Blind date turned proposal (Josie and Dexter)

However, now, there were many more traces of Laura's presence, perhaps being even more pronounced than Mark's.

"Ms. Brandel-" Someone pushed the door open and entered.

When Josie turned around, the woman opposite her was evidently surprised. The latter was dressed in office attire while cradling a potted plant in her arms. "You are...?" she began.

Josie did not answer the question, instead saying, "Ms. Brandel has gone to a meeting."

From that, the other woman guessed Josie must be a guest. She responded with a polite nod and a friendly smile. "I'm Ms. Brandel's office housekeeper, Louisa Connolly. Are you thirsty? What would you like to drink?"

"I'm not thirsty." Josie suddenly became a bit curious. Pointing at the potted plant in Louisa's arms, she asked, "What is that?"

"Oh, this is a jasmine plant. Ms. Brandel instructed me to move it up here in front of the desk."

The jasmine buds were on the brink of blooming, their fragrance filling the air. Josie watched Louisa as she tended to them. "So, your boss has a fondness for jasmine, huh?"

"Yes, she has for a long time now."

Josie had never known that.

The indoor space was overflowing with greenery that took up too much room. After a moment of hesitation, Louisa moved the original orchids away, replacing them with the jasmine.

"Is that appropriate?" Josie asked.

"What?"

"Mr. Olsen likes orchids, doesn't he? Are you sure it's appropriate to move it away?"

The reason Josie knew that was because Olsen Residence had a variety of orchids, and she had seen Mark personally tend to them.

Upon hearing this, Louisa grew wary. She hadn't expected Josie to know so much. "Well, Mr. Olsen isn't here right now, whereas Ms. Brandel has been here for two years already and will be here for even longer in the future. After all, this position is only for the capable, right?"

Subconsciously, she assumed Josie was a friend of Laura, so her words were laced with a subtle attempt to please her.

Josie's expression was unreadable as she was a master at concealing her emotions. With a slight curve of her lips and a nod, she agreed, "Indeed, only the capable should claim the position."

Louisa finished fiddling with the jasmine and began to organize the files, her hands constantly busy with work.

Feeling bored, Josie idly twirled a pen in her hand as she questioned, "How's Ms. Brandel's reputation in the company? It must be tough being a woman in charge, isn't it?"

The question wasn't particularly serious, carrying a hint of casualness, so Louisa responded, "Of course, it isn't easy, but Ms. Brandel is highly competent. Since I started working with her, she has managed to impress the majority of the people in the corporation."

"How long have you been working for her?"

"Two and a half years."

Already possessing such remarkable abilities two and a half years ago was truly amazing.

Louisa asked, "Miss, you are Ms. Brandel's...?"

"Friend."

Hearing that, Louisa let out a sigh of relief.

"Did she face any hardships in the corporation? Like, was anyone intentionally making things difficult for her?"

Louisa pondered for a moment before answering, "At first, there were some, but they gradually disappeared. This was because those who opposed her either ended up respecting her or left the corporation." Josie's brows lightly furrowed. "What do you mean by 'left the corporation'?"

"I think they resigned. Everyone has their own unique path to follow, right?"

She spoke with such naivety, yet Josie had realized the gravity of the situation.

The junior employees had no right to challenge Laura's position; only those with power and authority could oppose her.

That meant Laura had already removed the senior employees and replaced them with her own people.

Besides that, she had also driven away all those who dared to disagree with her.

Josie was lost in thought, her gaze fixed on the gleaming floor as she wondered how many in the corporation were still loyal to Mark. She feared that even Mark himself might not know.

As she pondered, a commotion came from outside. Laura had returned. Upon entering and seeing Josie standing there, she turned to Louisa and asked, "Why haven't you offered our guest a glass of water?"

"..."

"I told her I wasn't thirsty. There's no need for formalities anyway. After all, I can't really be considered a guest."

Their eyes met, and the two locked gazes for a few seconds.

Laura quickly regained her composure and replied with an obsequious smile, "Of course, you're right. You're one of us."