Chapter 388 - 395: In a No-Win Situation

Words : 1677 Updated : Oct 11th, 2025

Chapter 388: Chapter 395: In a No-Win SituationSure, here is the translation: That afternoon, John Brown endured countless side-eyes at the company. Lucy Campbell hadn’t been recruited, so naturally, the blame fell on him as the HR Manager. Some people said John was a pervert, others claimed his sexual orientation was abnormal—all kinds of accusations flew at him like a storm. John Brown hadn’t expected his frustrated comment to cause such trouble. But he couldn’t be bothered to deal with this group. Tomorrow, when Lucy Campbell arrived at the company, those people would naturally stop cursing him. Sarah Utah walked into John Brown’s office then. John offered her a seat, and Sarah suddenly burst into laughter. John Brown chuckled self-deprecatingly and said, "You’re not here to scold me too, are you?" Sarah’s face had become even thinner recently, which made her appear a bit more delicate, somewhat resembling Emma Campbell’s frailness. "Why would I mock you? I just came to check on you. With the entire male population at the company berating you, can you handle it? Besides... the company folks think I’m with you now. It would’ve looked bad if I didn’t come by." Sarah said, her voice carrying a trace of melancholy. Last time the police came to take John Brown away, Sarah boldly declared her feelings for him, making it a long-standing rumor. John, out of consideration for her dignity, hadn’t denied it, leading everyone to think the two were in a relationship. But now, John really didn’t know how to explain things. He laughed awkwardly and said, "It’s fine—out of sight, out of mind. Whatever they say, I just pretend not to hear it." Sarah didn’t dwell on the topic. Smiling, she said, "Well, you should just keep her on then. At least it’ll boost the company’s morale." John lit a cigarette and replied, "It’s not that I didn’t keep her. Mr. Lopez assigned her directly as my secretary. Now I’m going to be the bulls-eye for those guys again." "Your secretary..." Sarah burst into laughter again. "Mr. Lopez is really confident in you then. I saw that woman too—she’s stunning." John couldn’t reveal Lucy Campbell’s true identity, so he smiled bitterly and said, "Stop teasing me. Having such a beautiful woman as my secretary is absolute torture for me." "But I trust you, Big Brother Brown. Mr. Lopez must trust you too; otherwise, he wouldn’t assign such a beauty to be your secretary." Sarah glanced at the wind chime by the window, her face showing a faint smile. Even though John was married, Sarah’s feelings for him hadn’t diminished at all—instead, they grew stronger. Sarah often blamed herself for harboring such thoughts for a married man. Yet, she couldn’t resist visiting him, even if just for a glimpse or a brief conversation; it brought her immeasurable solace. And then there was the wind chime by the window—it remained unchanged, making her feel like John wasn’t entirely indifferent to her feelings. She thought perhaps, due to Gina Lopez being more remarkable, he hadn’t chosen her. How could John Brown not understand Sarah’s feelings for him? Yet he had no choice but to feign ignorance. Smiling, he said, "By the way, you haven’t said why you came to see me." "Oh, no particular reason. Just wanted to check on you. I’ll leave now," Sarah said as she stood up. John didn’t say much more and personally escorted Sarah out. She was a good girl, making it all the harder for him to hurt her. After work, John picked up Sandra and then Gina, and the three prepared to head home. On the way, Lucy Campbell called Gina. After exchanging a few words with Lucy on the phone, Gina hung up and said, "Mr. Smith is coming over tonight. Let’s buy some groceries—darling, you’re going to have to cook for us again." John readily agreed. Since Lucy was coming over, she was a guest, and as the host, he naturally had to treat her well. When they arrived home, Gina and Sandra got out of the car, while John was about to follow suit. Gina immediately stopped him, "Oh, Mr. Smith asked you to pick him up. Sandra and I will go home and prepare first." Picking up Lucy wasn’t a problem for John, so he drove straight over. But when he arrived downstairs, he not only saw Lucy but also Emily Jenkins, the flight attendant. As soon as Emily saw John, she pouted her lips and complained, "Big Brother Brown, you’re too inconsiderate! You got married and didn’t invite me, moved away without telling me—I’ve been starving for days! If it weren’t for Sister Emily telling me, I’d still be clueless." John chuckled, "I didn’t officially move away anyway. I still have this place. As for the wedding, it was just signing the papers. No guests or banquet." "Well, tonight Sister Emily and I will go celebrate with you. You don’t mind, do you?" John laughed, "Of course not." John had always treated Emily Jenkins like a younger sister, and their conversations were casual and carefree. Lucy, meanwhile, simply smiled and nodded at John before getting