CHAPTER 27: CHAPTER 27: CELESTIAL SPIRE

Justin Holden frowned slightly, "I’m fine with anything."

"It’s you getting married, not me. What do you mean by anything? Am I supposed to marry them all and just put them around the house?"

"You’ve already made up your mind anyway, just arrange it as you wish."

His words were indifferent, without any interest.

Zoe Holden had mentioned more than once that her best friend had been secretly in love with him for a long time and wanted to match them up.

The photos she sent were just going through the motions.

"You little... "

Zoe was helpless. Seeing her brother nearing twenty-seven without having settled down, she was getting anxious.

The cousins his age in the Holden family already had one or two kids. But look at him, spending all his time at the law firm, so busy that you barely see him all year.

Winning all those cases isn’t much use; the family isn’t short of money, it’s short of children.

Can he bring new members into the family by fighting legal battles?

Their parents were abroad and couldn’t care less. It fell to her, as the elder sister, to arrange blind dates for him.

But Justin wasn’t her biological brother; he was a child adopted by the Holden family. She couldn’t push things too hard for fear he’d stop coming home if they fell out.

"The law firm is busy; I’ll hang up first."

Justin’s tone was cold as he hung up the phone.

Jean Ellison and Vic returned to the company and happened to run into the Editor-in-Chief.

The office felt dead and the atmosphere was tense; colleagues kept their heads down, not moving at their workstations.

"Editor Sutton."

Jean greeted politely, carrying her bag, ready to head to her workstation.

Leah Sutton had her arms crossed in front of her chest, dressed in a textured white suit, with a branded scarf tied around her neck.

"Some people got in here through connections; I don’t say anything about that, but taking leave every few days — is it taking the job seriously?"

The company had recently hired someone, and everyone knew who she was talking about.

"I’m sorry, Editor-in-Chief. I’ve had some things to deal with lately. I’ll try not to take leave in the future."

Jean stood up and sincerely promised.

There was no point in denying whether she had used connections. She had a record, and if Officer Locke hadn’t helped her, she wouldn’t even have found a decent job.

"Jean really had things to deal with."

Vic put down his camera, leaned back in his chair, and spoke up for Jean.

"Which one of you doesn’t have personal matters? Sinclair, didn’t your kid recently get hospitalized with a fever? And Mia, doesn’t your mother-in-law have Alzheimer’s and need care?"

"Why don’t you all just go home? I’ll go out and do the interviews and write the stories myself, how’s that?"

No one said a word.

Leah looked at Jean, unimpressed, and her anger grew as she surveyed the office full of inept staff.

Not one of them could produce a good story. Was the company in the business of charity, giving this bunch a salary?

"You all need to think hard about what you’re doing here. If there’s no improvement this month, there will be layoffs. The least capable know who they are."

"It’s not my decision but headquarters’."

Leah released her arms, with a firm stance, her chin slightly lifted, her gaze precisely sweeping over everyone, before turning and heading to the second floor.

Her personal office was on the second floor, with its outer walls entirely made of glass, offering unobstructed views. Sitting at her desk, she could see everyone on the first floor.

Likewise, employees on the first floor just had to look up to see Editor Sutton’s stern face.

Jean opened her office computer to gather material for her story, overhearing some colleagues whispering nearby.

"Why is the Editor so angry?"

"She just had a meeting with headquarters; our performance last month was the worst. And this is not an Asia ranking, it’s global."

"That’s bad."

"Like you didn’t know. With the news we’re putting out, nothing special. It’s all about harvests or good deeds. Who’s interested?"

"Don’t we have any sensational news?"

"We do, Celestial Spire. I hear many prominent figures engage in drugs and prostitution there. Do you dare to do an undercover report?"

Jean paused her work and asked the colleague next to her.

"Celestial Spire?"

The colleague nodded, asking her in a low voice.

"Yes, Jean, are you interested? I have a membership card that I can lend you."

"If someone can get this news, they’d save the whole company. Our performance next month would be top three, if not top five."

"Moreover, I heard next month’s bonus is doubled, up to forty thousand."

Jean remained silent,

The club was near the apartment she rented, easy to pass on her way home from work.

Perhaps it was worth a try; she might even get an explosive story.

With this idea, she first had to inform the Editor-in-Chief, as was protocol.

Jean headed to the second floor and saw Editor Sutton on the phone.

She was leaning against the marble desk, laughing cheerfully, seemingly unaware anyone was there.

"Really? Then you decide, I’m not picky about restaurants."

"What should I wear to meet him? After all, it’s our first date alone. Maybe I should dress a bit sexy; don’t men love seeing black stockings?"

"Alright, I know. He hasn’t dated in a while; I’ll make sure to be reserved."

Jean stood at the door for quite some time. Only after she finished her call did Jean knock.

"Come in."

Leah’s eyes lit up when she saw Jean, not waiting for her to start speaking about work, "Just in time, you’re here. Help me decide which of these outfits looks best."

She picked up the tablet from the desk, her fingers sliding it a few times.

All were high-end outfits, including a deep V-neck gown reaching down to the navel, a strapless red short dress, and a nude lace jumpsuit.

In short, all were revealing and sexy styles.

The man she had coveted for so long — she was determined to win him over this weekend.

Jean was at a loss for advice as Leah swiped the tablet the wrong way, revealing a screenshot of a lingerie purchase.

The little fabric was quite revealing, and it showed she had already placed the order.

Jean blushed, awkwardly saying, "Editor, it seems you and your boyfriend have a great relationship."

Leah was stunned for a moment, then laughed.

"Yes, we have always been close."

She had been fantasizing for many years, each boyfriend a substitute for someone else.

She had to imagine those men were him to even make love.

"Editor, I have a new idea."

Jean casually pointed to a pink outfit and said it looked great before moving on to her main topic.

Leah leaned on the desk, busy texting, a shy smile she couldn’t suppress.

"If you have an idea, go do it. No need to ask me."

She waved her off, and Jean had no choice but to leave her office.

Leah didn’t come downstairs until the end of the workday.

She glanced around, not seeing Jean or Vic, "Where are those two, off handling personal business again?"

"Editor, they went to Celestial Spire to dig for explosive news."

"What did you say?"

Leah gasped, her face turning pale, her hand perched on the desk’s edge clenching up.

There’d been someone from a company who secretly infiltrated Celestial Spire before, now comatose in a hospital. According to the club’s manager, the reporter had stepped wrongly on the stairs and fallen.

But just a few steps; was it even possible for someone to fall to the point of half-dead?