43 Little Less Bitter

The next morning, Lina woke up with sore arms as she had stayed up late baking and decorating her signature cupcakes.

She got up and stretched her body then walked into the bathroom to brush her teeth. 

Making her way to the kitchen, Lina opened the refrigerator and smiled seeing her handiwork.

"one, two ,three….. fifty. Hopefully they'll be enough." After counting the cupcakes, she closed the fridge and made a banana kale smoothie for her breakfast.

"Miss why are you up so early? I was just about to go wake you up." Suzie stood at the kitchen door seeing Lina holding a jug with green liquid in it. 

Lina poured the smoothie into a large glass and gulped it down while making a disgusted face.

"Miss why are you drinking this if you dislike it?" Suzie did not understand why she was forcing herself to drink that weird juice.

"I need the nutrients that are jam packed in it because I am going to stuff my face with the cupcakes I made. I'll be taking about 30 of them. The remaining are for the others at home. Make sure everyone gets it after lunch." She instructed Suzie.

"Yes, Miss. I'll pack the cupcakes in the to-go boxes that you mentioned earlier." She quickly got to work.

Lina saw the remaining smoothie leftover in the jug and took out a disc from her pocket.

'My handy dandy collapsible travel mug is useful for such occasions.' Humming, she poured it into the glass and sealed it with its lid.

She then went upstairs to get dressed for work.

Last night she had asked Mrs. Ping to get a few of her mother's old business formals out from the third floor.

Putting on a beige ankle pant suit she twirled around in front of the mirror. The slim fitting sand suit accentuated her figure and had a nice vintage vibe to it.

"Mommy surely has some great clothes that I can wear." Lina clicked a few pictures and sent them to her family message group.

*Aren't I rocking the vintage vibe!* With a few winky faces.

She did not expect any replies because they would be sleeping now, so she got back to her prep for work.

"My black backpack won't suit this attire, what should I carry today?" She looked around the shelves that displayed her handbag collection.

"Sergei's it is!" She picked up a classic black bag with two compartments that could hold all her stuff.

Shifting everything into her new bag, she refilled all the snacks that she had finished yesterday and then went down.

Suzie had already placed all the cupcakes in the car and so Lina directly left after saying goodbye to everyone.

As Lina's car left the Yang manor, Lucille Rong was watching everything that was happening from a corner and no one noticed her there.

'Where is she going all dressed up?'  Biting her lips, she walked back to the Exterior block to wake her sleeping daughter.

-----

"Miss I'll just get the boxes up to the 22nd floor. You can go ahead." Suggested Derek as he opened the door for Lina at Obsidia's entrance.

"Okay. Thank you!" She appreciated his thoughtfulness and walked to the main door of Obsidia.

'You can do it Lina. Just walk in, with your head held high. Just like how mommy would do.' Giving herself a pep talk she entered the building.

She smiled at the security guard and walked to the elevator in confidence.

'That's the bitch who was with Young Master Jin that day. Why is she here again?' The receptionist noticed the woman wearing an elegant beige suit and frowned.

She stomped her way towards Lina and stood in front of her, blocking her way.

'Geez! I would have crashed into her if I had noticed her a moment later!' Lina took a step away from the tiny receptionist and literally looked down at her because of their height difference.

"Can I help you miss?" The short receptionist asked with her chin up.

"Thanks but I don't need your help." Replied Lina, as she smiled at her. The name tag on the receptionist read 'LINDA'.

'Our names only have one letter's difference.' Lina thought and tried moving around her but was stopped again.

Now officially annoyed at being stopped twice, Lina shot her a look.

"I'm trying to get to work on time and you, my dear, are hindering me." Lina spoke in a calm yet dominating tone.

'Is she delusional? I literally know everyone who works here. Is she trying to fake her way into the building to meet Young Master Jin again?' This thought annoyed Linda.

"Don't lie to me Miss. Just because Master Jin allowed you on that day does not give you free entry into the building. Please leave before I ask security to escort you outside." She raised her voice which attracted the attention of the employees who were arriving for work.

