Chapter 4

• Selina’s POV
• The next day, when I arrived at work, I unexpectedly received an email.
• It was a notice of promotion for me to the chief secretary.
• "Congratulations, Selina, you finally got promoted!" My colleague Tina came over cheerfully.
• I was a bit confused because this position was Maddox's secretary.
• I had never applied for a transfer, and in the company, I had always been a dispensable role.
• The only person who could arrange such a transfer was Maddox himself.
• "You're really lucky this time. Our company is going to start international cooperation, and the CEO of that group happens to be deaf-mute. I guess Mr. Torres heard that you know sign language and especially moved you up, right?"
• Tina's voice was surrounded with excitement, but I felt a chill in my heart.
• Sure enough, only those with value would be brought close by him. Maddox, the cold-blooded man I knew.
• "Remember to report to the HR department today! Otherwise, you'll miss this great opportunity for promotion!" Tina reminded me cheerfully, then turned away.
• It seemed no one cared about my opinion. From this marriage, this job, to this so-called promotion, maybe that was why he could so easily ignore whether I lived or died.
• As the reporting time drew near, I suppressed the nausea in my heart and walked to the HR department.
• "Congratulations to the three of you for passing the initial screening. The chief secretary position has high standards, and no one can easily pass, especially for the upcoming international project. Therefore, the three of you need to undergo another round of on-site testing. Senior management will evaluate and decide the final candidate."
• So, I wasn’t the only one reporting to HR.
• When I heard "on-site testing," I almost laughed bitterly.
• Just like that wedding night two years ago, when he casually told me this marriage meant nothing, just the start of a three-year contract.
• Now, he had promoted me with a single transfer order, only to place another obstacle in front of me, watching me struggle like a clown?
• Also participating in this interview was my superior, Fiona, the team leader of the marketing department.
• She always saw me as a "defective product." Why should I stay and face this humiliation?
• The suffocating feeling of near-death on the cliff edge seemed to come back.
• Enough. Truly enough.
• I clenched my fists, quietly turned, ready to leave.
• Just then, my phone vibrated in my pocket.
• I stopped in my tracks and quickly glanced at a text message from a name I had almost forgotten deep in my contacts. It was Willis, my friend from college days.
• Willis: Hey, Selina, long time no see! There’s a college reunion at Queen Bar tonight, everyone misses you! I know you’re busy, but if you can, come by! Waiting for you!
• My fingers paused on the cold screen.
• A reunion... college days...
• Back when I still had hope for the future, I was secretly crushing on Maddox before reality shattered it.
• Those were days that belonged to "Selina," not "Mrs. Torres," not "mute."
• Married for two years, I had cut ties with the past and shut myself away.
• Resign? Become a lifeless thing like my mother said?
• No I resisted inside me.
• What did Maddox’s words matter? What about my mother’s orders? Who were they to decide my life?
• After escaping death, the fire to control my own destiny only burned brighter.
• I took a deep breath and shoved my phone back into my pocket.
• Amid Lisa's surprise and Fiona's disdain, I straightened my back and walked to the testing area, meeting Fiona’s gaze steadily: I stayed.
• The test was held in a small conference room.
• The questions were tough, and Fiona was well-prepared, her gestures smooth, her logic clear, looking at me with superiority.
• When it was my turn to simulate the explanation of project risk points, I calmly used sign language to express what I understood in the most appropriate way.
• Just as my hands stilled, the meeting room door opened quietly.
• A powerful and chilling aura instantly swept through the entire space.
• Maddox walked in.
• He filled the doorway in a sharp black suit, his piercing gaze sweeping the room before locking on me.
• His presence froze the air, making Fiona on the side astounded, yet she composed herself later on.
• My gestures faltered for a second at his sudden appearance, my heart skipping a beat.
• Why was he here? To watch me embarrass myself? I forced down the emotions, met his gaze, and continued, finishing the last of my gestures.
• The moment I finished, Fiona suddenly spoke.
• "Sorry to interrupt, interviewers," she turned to the head examiner, "as Selina's supervisor, I must raise a practical concern. Considering Selina's...objective condition, is it too risky to entrust her with such an important role?"
• Her words were like a dagger, targeting me as she clearly identified me as a mute and the mistakes I might make.
• All eyes were on me, with scrutiny, and Maddox's gaze also fell on me, with his usual cold arrogance, as though waiting for my response.
• A strong sense of shame washed over me, but anger cleared my mind.
• I raised my hand and signed clearly: True communication barriers come from arrogance and unwillingness to listen. I believe international partners value the essence of communication, understanding, and sincerity. Real communication lies in the meeting of hearts, not only in spoken words.
• The room fell silent. The interviewers turned their attention to Maddox, waiting for his verdict.
• However, Maddox said nothing about my words. Instead, he walked into the empty chair beside the head examiner, sitting casually, yet his presence brought pressure.
• His slender fingers lightly tapped the smooth tabletop twice, and his gaze was cold as he stared at me.
• "As the chief secretary, you need to not only provide instant translation but also to carry my core stance and firm attitude when I cannot express it myself, without escalating conflict. Simulation scenario: the final round of important negotiations with the representative of the Eastern European Energy Agency. They are hard on the price and have a tough attitude. Provide a response within five minutes."
• The question was far beyond the earlier ones.
• It required not only understanding complex business logic and Maddox’s tough stance but also delivering his unique dominance, even hidden threats, through silent gestures. It was nearly impossible.
• Success would be Maddox’s achievement. Failure would be my ruin.
• Fiona's mouth almost couldn't help but curve up, her eyes gleaming with a gloating light, as if saying, "Let's see how you handle this."
• At that moment, it felt like my blood rushed to my head, then chilled and settled down in the next second.
• He was testing me. He wanted to watch me fall, to prove I wasn’t worthy of this seat. A stubborn defiance surged up inside me.
• I closed my eyes, taking a slow breath.
• Since the day I met him, since I had fallen for him irreversibly, yet I knew who his heart beat for.
• In internal meeting recordings, I had stared at his face countless times, practicing sign language in secret.
• I knew the meaning behind every micro-expression of his, familiar with his speaking habits and subtext in different situations, familiar with his unique way of integrating pressure and decisiveness.
• It was the only way I could silence my longing and pain.
• When I opened my eyes, my gaze suddenly calmed down.
• I lifted my hands, fingers tracing powerful and smooth trajectories in the air: Torres Group's offer is based on thorough market research and risk assessment, leaving no room for concessions. Any hesitation on your side will force us to reevaluate the need for cooperation.
• My movements were clean and neat, perfectly replicating Maddox's cold business logic and unquestionable dominance, far beyond simple sign language.
• The room went silent. The examiners’ eyes widened in open astonishment.
• The smirk on Fiona's face froze completely, her face paling with disbelief.
• Maddox’s deep gaze stayed fixed on me, and in it, I caught a fleeting, undeniable flash of surprise.
• That look, as if, for the first time, he truly saw me.