Erik's deep, phoenix eyes instantly darkened with an unreadable intensity.
Was the little minx doing this on purpose?
"Miss Rovella, don't you have a meeting soon? Don't tease me, or else… even in this car…"
He wasn't a man with many scruples.
Janelle shot him a look that clearly said, Figure it out yourself.
Could he please stop overthinking?
Janelle bit into the dumpling, ignoring him completely.
After five xiaolongbao, Janelle refused any more. She truly had little appetite in the morning.
"Done?" Erik frowned.
How could her stomach improve like this?
"Enough." Breakfast wasn't her habit anyway.
Erik pulled out a cup of soy milk, inserted a straw, and held it to her lips.
"Drink some." His voice was gentle, coaxing like he was talking to a stubborn child.
Her red lips closing around the straw created a visually striking impact.
Erik's Adam's apple bobbed involuntarily. In his mind, it wasn't the straw she was biting, but…
Erik rolled down the window, suddenly feeling the car stifling.
He kept holding the soy milk, and Janelle kept sipping.
"Hot? Want the AC on?"
It was morning; objectively, it wasn't that hot.
"No need. Just getting some fresh air." Erik avoided looking at her tempting lips.
If he looked again, he feared he'd kiss her senseless, consequences be damned.
Janelle took two sips and stopped.
Erik took the soy milk and drank from it himself.
Seeing him consume what she'd left, especially after she'd bitten the straw, felt distinctly strange to her.
Janelle drove to Blue Whale and tossed the car keys to Erik after getting out.
"Drive it back."
He couldn't expect her to let him take a cab, could he?
"Then I'll pick you up tonight. What do you want to eat? I'll cook for you."
Seeing how little she ate, Erik wanted her to have more.
"You? Cook?"
The formidable Mr. Lorenz who commanded the border… cooked?
"Who are you looking down on? I'll pick you up tonight and cook for you."
Seeing the time, Janelle didn't argue. She gave him a brief wave and headed inside.
At Blue Whale Co., Ltd., she encountered Westin leading his project team towards a meeting.
Seeing her, Westin approached.
"Janelle, do your best. After all, you're my daughter. Don't embarrass the Rovellas name."
Knowing full well Janelle's project was near-impossible, Westin deliberately goaded her.
"Is that so? Then let's see who completes their project first." Janelle finished and walked straight to her office.
"Mr. Rovella, don't worry! Our team has Blue Whale's top talent in every field. We absolutely won't lose," the Project Manager declared immediately.
"Exactly. Her team is all dead weight. How could they possibly complete that project?"
Both projects were challenging.
But their team had elite members.
Westin nodded. "Work hard. A raise for everyone once the project is done."
Westin naturally had full confidence in the team he'd assembled.
Meanwhile, Janelle grabbed her folder to head to the meeting, only to find Linda and her team blocked at the conference room door.
"We need this room. Find somewhere else," the Manager blocked the entrance.
"Manager, what do you mean? We booked this room yesterday!" Linda argued firmly.
"Linda, your project is a pipe dream. My project is a major Blue Whale initiative with a team of twenty-plus. Find another room. Oh, wait… all the other meeting rooms are booked today! Maybe the staff cafeteria will do?"
"You—!" Linda was furious.
"Me what? Our team generates billions in value for the company." Even if Mr. Rovella showed up, he'd side with him today.
"Enough. Get to the cafeteria. Our meeting starts soon; don't waste our time."
"Don't push it! Our project is important too!" Kevin, seeing Linda bullied, stepped forward.
"Yeah! Stop bullying us! We're Blue Whale employees too! Why can't we use this room?"
"Because you're trash! Do I need to spell it out? Collecting salaries without creating value? That's the definition of trash!"
The Manager's words were deliberately harsh. Backed by Westin and Amber, he feared nothing.
"You motherf—" Kevin lost his temper, grabbing the Manager's collar.
"Hit me. Go on. I dare you. One hit, and you're fired on the spot."
"Kevin, don't!" Linda was furious too, but hitting the Manager would surely get Kevin fired.
"Yeah! Take your small fry and get lost!" The Manager smirked triumphantly.
"Manager, are you bullying my people?" Janelle's voice cut through as she walked over.
Seeing Janelle, the Manager wasn't intimidated, offering a fake smile. "Miss Rovella, born with a silver spoon, no need to work for money. Don't make things hard for us who actually earn our keep."
"Miss, forget it. We'll find another spot," Linda said, knowing Janelle's difficult position and not wanting to cause her trouble.
Linda's concession only made the Manager more smug.
But Janelle would never back down. This Manager relied solely on Westin's backing, and she didn't give a damn about Westin.
"Get out." Janelle delivered the word coolly.
"Miss Rovella, Mr. Rovella won't be pleased if he finds out you—"
He still blocked the door. Janelle grabbed his collar and threw him aside.
"Miss! You—" The Manager started to protest, but a single look from Janelle silenced him.
"If I see you bully my people again, you won't be working at Blue Whale either."
"Linda, bring everyone in. We've lost five minutes already." Janelle entered the conference room first.
Seeing this, Kevin, who'd been fuming, felt a wave of relief. So this was what it felt like to be protected.
Linda ushered the team inside. Since joining Blue Whale, she'd known the road would be tough and expected hardship. But she hadn't expected their Miss Rovella to be this uncompromising.
"Next time something like this happens, don't hold back. Do what you have to do."
"I'll take responsibility for whatever happens."
Being too meek just invited more bullying.