Once Bitten, Twice Shy

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

“Utterly useless!”

Carl glared at Harmony. “I placed so much hope on you, Ms. Johnson, only for you to come back and tell me that you can’t handle this?”

Harmony was stunned.

Why was Carl blaming it on her when he should be scolding Samantha?

“Mr. Lewin, Samantha and Professor Cornell joined hands to play tricks on me, us. On us. How can you—” Harmony defended herself aggrievedly.

Carl did not have the patience to continue listening to her and interrupted her in a deep voice, “I don’t want to hear you talk about what happened. I want results! You boasted that Professor Cornell appointed you to do the interview, but now he rejected you and sent you back here! Are you seriously crying foul here when it’s clearly your responsibility?”

Harmony bit her lower lip firmly. She could no longer control her emotions and instantly turned pale.

Carl could clearly see the animosity between Harmony and Samantha. It was one thing for him to dislike Samantha, but he was not an idiot who failed to think for himself when someone else was trying to incite discord.

He found it laughable that Harmony wanted to use him as a pawn!

To him, none of those women viewed him with any respect!

He originally thought Harmony was someone that could be nurtured, but it became apparent that he was wrong.

“Get out and reflect on yourself, and call Samantha in!” Carl did not bother to continue talking to her.

Harmony had a completely humiliated expression. She was well aware that a touch of impatience could ruin a great plan. It did not matter though, because that was nothing compared to how she held herself up through all those years.

She closed her eyes and took two deep breaths. By the time she opened her eyes again, her expression had reverted back to calmness and she could even flash a smile as she responded softly, “Understood, Mr. Lewin.”

Back at their workstation, Harmony said coldly to Samantha, “Mr. Lewin wants you to go to his office, Samantha.”

Samantha was playing Minesweeper on the computer. She did not respond to Harmony’s statement nor glance at Harmony at all, and Harmony did not know whether Samantha did not hear clearly or was deliberately ignoring her on purpose.

The anger that Harmony so painstakingly suppressed began to surface again. After gulping a few times, she said again, “Samantha, Mr. Lewin wants you to go to his office!”

Samantha remained indifferent.

Harmony was finally sure that Samantha did it on purpose!

She clenched her fists suddenly and was unable to control herself from raising her voice, “Samantha Larsson!”

Samantha was not the only one who heard her name being called out. Everyone in the entire office heard Harmony and looked over.

Samantha’s dark eyes looked at Harmony and her lips curled up into a smile. “Yeah, I heard you.”

“You…” Harmony’s face soured in anger.

Samantha savored Harmony’s expression and slowly approached the latter with a smile. “You look really pretty right now, Harmony. I love it.”

“Samantha!” Harmony’s teeth nearly cracked from being gritted.

Samantha cocked an eyebrow at her and got up to walk towards the office.

Harmony looked at her from behind and was grasping her pen so hard that it nearly snapped in half.

…

Samantha knocked on the door and walked in after hearing Carl say ‘come in’.

Carl sat behind his desk with an aloof expression and spoke in a magnanimous tone once Samantha went up to his desk. “Don’t say I didn’t give you a chance, Samantha. I’ll let you do the interview with Professor Cornell.”

Samantha smiled slightly.

She had seen no shortage of oddballs and strange events during her two years abroad, but the world was so big that there would always be surprises in store.

Harmony and Carl had shed a whole new light on her understanding of shamelessness.

Carl clearly had no other choice but to let her interview Selby, but the way he put it was as though he was the one giving her that opportunity.

Seeing her silence, Carl continued to add, “You’re just lucky to have a big-hearted boss like myself, Samantha. I’m still willing to give you an opportunity, so you should know to put on your best behavior and learn to be grateful!”

He truly was a manipulator extraordinaire with a knack for gaslighting.

Samantha smiled instead of getting angry and her bright black eyes were stained in a cheery little look. The corners of her lips curled up slightly as her smile spread across her fair face.

He had to admit that Samantha’s appearance was really very sweet. Her smile alone could tug one’s heartstrings unknowingly.

Even though Carl was jealous of Samantha and did not take kindly to her, he still ended up a little dazed when she smiled at him like that.

Deep down, however, he was actually feeling a little proud that he could shock the foolish little girl with just a couple of sentences.

His smugness lasted for only a few seconds when he heard Samantha’s crisp and beautiful voice. “I won’t do the interview!”

Carl stared in disbelief and thought that he misheard her. “You… What did you say?”

Samantha maintained her sweet smile and repeated patiently. “Mr. Lewin, I told you I won’t do the interview.”

She used the gentlest of tones to convey a very powerful message.

Carl felt as though he had been struck by lightning and never once imagined that Samantha would refuse it.

Did she actually refuse the opportunity that everyone else so desperately wanted?

“You…” Carl’s eyes sank. “You don’t know what’s good for you even if it hit you in the face, Samantha!”

Samantha was amused by his remark and ended up laughing out loud. “You just announced my removal from the assignment in front of all our colleagues, Mr. Lewin. You’re only letting me do the interview because the person you chose has been sent back here. How would a leader like you expect to convince his people if you can change your mind on a whim?”

“You…” Carl was instantly lost for words.

“I’ll be heading out to continue my work if there’s nothing else.” Samantha left him with that remark, then turned around and prepared to walk out.

“Hold it!”

Carl stood up immediately but maintained his pride and reproached her loudly, “I’m your superior, Samantha. You should obey your superior’s orders as a subordinate. If I tell you to go, then it’s your duty to go!”

Samantha stopped walking and turned to look at Carl’s frustrated expression. Her voice was exceptionally calm as she said, “You’ve taken me off the assignment, and I duly obeyed you as your subordinate by sitting it out. You think you can just order me to do the interview because you’re in a tight spot and you need someone to remedy the disastrous situation? I’m not going to obey orders like that.”

“Samantha!” Carl’s fists were clenched tightly and his entire body was shaking in anger. “This is very unbecoming of you!”

Samantha seemed to have not heard it and turned around resolutely to walk out.

As she laid hands on the doorknob, Carl eagerly said again, “What do I have to do to get you to agree to the interview, Samantha? You don’t expect me to beg, do you?”

Samantha finally seemed interested and turned around to look at him. Her lips parted open and she said clearly, “Sure. Why don’t you try and beg me?”

“You!”

Carl made that remark in an offhand manner, so he was understandably shocked and saw red when Samantha actually dared to say something like that to him..