Hearts System: 1000 Ways to Tell CEO I Love You-Chapter 23: Not Shirley

"Maybe I should just take the stairs..." Luellen whispered, seeing how the two elevators couldn’t even ferry everyone in one batch.

Then again, she didn’t want to walk the stairs alone. It looked eerie despite the cream colors and bright lights. The way each step would echo around her terrified Luellen. She shuddered just from thinking about it.

It took the elevators three trips to deliver everyone to the fifteenth floor. Luellen waited for another three trips just to get to the elevator that would take her to the first floor. In her mind, she figured she should decline the next time she was asked to leave this early.

The elevator doors opened. Since the car only had three ladies, there was so much room for others. However, Luellen was faced with Summer again.

"Isn’t that Luellen?" One guy chuckled as he entered with the rest of their group. "Hey, how was work treating you in the CEO’s office, huh? Shirley’s getting a lot of attention from Mr Wentworth. It’s like she’s the only intern around. Are you sad?"

"Not at all..." Luellen stepped away from his space. However, she would collide with Summer if she moved any more.

Summer huffed and protected her friend with her arm. "Leave her alone. Don’t you know how stressful it is to be in the CEO’s office? Don’t listen to him, Lue. They’re just jealous of you because you work in Mr Wentworth’s office."

The guy snorted. "Why should I? I don’t want to be fucking invisible. The whole conglomerate thinks there’s only one intern."

He forced a kind smile at one of the older ladies who rode with Luellen. "I’m right, right, Miss? What’s the word in your office?"

Summer glanced at the two other ladies in the elevator. Those two weren’t from their office. She huffed at the guy. "You just want to speak to older ladies. Why do you have to drag my friend into it? Just talk to them."

"I’m not...!"

"Eh, but she’s the intern we see..." The older lady, who stood further from them, whispered, but her voice echoed in the elevator. She just owned up to her sound and spoke louder, "Shirley Hower is all in the gossip, but she’s the one we see. I mean, I don’t even know what Shirley Hower looks like. If you say that to someone from our floor, we might even think that’s her name."

The lady beside her flinched before looking at Luellen. "Wait! You’re not Shirley Hower? That’s insane!"

Another lady from Summer’s office gasped. "Of course not! Shirley’s way more beautiful than that...! Here, here, I have a photo with her! Let me just... get my phone. Oh, my God, move your awfully offensive designer bag!"

Summer managed to pull Luellen away from the two ladies from another office. After all, Shirley’s friends fought for their goddess’s glory. She just got the two of them in front so they could leave as soon as the doors opened.

"I’m sorry about this..." Summer sighed and massaged Luellen’s shoulders. "It’s like that receptionist heard what you said. You didn’t tell them your name, either."

"It’s all right. Mr Leander heard about it, too." Luellen sighed and walked out with her friend, ignoring everyone else behind them.

"Did he suspend you?" Summer pulled Luellen away with swift steps. "I’m so sorry! That was my fault. I was the one who started it first. I didn’t mean for you to get in trouble."

Luellen shook her head. "Not really. He only warned me not to say things I don’t want to discuss with him. Also, he told me he would help me if I decided to take my inheritance back. I just... I still owe him a lot. Maybe I’ll ask after I finish reimbursing what he spent on my surgery."

Summer’s beautiful face puffed in sulking. However, she only hugged her friend as they walked to the nearest pick-up point for some employees.

Since it was Summer’s usual clock-out time, her brother’s car waited for her at the side. It didn’t stand out among newer models, but it was still from a luxury brand. Those who commute couldn’t help but look at it.

"Hey, this is the first time you can go home on time." August frowned in a mix of relief and frustration. He opened the backseat for them. "Do you want to have dinner with us? It’s my treat. If you choose to go straight home, I’ll drop you off instead. The buses are surely crowded now. Look at all those people."

"Thanks, August." Luellen slightly bowed before getting in the backseat with Summer. The man only followed her with his gaze. He soon drove off before more cars appeared and blocked the road.

... 𝒻𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝘯𝘰𝑣ℯ𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝘮

Day 6 finally came. Luellen arrived at the nearest spot her taxi could take her. Since the Wentworth Villa had a huge lot, Luellen had to walk for what felt like two blocks.

Her B- attire was a sleeveless blouse and cargo shorts. Her arms and legs would most likely be wet. She only needed a wide-brimmed hat to complete a summer look. Then again, she was not there to picnic. Her huge backpack was for her change of clothes and a few towels to keep herself presentable.

Leander answered the door for her. He stared at the maiden’s lithe frame, which was hugged by her ’cleaning clothes’. Luellen’s cheeks blushed at the fact that Leander stared at her far longer than necessary. His hair was also damp, and a towel rested around his neck.

"...I just finished showering. I spent too much time running." Leander didn’t have to explain it, though. He just opened the door wider and stepped back. "Beck is still in his room."

"I... didn’t know what time to come." Luellen figured she missed asking that important detail. She took off her backpack and held it against her instead. "Should I stay out longer? Mr Beckett might not work this early."

"It’s fine. You can just stay in a guest room." Leander walked with her to a vacant guest room in the same wing as Beckett’s room. "You can leave your bag inside."

The door opened, and Luellen sighed. Once the door closed, the system would treat it as her dedicated space again. Then again, she didn’t hear the door close. She turned to find Leander still holding the door open. However, his gaze was in the distance. Luellen dropped her backpack on the floor beside the bed.

She peeked out of the door and saw Beckett walking with Sydney in his arms. His eyes were closed, and his feet dragged along the carpet.

Leander frowned. "Beck, good morning."

"Oh, shit..." Beckett flinched and tore his eyes open. He then saw Leander and Luellen. His smile bloomed. "Oh, hey! Luellen’s here already! What do you want for breakfast? I’ll make something for you, too!"

"It’s okay, Mr Beckett. I already ate." Luellen smiled, but it froze when Beckett’s face grew long in disappointment. "Mr Beckett, I...!"

Beckett looked at his frowning brother. "Andy, your little Mrs Wentworth doesn’t want my cooking anymore..."