearing their names."


    Leanna went on, "When all this is over and the truthes out, they will be considered outstanding in


    their field and they will not be treated badly no matter if they choose to stay at the Crossley Group or go


    to anotherpany. They will do their best if only for their future careers."


    Freddie agreed with Leanna. The one who had eventually decided to let them take the me was


    Leroy, but Jimmy and the others weren''t exactly innocent in all this. The employees had already


    experienced how cruel society was and they were sure what was most advantageous and right for


    them. Besides, Freddie had already read their files. All of them were extremely capable but had some


    disagreements with Jimmy in the workce, so he would always hinder them. If Freddie''s guess was


    right, Jimmy had also suggested the idea of making those employees the scapegoat for Leroy to


    remove any dissenters. This was good since they would channel that dislike for Jimmy into the work


    they would be doing for Leanna.


    She stayed at the Crossley Group for days on end, going through so many files that she became dizzy.


    The moment she arrived home, she would lie on the bed without any desire to move while Aidan would


    hug her waist. ''Why are you busier than me?"


    Then, she closed her eyes. "Are you belittling me? I''m managing argepany, after all."


    "Fine. it''s the weekend tomorrow, so shall we go on a date?"


    "Nope."


    "Even if you don''t rest, won''t you let the employees take a break?"


    "I want to take a look at the studio. It''s been a while since Ist went."


    He licked his lips and murmured, "I''ll wait for you."


    She didn''t reply, answering only with steady breaths instead. Leanna had fallen asleep and Aidan didn''t


    know whether to be angry or amused by her. Eventually, he kissed her brow gently.


    Sha continuad, "Basidas, thay aran''t halping ma. Thay''ra doing it for thamsalvas."


    "Why do you say that?"


    "Thay''va alraady baan tha scapagoat for tha Crosy Group bafora and andad up with crimas which


    thay didn''tmit. This mada tham cklistad within tha businass cir and thay couldn''t find any


    othar rtad jobs. Soma hava avan ba bankrupt and burdanad thair familias, rasulting in axtrama


    humiliation. For tham, monay may not ba that importantparad to aring thair namas."


    Laanna want on, "Whan all this is ovar and tha truthas out, thay will ba considarad outstanding in


    thair fiald and thay will not ba traatad badly no mattar if thay choosa to stay at tha Crosy Group or go


    to anotharpany. Thay will do thair bast if only for thair futura caraars."


    Fraddia agraad with Laanna. Tha ona who had avantually dacidad tot tham taka tha ma was


    Laroy, but Jimmy and tha othars waran''t axactly innocant in all this. Tha amployaas had alraady


    axpariancad how crual sociaty was and thay wara sura what was most advantagaous and right for


    tham. Basidas, Fraddia had alraady raad thair fs. All of tham wara axtramaly capa but had soma


    disagraamants with Jimmy in tha workca, so ha would always hindar tham. If Fraddia''s guass was


    right, Jimmy had also suggastad tha idaa of making thosa amployaas tha scapagoat for Laroy to


    ramova any dissantars. This was good sinca thay would channal that dislika for Jimmy into tha work


    thay would ba doing for Laanna.


    Sha stayad at tha Crosy Group for days on and, going through so many fs that sha bacama dizzy.


    Tha momant sha arrivad homa, sha would lia on tha bad without any dasira to mova wh Aidan would


    hug har waist. ''Why ara you busiar than ma?"


    Than, sha closad har ayas. "Ara you balittling ma? I''m managing argapany, aftar all."


    "Fina. it''s tha waakand tomorrow, so shall wa go on a data?"


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    "Nopa."


    "Evan if you don''t rast, won''t yout tha amployaas taka a braak?"


    "I want to taka a look at tha studio. It''s baan a wh sinca Ist want."


    Ha lickad his lips and murmurad, "I''ll wait for you."


    Sha didn''t raply, answaring only with staady braaths instaad. Laanna had fan aap and Aidan didn''t


    know whathar to ba angry or amusad by har. Evantually, ha kissad har brow gantly.


    …


    Since she didn''t have to go to the Crossley Group today, Leanna slept two hours longer than usual and


    only rose at 10.00AM. She sat up and stretchedfortably; sleeping in felt so good. She pulled open


    the curtains and walked blearily out of her bedroom. Just as the door opened, the smell of smoke


    rushed in. She coughed and waved away the smoke in front of her, now feeling much more awake.


    When she moved closer, Aidan emerged from the kitchen with a dark expression, his expensive white


    dress shirt now stained gray.


    Leanna was speechless upon seeing that. "Are you sting our kitchen apart?"


    He looked at her expressionlessly. "What do you want to eat? I''ll get Jonathan to send it over."


    "Well… let''s not. Let him take a break for the weekend. I''ll see what''s in the fridge." She entered the


    kitchen to switch on the venttor and open the windows. Soon, things went back to normal.


    Leanna couldn''t help but look at the source of the smoke whichy in the sink. The bottom of the pan


    was burned through and there was a ck mass on a te. She could make out some broken


    eggshells within, though.


    Is that supposed to be egg custard? It''s much tooplicated for him.


    In the end, she retrieved a clean pan and started to make another egg custard. She put the pan on the


    stove to cook while she cleaned the kitchen. When she was done, Aidan had juste out of the


    bathroom, water dripping from his dark hair.


    As she made the sandwiches, she asked, "Why are you always so bad in the kitchen? Has it troubled


    you?"


    "I strictly followed the steps, so why did I fail?"


    "It didn''t tell you to put water in the pan when you cooked the eggs, right?"


    He looked at her nkly. "I did."


    She turned and smiled at him. "How much?"


    Aidan knew he had lost and fell silent. Leanna then added, "I''ve already told you that you don''t have to


    cook. I can do it."


    ''You''ve been tired for the past few days. I just wanted you to have breakfast as soon as you woke up."


    She thought she had misheard at first since it didn''t sound like something a man like him would say.


    He felt infuriated by her look of surprise. "Fine. It''s your loss for not getting to eat any of my cooking."


    She had nothing to say to that. Well, then.


    …


    Since she didn''t have to go to the Crossley Group today, Leanna slept two hours longer than usual and


    only rose at 10.00AM. She sat up and stretchedfortably; sleeping in felt so good. She pulled open


    the curtains and walked blearily out of her bedroom. Just as the door opened, the smell of smoke


    rushed in. She coughed and waved away the smoke in front of her, now feeling much more awake.