into the car. When they arrived home, Gina enthusiastically welcomed Emily inside. Although she hadn’t interacted much with Emily previously, Gina didn’t harbor any hostility toward her. This cheerful girl lacked ulterior motives—everything she thought was written all over her face. If she had feelings for John, Gina would’ve noticed long ago. "James, Gina—these are for you," Lucy said, presenting two boxes to Gina. Gina thanked her and opened the boxes on the spot. Sandra immediately gasped in amazement, "Ah! A full-diamond Rolex Starry Night!" "Such big diamonds—so stunning!" Emily exclaimed. As a flight attendant frequently traveling the world and encountering wealthy individuals, she recognized fine goods when she saw them. A Rolex Starry Night watch is encrusted with diamonds on the dial, resembling a sky full of stars. Its price varies depending on the quality of the diamonds, ranging from Thousands of Dollars to tens of thousands for the more premium versions. Lucy’s gift, clearly adorned with large, vibrant diamonds, sparkled in the light, belonging to the exceptionally pricey kind—it wouldn’t cost less than One Million Dollars for this pair. "Mr. Smith, this gift is too lavish." Gina felt significant pressure from such an extravagant present. Lucy smiled and responded, "I’m counting on you two to help grow my company and make me money. When that happens, the profits will far exceed this gift. Don’t tell me you lack confidence, Gina?" Lucy’s leadership skills shone through with just one remark, compelling Gina to accept the gift and instinctively puff out her chest. "Then I’ll graciously accept!" she said—an indirect promise. Emily quickly said, "You should wear them. These are couple watches, after all. Full-diamond couple watches are so rare—I’ve hardly seen anyone sporting them!" John and Gina put the watches on, one on each wrist—his rough and hers delicate—both gleaming brightly under the light. "So beautiful!" Sandra and Emily exclaimed in admiration. Though their families were well-off, Lucy’s standards were far beyond theirs, making these watches appear quite extravagant. Emily then stuck out her tongue and added, "I didn’t bring any gifts—how embarrassing." John laughed and said, "You don’t seem embarrassed to me. You just came to freeload a meal. No matter how far I move, I can’t escape you." Emily wasn’t upset by John’s teasing. She cheerfully replied, "I’m almost broke this month—I’ll get you something when next month’s paycheck comes through." John knew Emily would actually do it. She always brought him something each time she returned from a trip. The watch he once wore was her gift, too. Searᴄh the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Just save your money. Spending it is already an achievement—don’t worry about buying me gifts." Sandra curiously asked, "I thought flight attendants made good money?" John rolled his eyes and said, "That depends on the person. Most can save plenty, but for her, making it to the end of the month without overspending is a miracle." Emily joked, "I used to dine at your place, but I don’t even have that now—I’m really going to struggle." Everyone laughed. Emily’s quirky charm often amused people—it was effortless and genuine. Even at her age, that innocence didn’t feel off; instead, it made her inherently likable. Gina invited Lucy and Emily to tour her house, while John headed to the kitchen to prepare dinner. The dinner was sumptuous. The lively group made the meal enjoyable, though John, being the only man among four women, felt the gender balance was a bit off. Their chatter filled the space, occasionally poking fun at John, who had no ally—not even his wife Gina sided with him. He could only helplessly endure the teasing. "Manager Johnson, starting tomorrow, you’ll officially be my boss. I’ll need your guidance," Lucy quipped playfully. John rolled his eyes and said, "Having a secretary like you... You have no idea how stressed I am. Just today, saying I didn’t recruit you has already earned me collective disdain from every man at the company." Lucy laughed, "Once I start work tomorrow, they won’t despise you anymore." "Oh no—they’ll despise me even more! They’ll think I couldn’t resist hiring such a beautiful secretary for personal gain." Sandra burst out laughing, "I think they definitely would." John sighed theatrically, "Why is it so unfair? Whether I keep you or let you go, they’ll curse me either way. And if you leave, they’ll say I harassed you into resigning. No matter what, I’m doomed to be remembered as a villain." Gina smirked, "Well, that’s perfect. This way, women won’t flock around you anymore. I actually think it’s a good thing." John looked distressed and said, "Wife, isn’t that a bit harsh?" "For someone like you, harsh measures are the only remedy," Gina responded firmly. The other women burst into laughter again, though Lucy’s laughter carried a subtle trace of hidden meaning...

Chapter 388 - 395: In a No-Win Situation

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