The Substitute Bride

"Mr. Zhou, I want to tell you something, but... I don't know if it is appropriate to say it or not." Paula aroused Ryan's interest, and before Ryan got a chance to speak, she continued saying,"I know that Ye is competent and she has helped you a lot in all these years, but she has also brought many troubles to you and the company. For instance, she knows that you want to gain more profit from the Shining Company's case, but she still took the liberty to change the wine party into a press conference. Naturally now you will make a lot less money than you were hoping for.

Paula saw that Ryan wasn't too happy with her words but she still went on to add,"You're the boss of this company. She gets her salary from you but she keeps helping the client's company save more money. Although she works here, she is only seen helping other companies. You'd better rethink on your decision to employ her."

While listening to Paula's words, Ryan recollected Autumn's performance in the company over the years.

In all these few years, Autumn had completed several big cases on her own. She was highly praised by all the client companies. Ryan, who was her boss, seemed to be a nobody in front of her.

Paula continued saying,"Mr. Zhou, I've heard that... she secretly takes bribe from the clients. She seems to work for you, but in fact, she takes a lot of advantage of her position to feather her nest."

"It's impossible!" Ryan suddenly raised his head. He didn't believe that Autumn was such a person. "I've seen how Ye grows into an excellent worker in this company over these years. She is absolutely not that kind of a person," he said.

"Mr. Zhou, are you sure about that?" Paula was certain that Ryan didn't trust Autumn any longer. So, as long as Ryan remained suspicious of Autumn's behaviour, she might have a chance to get promoted and replace her. "Do you think that she is still the same person you hired years back? I've heard that her grandmother is seriously ill, so she just made forgivable mistakes of accepting others' money, right?"

"What do you want to say?" Ryan couldn't help but frown. Although he was unwilling to believe that Autumn could change so much, he couldn't find any reason to retort Paula.

What's more, he just got to know that Autumn's grandmother was seriously ill, so she definitely was in need of more money.

"Mr. Zhou, please know that if you continue putting Ye in such an important position and allow her do everything without your authorisation, she may not even treat you as her boss anymore." Paula smiled and said,"I've heard that... our company is going to select a planning director. I want to remind you that you shouldn't appoint Ye to this position. Otherwise, you will have to regret about it in the future."

Paula believed that she could be promoted as the planning director if Autumn lost her chance to compete for the position.

Ryan frowned and said,"You can leave now. When Ye comes back, ask her to come and see me in my office."

"Okay." Paula thought that she shouldn't be so impatient now. She could surely get the chance once Ryan was suspicious of Autumn.

Paula came out of Ryan's office in a good mood. She happened to see Autumn who just got back from the Shining Company. She walked up to her and said,"Look. Our hero is back. I've heard that you finally got Shining Company's case. Congratulations."

"Thank you." Autumn realised that Paula was only trying to mock her but she pretended to not see through her intentions.

"You're welcome." Paula sneered and said,"Oh, right. Mr. Zhou wants to see you in his office."

Autumn slightly frowned. On seeing Paula look so happy, Autumn knew that something was amiss.

Before going back to her own office, Autumn went on to see Ryan. Ryan was sitting at the tea table, making tea. He greeted Autumn when he saw her. "Ye, you're back. Come over here and have a seat. Have a sip of the tea that I just made."

Autumn had no interest in drinking tea. So she flatly asked Ryan who was in front of her,"Mr. Zhou, you want to see me?

Is there anything you want me to do?"

"Not much. Just one trivial thing." Ryan slightly smiled and said,"You just got the Shining Company's case, and I know you have worked really hard for it, so to celebrate the success, I want to invite you all for dinner tonight. What do you think?"

"Great." Autumn slightly nodded. "But I won't be able to come. You can go ahead with other ladies of our company and have fun. I have something important to do tonight..."

Ryan was pouring the tea. When he heard Autumn, he paused for a while and then continued. He smiled and said,"You should also come out with us. You've made the biggest contribution to the Shining Company's case. What's more... I also have an important thing to announce tonight."

"But..." Autumn was in a dilemma.

"Don't turn me down this time. It's settled then. Also when you go out, can you tell others about the dinner too?" Ryan was blunt in his tone. He didn't give Autumn any chance to say No.

Autumn frowned and walked out of his office. She didn't notice that Ryan kept staring at her while she was walking out of the room.

After she came out, Autumn told Leila that Ryan had invited all of them for dinner tonight. Autumn knew that Leila was efficient enough to inform everyone at office about the dinner in less than half an hour's time.

"Ye, we've all benefitted from you this time." Although Leila seemed to please Autumn but she only said those words out of jealously.

Autumn doubtfully looked at Leila and then noticed the smile on her face. She was confused whether she could trust Leila for her word or not.

The ladies outside were excited about the dinner. Autumn then walked towards her office to call Charles. On her way, she saw Paula look at her with a forced smile the moment she turned her head.

She was confused.

When she called Charles, someone else answered the phone. It was David on the phone. David respectfully greeted her as 'Mrs. Lu'.

In the beginning, Autumn was a bit surprised to hear David greet her in this manner. But David had been working for Charles for a long time. So, naturally he must have been aware of her identity. The thought of David's proximity to Charles eased her confusion.

"David, is Mr. Lu there?" asked Autumn.

"Mr. Lu..." David took a quick look at Charles who was in a meeting in the conference room. He then spoke,"He is in a meeting right now and I'm afraid that the meeting will take some more time. If you have anything important to say, you can leave a message. I will tell him as soon as he finishes the meeting."

"Nothing important. . .." Autumn then stood up, stretched and looked at the busy street outside the window. "I just want to tell him that Mr. Zhou is taking us out for dinner tonight. I didn't get a chance to refuse, so I won't be able to get back home early and prepare dinner for him."

"Okay. I will tell him once he comes out from the meeting." David thought in his head, 'no wonder Mr. Lu quickly leaves the office these days after he goes off work, someone waits for him at home.

He even makes Mrs. Lu personally cook for him. He is such a bossy man.'

"Mrs. Lu..." After Autumn finished talking to David, she was about to hang up. But she heard David speak again,"Could you please tell me where you are going for dinner? If Mr. Lu asks me about it later, I can tell him."

Autumn told him the address and then hung up the phone.

Since they had just bagged the Shining Company's case and they were all going to have dinner together in the evening, the atmosphere in the office was more relaxed than usual. Paula bought her colleagues the afternoon tea. She even asked Leila to bring one for Autumn.

"Ye, Paula bought this for you." Leila smilingly put the food on Autumn's desk. Autumn smiled and thanked Leila, but she didn't intend to eat it.

She was unwilling to eat Paula's food.

Autumn looked up at Leila and asked,"Anything else?"

Leila got close to Autumn and mysteriously said,"Ye, do you know why Paula is so nice to buy us the afternoon tea today?"