Just as Charlotte stepped out of the elevator, she caught the sound of voices coming from the coffee stand near the reception area.
She would have walked past without paying attention if she hadn't heard David's name.
"Yeah, he's not the type to visit the office unexpectedly. I wonder what made him come today," a man said.
"What else do you think might have been the reason, if not for his new 'wife'?" a woman replied, putting particular emphasis on the word wife.
A few people chuckled, Charlotte slowed down.
She wasn't the type to listen to gossip, but the mention of David made her pause. She stood a short distance away, partially hidden by the elevator wall, and listened.
"She looks arrogant," another woman said. "I don't think I like her."
"I think I like her," a second woman replied. "She looks smart and cool. Although she doesn't look very approachable."
"Tch!" the first woman scoffed. "You should have seen the way she acted today, like she owned the company."
"Tell me about it. Did she at least do well?" the second woman asked.
"Yes, she did," the first woman admitted reluctantly. "But she acted all high and mighty. For someone who supposedly climbed her way up to the vice president's position, I don't think she should behave like that."
"Maybe she manipulated the poor old man into marrying her to his grandson," the third woman, who had been silent until then, said. "Don't you see the way she carries herself?"
Charlotte's expression hardened.
The poor old man? She folded her arms and continued listening.
"She doesn't look bad to me," the second woman said. "She looks pretty and smart. I would love to work with her if I ever got the opportunity."
"Oh, please, snap out of your delusion, Leah," the third woman replied.
"Stupid, Leah. Do you think she would allow you to work with her? Or do you want to climb your way up the same way she did?" the first woman asked.
The group burst into laughter. Charlotte's jaw tightened.
At Briarwood, she would have had no choice but to swallow her anger and pretend she hadn't heard anything. She had spent years watching people with less experience undermine her simply because they couldn't stand the thought of her succeeding.
But this was Wilkins Group. And here, she had something she hadn't possessed at Briarwood.
Authority.
"Stop slandering someone you know nothing about, Sophia," Leah said, her voice becoming defensive. "I think she's cool."
"Can you hear her, Annie?" Sophia asked, turning toward the third woman.
Annie laughed. "Leah, know your place. Even if she were to pick someone to work with her, do you honestly think it would be you?"
She poked a finger against Leah's chest.
"Maybe she could climb her way up like her," the man added.
More laughter followed.
That was enough.
Charlotte stepped away from the elevator wall and walked toward them.
"Are you done?"
The laughter died instantly.
Every head turned.
The group froze when they saw the woman they had been discussing standing only a few feet away.
Sophia's face drained of color.
Annie's mouth fell slightly open.
Leah, however, brightened.
"Hi, ma'am. Welcome to Wilkins Group!" she greeted, waving enthusiastically.
Charlotte glanced at her, Leah slowly lowered her hand. The silence that followed was uncomfortable.
Charlotte looked at the group one by one. "You've been standing here for quite some time, discussing your superiors instead of working."
"Ma'am, we were just—" the man began.
"Having a conversation?" Charlotte finished.
He nodded quickly.
"Then perhaps you can explain why that conversation involved questioning my qualifications, insulting my marriage, and suggesting that I manipulated my way into this position."
Nobody answered.
Charlotte's eyes narrowed.
"I'm waiting."
"We're sorry," they all said almost simultaneously.
"I don't think you are."
"Mrs. Wilkins, we didn't mean to—" Leah started.
Charlotte raised a hand, stopping her.
"I'm not interested in hearing excuses."
She glanced toward the coffee stand, where two other employees had begun watching the scene.
"Is this how things are done here? Employees gather during work hours to ridicule their superiors and speculate about their personal lives?"
"No, ma'am," one of the onlookers quickly replied.
"Good. Then I suggest everyone remember that."
The man swallowed. "We were only expressing our opinions."
"Opinion?" Charlotte repeated, turning back to him.
She wished she could slap his rough-looking face, but she kept her cool.
"I get that everyone is entitled to their own opinions, but talking about your superiors and spreading insulting assumptions about them in the workplace is unacceptable."
The man's expression tightened. "But we apologized."
Charlotte's lips curved into a cold smile. She turned to Sophia, Annie, and the man.
"Pack your belongings. You're all dismissed."
The three stared at her.
"What?" Sophia blurted.
"You heard me."
"You can't just come here and fire us for expressing our opinions!" the man argued.
Charlotte's expression remained calm.
"Expressing an opinion and engaging in workplace misconduct are not the same thing," Charlotte replied. "And I'm dismissing you because you have demonstrated a complete lack of professionalism, and I will not have employees creating a hostile environment in my department."
"Your department?" Annie repeated bitterly. "You've barely been here a day."
Charlotte's eyes sharpened.
"And yet you've already given me a reason to make changes."
Annie's face reddened.
Sophia stepped forward. "This is ridiculous. You think because you're married to the CEO, you can do whatever you want?"
The words hung in the air.
Charlotte's expression changed.
For a moment, the accusation struck a familiar nerve. She had heard similar insinuations at Briarwood people assuming every achievement she had earned was the result of someone else's influence.
But she refused to let that anger control her.
"Be careful," she said quietly.
Sophia's confidence faltered.
Charlotte continued, "My marriage has nothing to do with the work I do here. If you believe otherwise, you are welcome to submit a formal complaint to the appropriate department. But you will not stand here and insult me because you dislike the position I hold."
Nobody spoke.
Charlotte pointed toward the three employees.
"Now pack your things and leave."
The man shook his head. "You can't—"
"Would you prefer I call Human Resources and have them escort you out while we review your conduct?"
That silenced him.
The threat of an official record seemed to do what her authority alone had not. Sophia's hands curled into fists.
"This is unbelievable."
"Then consider it a learning experience."
Charlotte turned to Leah, who was still standing awkwardly beside the coffee stand.
"You can stay."
Leah blinked.
"Really?"
"Yes."
Her eyes lit up, but she quickly composed herself.
"Thank you, ma'am."
Charlotte studied her for a moment, "You better be careful with the kind of people you surround yourself with," she warned.
Leah nodded quickly. "Yes, ma'am."
Charlotte turned back to the others.
"I'm waiting."
The three employees reluctantly began gathering their belongings. Sophia kept muttering under her breath, while Annie shot Charlotte a resentful look before walking away.
The small crowd that had gathered around the coffee stand remained silent. Charlotte looked at them.
"Is there something else?"
Everyone shook their heads.
"Then get back to work." they scattered almost immediately. Charlotte exhaled slowly, she had barely been at the company for a day, and already she had dismissed three employees.
"What a day!" she exclaimed.