Chapter 98: Chapter 98: Cecilia Croft Waited for Him for Nearly Ten Minutes

Hawthorne Group.

Cecilia Croft had just parked her car in the garage, turned off the engine, and gotten out. Before she could even reach the elevators, a man’s voice stopped her.

"Miss Croft."

Cecilia Croft stopped and saw Keith Warren getting out of another car, a smile on his face.

"Good morning. Have you had breakfast? I was passing by a breakfast shop today and happened to buy an extra one."

Cecilia’s expression was serene, but her eyes held a hint of detachment.

"Thank you, Manager Warren, but I’ve already eaten."

She deliberately kept some distance from Keith Warren, her expression tinged with caution. Ignoring his friendly gesture, she walked toward the elevators.

Keith Warren’s hand, holding out the breakfast, was left hanging in mid-air as Cecilia had already walked away.

His expression shifted slightly. He clenched the breakfast bag in his hand and stiffly drew his arm back.

Cecilia pressed the up button for the elevator. Keith Warren followed her, adopting a more humble demeanor.

"Miss Croft, no matter what, we’re still colleagues at the same company. I want to apologize to you for Weiwei’s actions. I’m truly sorry for adding to your workload."

As he spoke, Keith Warren extended his hand, clearly intending to make peace with a handshake.

Cecilia didn’t even look at Keith Warren, much less consider shaking his hand.

"Manager Warren, there’s no need for you to apologize. I made myself perfectly clear yesterday."

’Why can’t these people take a hint?’

’She had absolutely no intention of getting involved in any of their problems.’

’They were playing games at work, and right under Sebastian Hawthorne’s nose at that. They should have been prepared to be found out at any moment.’

Seeing her cold attitude, Keith Warren dropped his friendly facade. It was replaced by the authoritative air of a man who had long held a management position in the corporate world.

"Miss Croft, you’ve only just joined the Hawthorne Group, but you’re very talented, which is why Mr. Hawthorne is willing to put you in charge of the Silvercrest subsidiary’s work. Although your focus may be on Silvercrest for now, you’ll be returning to headquarters after the project is finished."

"We’ll be seeing a lot of each other in the future, so I’d rather not have this little thing create a rift between us. Like Mr. Hawthorne, I value talent."

Upon hearing this, Cecilia glanced sideways at Keith Warren.

He was smiling, but it held none of its earlier friendliness. Instead, a veiled threat lurked deep in his eyes.

If things followed the normal procedure, after Cecilia’s project in Silvercrest was over and she returned to headquarters, she would almost certainly be assigned to work under Keith Warren.

So this was Keith Warren’s way of warning her not to be too arrogant in his presence. Otherwise, he would have plenty of time and opportunities to make her life difficult.

Cecilia hadn’t wanted to get involved in any of their problems.

Since that assistant had resorted to crooked schemes at work, and right under Sebastian Hawthorne’s nose, she should have been mentally prepared to be found out.

"Manager Warren, I don’t quite understand your intention or purpose in apologizing to me. The decision to fire your assistant came from Mr. Hawthorne himself. It’s not something your apology to me can resolve, a fact I’m sure you understand perfectly well."

As Cecilia spoke, the elevator doors opened.

She withdrew her gaze from Manager Warren but didn’t step into the elevator. Instead, she continued speaking.

"You said it yourself—I’m new to the Hawthorne Group and don’t know much about the way things work here. So, naturally, I don’t want to get involved in any complicated interpersonal relationships or affairs. Forgive my ignorance, but could you please just tell me directly what it is you want me to do?"

Keith Warren frowned, looking at Cecilia who stood beside him, maintaining a two-person distance. Her gaze was calm, showing not the slightest bit of fear in response to his words.

No one who had been in the corporate world for a few years would dare to question him like this.

’She wasn’t truly ignorant; she simply wasn’t afraid of his threats.’

Keith Warren took a deep breath, his chest rising and falling slightly.

Having been the project department manager at Hawthorne Group Headquarters for so many years, he was used to nothing but flattery and sycophancy from the outside world. It was extremely rare for someone to dare confront him so directly.

"If Miss Croft were truly ignorant, she wouldn’t be so aggressive."

"Aggressive?" Cecilia repeated the word lightly, as if she found it amusing.

"The aggressive one is clearly you, Manager Warren. I haven’t given this matter a second thought, yet you’re the one trying to force me to forgive your assistant. Pray tell, why should I?"

As her voice faded, the elevator doors closed.

Cecilia raised her hand and pressed the up button again, then stepped into the elevator.

Keith Warren did not follow her in.

He stared at Cecilia, his gaze heavy, and said in a cold voice,

"Aren’t you afraid of offending me? That when you return to headquarters, your life will be difficult?"

Cecilia looked at Keith Warren, who hadn’t entered the elevator, glanced at the security camera on the elevator’s ceiling, and smiled.

"Since I’ve already offended you, what’s the point in being afraid?"

’Keith Warren wanted to protect his assistant and hoped she would turn a blind eye, yet he was also worried about the matter being brought before Sebastian Hawthorne.’

’No matter what she chose, he would never tolerate her presence.’

’It was better to bring the enemy out into the open now.’

The elevator doors closed, but not before Cecilia had accurately captured the hostility in Keith Warren’s eyes.

’Come to think of it, she had nothing to fear. After all, once the Silvercrest project was over, she was going back to the Croft Group. The next time she met Keith Warren in a professional capacity, they would probably already be competitors.’

’Who would be afraid of their own competitor?’

’She had just returned to Karthus and already made an enemy. Looks like she would just have to work harder to crush him underfoot!’

Cecilia silently cheered herself on, determined to learn as much as she could by observing Sebastian Hawthorne during her time working by his side.

By the time she stepped out of the elevator, her demeanor had completely shifted. She wore a professional smile as she skillfully walked to the door of Sebastian Hawthorne’s office and rang the bell.

There was no response.

Sebastian Hawthorne probably hadn’t arrived at the office yet.

Her workstation was inside Sebastian Hawthorne’s office, so all she could do was wait.

Mornings in the CEO’s office were the busiest time. As people stepped out of the elevators, they were already preoccupied with work.

Cecilia didn’t want to disturb them, so she could only stand quietly outside Sebastian Hawthorne’s office and wait.

She waited for about ten minutes, until her legs were starting to feel weak.

Moreover, she was wearing a new pair of shoes today with heels that were a bit high, so her feet were particularly uncomfortable.

He stepped out of the private CEO elevator, and Secretary Summers immediately went up to him to report on the day’s schedule.

"Your afternoon flight to Silvercrest..."

Before Secretary Summers could finish, the man walking ahead of her stopped, his brow slightly furrowed.

She followed Sebastian Hawthorne’s gaze and saw Cecilia standing at the door to his office. She had clearly been standing for too long, as she was shifting her weight back and forth to relieve the discomfort in her ankles.