Nathaniel Fu didn't send them home but brought both Celia and his mother directly back to the company before heading into another meeting.
Soon after, a doctor arrived.
"Mrs. Fu, Miss Su, I'll do a quick checkup to make sure neither of you is injured," he said professionally.
Nathaniel had arranged it before leaving. Thankfully, neither of them was hurt—just a little shaken. The doctor left after a brief examination.
Just then, Mrs. Fu received a phone call. She glanced at her phone and then turned to Celia. "Cici, dear, I have to head back to the old estate."
"Alright, Mom. Take care."
Before hanging up, Mrs. Fu added, "Oh! Tomorrow night, Mrs. Song is coming over with a few of her friends. You and Nathaniel must come home together after work. I want to introduce you to everyone properly."
Celia immediately tried to decline. "Mom, I don't think we'll make it tomorrow night. You should just enjoy yourself with your friends."
"No way! I want to show you off," Mrs. Fu said proudly. "Let them envy me for having such a beautiful daughter-in-law."
Celia felt a headache coming on. She couldn't bear to argue with Mrs. Fu, so she gave a diplomatic answer. "I'll ask Nathaniel."
She kicked the problem over to him. She needed to talk to him anyway—this whole substitute game should've ended long ago, but somehow it just kept dragging on.
Mrs. Fu beamed. "He'll say yes. I just know it. I'll be waiting!"
With that, she left the office cheerfully.
Now alone in Nathaniel's spacious office, Celia sat in silence, a little bored. That was when the door opened, and a graceful figure stepped inside.
Celia looked up. It was the same woman she had seen in the video call with Nathaniel during his last business trip—his personal secretary.
The woman's name was Mandy Wang.
Mandy was clearly stunned to see another woman in the president's private office. Nathaniel had never brought a woman in before.
"Hello, I'm Mandy Wang, Mr. Fu's personal secretary," she said with a polite but condescending smile, eyeing Celia from head to toe. "And you are?"
Celia immediately sensed her hostility. It was obvious Mandy saw her as a threat—and more than that, she had feelings for Nathaniel.
"Nice to meet you. I'm Miss Su," Celia replied calmly.
"I'm just here to deliver the president's freshly pressed suit," Mandy said, holding the tailored garment in her arms.
Celia reached out politely. "Let me take it."
But Mandy quickly stepped back, refusing to hand it over. "Miss Su, I wouldn't recommend that. This suit is custom-made, very expensive. I'd hate for it to get… dirty."
Celia's hand paused midair.
"Oh, I remember now," Mandy added with a smirk. "You're the country girl who danced the opening waltz with our president at the Fu family banquet, aren't you?"
"I've seen plenty of women try to get close to Mr. Fu," she continued, her voice laced with disdain. "Some are subtle, some are desperate—but this is the first time I've seen someone so… audacious."
"Miss Su, a little advice: knowing your place is important. You get what I'm saying, don't you?"
Celia withdrew her hand and looked at her with a serene smile. "Whether I get it or not doesn't matter. What matters is whether your boss does."
She rose gracefully and walked a step closer. "You know, people say insecure women compete with other women, while confident women know how to handle men. Maybe you should spend less time obsessing over me and more time actually impressing your boss… beep."
The abrupt sound of the nearby coffee machine cut through the air.
Mandy's expression darkened. She hadn't expected such a sharp retort from a so-called "nobody."
Celia eyed her from head to toe and added smoothly, "You dream of being the boss's wife, but you're still just a secretary. That says enough. Now be a dear and fetch me a coffee, would you? Thanks, Secretary Wang."