"Master Jin? You mean Steph?" Lina was confused at first but realised that Linda was talking about Stephen Jin.

"How dare you call him that? Don't try to act overly familiar with him! Security!! Get this woman out!!" Hearing the nickname that Lina called Steph, a fire burned in Linda's heart that made her yell like a shrew.

"Woah..! Have mercy on my ears, lady. What exactly should I do to prove that I work here." Lina said as she rubbed her ears and rolled her eyes. 

"Haa! You work here? What a joke! I will not believe it unless someone from the management comes and gives me the notice about it. Until then just go sit in the waiting lounge." Pointing to the lounge, Linda smirked at Lina.

'She must be some seamstress that Master Jin felt pity for, how dare she act all superior in front of me!' She turned to walk back to her position at the reception desk.

"Is my notice okay with you?" A deep and hoarse voice made everyone who was watching the show, turn to the entrance.

Walking up to Lina and Linda, Leon Jiu first smiled at Lina and then stared at Linda intensely.

"You still haven't answered my question. Is my notice valid?" He stared down at her. The tall Leon made Linda look like she was a child standing in front of him.

"Assistant Jiu? Of course! Do you know who she is?" Linda asked in fear of the man in front of her.

In Obsidia's chain of command, first comes the mysterious Prez that never appears then comes the Vice Prez followed by the Heads of various departments and their Assistants then all the normal employees like Linda.

So she obviously feared anyone who was above her rank and thus spoke to him in a respectful tone.

"Yes I do and I don't want to see a repeat of what happened today to ever happen to anyone else. Or be prepared to look out for a new job." He just said and stared at everyone else watching the show.

'Lina is someone who the VP brought in, if something were to happen to her I don't know how he would react.' Leon shivered thinking of that.

Lina just smiled at how heroic Leon looked just now and Linda put her head down and looked remorseful.

'All of this happened because of this bitch! Not only did she seduce Master Jin, she also tricked Asst Jiu!' She looked at her heels and cursed Lina.

"Young Miss, why are you still here?" The awkward silence in the lobby was broken by Derek who had just now managed to carry all the boxes.

He looked around from the big pile of boxes that made it difficult for him to see his surroundings.

"Derek! Let me help you." Lina took a step forward to carry a few boxes but Leon moved faster and took the top two boxes from Derek.

Left with three boxes, Derek could finally see the woman and man who were standing with his Miss.

"Miss let's go upstairs." He said when he noticed the men staring at Lina. 

"Sure. Come on Leo." She walked in front with the two men walking behind her, carrying her boxes.

"One second!" Lina stopped and opened one of the boxes and walked back to Linda who stood like a statue.

"Here, try this. Maybe then you'll be a little less bitter." Handing over the cupcake packed in a beautiful container, Lina walked back to the two men.

Linda's eyes turned red with anger when she heard someone controlling their laugh at what Lina just said.

As the elevator went up, the people remaining in the lounge started speaking.

"Did you see how Asst Jiu stood up for that lady?" Swooned one of the ladies.

"I wish I was the one he just saved!" Whined another.

"Saved by the hero from the wicked witch." One of the women said and everyone else laughed.

"Forget about them. Did you see that woman? She must be a new model that the Marketing Dept is planning to launch." Speculated a male employee as he held onto his chest.

"I agree! Let's try asking our friends from that department whether they know her." They decided to meet up later to investigate Lina.

Linda slowly walked back to her station, grinding her teeth with anger. The container holding the cupcake was starting to deform as she kept squeezing it hard.

She dumped the box on her station and sat down in anger.

"If you are not interested, can I have it?" Asked the other receptionist who sat beside her.

Picking up the box, Linda threw it at her.

"Here! Hope you choke on it." She got up and walked to the restroom.

"Hope your makeup always cakes up!" The receptionist thought of the worst thing that came to her mind and then she opened the box.

Looking at what was inside, all she did was stare at it. 

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