The next day. Ella arrived at the Raymond Group headquarters at her usual time.

As she approached the reception desk. the receptionist's face contorted with disdain.

She had clearly seen yesterday's company group chat messages.

"Don't tell me you're here to beg Mr. Castillo to keep you on?" she said with a sneer. "Sinceyou've been fired, you should stop pestering him. It's pathetic."

Ella ignored her completely.

She simply walked past, swiped her access card, signed in right in front of the receptionist's disbelieving eyes, and proceeded through the security gate.

The receptionist stared after her in shock.

Hadn't she been fired?

Why did she still have an active company access card?

Meanwhile. Ella had already entered the elevator.

As she headed toward the Research and Development department,she remembered that R&D was on the same floor as the Design department.

When the elevator doors opened, she came face to face with Judith and Peter, along with several other colleagues from the Design department.

"Ella, weren't you fired yesterday?" Peter immediately confronted her. his

tone hostile. "Who authorized you to enter the building?"

Behind him, whispers rippled through the small crowd.

"She has no self-awareness, does she?"

"Do you think she's here to beg Mr. Castillo to take her back?"

"Does she think this company is some kind of charity that takes in just anyone?"

"What kind of trash has the nerve to show up after being fired?"

"Someone call secuarity and have her escorted out!"

Judith feigned surprise while listening to the cruel remarks with obvious sutisfaction.

She stood tall, arms crossed, looking don at Ella with contempt.

"Royce won't keep someone with such a messy personal life," she said with authority. "If you're trying to use manipulation to stay with the company.I'Il have to call security to escort you out."

"You're absolutely right. Judith." Peter chimed in like a devoted fan."We need to put her in her place. She thinks she can sleep her way to the top.If we don't correct this toxic behavior, all the young women in the company will get the wrong idea."

A subtle smile played at the corners of Judith's lips.

Ellu maintained her composure as she listened to their exchange.She calmly stepped out of the elevator.

"Take one more step, and I'm calling security!" Peter immediately blocked

her path.

She raised an eyebrow and smiled. "Go ahead and call the police if you want. I've been reassigned to the Research and Development department,not fired. If you don't believe me, ask Ms. Walker in Human Resources."

"You got promoted?" Peter's jaw dropped in disbelief.

How was that possible?

Ella was just an intern secretary.

Even Hannah, who had been in the Secretary department for two years.hadn't received a promotion.

How could Ella, a mere intern, suddenly be promoted to the prestigious Research and Development department?

The R&D department was critical to the company's success.

Many of the company's scientific projects required research and development before being approved.

The last R&D project, autonomous driving technology, had made waves throughout the scientific community.

Ella was just a domestic university graduate, not an international student from a prestigious institution like Judith.

How could she possibly qualify for such a position?

Judith's face turned ashen, her fingernails digging into her palms as she trembled with rage.

Her brow furrowed deeply as she stared intently at Ella's face.

"Tell me," Peter demanded. "Did you seduce Mr. Castillo to get tnis position through nepotism?"

Judith pulled back the indignant Peter, appearing reasonable. "Peter is just too impulsive. He said some things he shouldn't have. Please don't take it personally."

Ella saw through the jealousy in her eyes. Good-let Judith be jealous.

She wanted to show her that even without Austin, she could still reach her own pinnacle of success.

Their journey was just beginning.

Ella calmly looked away and walked past Judith toward the R&D department.

Judith's anger simmered beneath her composed exterior.

She buried herself in her work, continuing to develop AI models for the Prometheus Project.

Later, when she went to the break room, she unexpectedly encountered Judith again.

"Ella," Judith said coldly, "wasn't stealing my man enough? Now you have to steal my career,too?"

She lifted the corner of her mouth into a slight smile, meeting Judith's cold stare. "Stealing men is boring. Stealing men's jobs-now that's interesting."

Judith didn't believe for a second that Ella had gotten over Austin.Otherwise,why hadn't she filed for divorce yet?

She was obviously trying to copy Judith by working at the same company.

desperately hoping to catch Austin's attention.

Too bad Austin now only had eyes for her, not Ella.

"Using your body to advance your career won't get you far. I suggest you consider your choices carefully." Judith advised condescendingly, her words dripping with superiority.