Chapter 42

Phoenix Labs was merely a subsidiary of Celestia Group, and its connection to the parent company remained unclear. No one from Phoenix had yet voiced any support for Evelyn. Sophia felt restless. Pressured by Dominic’s constant demands, she returned to the office to uncover what had happened. Meanwhile, Evelyn officially began her first day at Phoenix Labs. Though they had reached an agreement, the contract hadn’t been signed. An arrangement had been made the previous day for Evelyn to start immediately.

According to Alexander Kensington, Evelyn needed to familiarize herself with the company before her official start date. But due to her stubborn insistence, Alexander didn’t interfere too much. He left her onboarding to Harrison Sullivan. Still, Evelyn knew her arrival wouldn’t go smoothly.

Walking through the office, she reached the general manager’s office. Three people were waiting inside—two of whom she recognized.

"Mr. Whitmore."

Seated in the center was Gregory Whitmore, the general manager of Phoenix Labs. To his left was Theodore Montgomery, the HR manager. Evelyn had met both before. The woman beside them, however, was a stranger.

At Evelyn’s entrance, Gregory stood, circled the desk, and gave her shoulder a light pat. "Welcome to Phoenix Labs, Evelyn!"

"Hello, Mr. Whitmore. Mr. Montgomery." She greeted them politely before turning to the unfamiliar woman.

"Let me introduce you," Gregory said with a smile. "This is Victoria Sterling, our project department manager. She’s a force to be reckoned with in the business world. I hope you two will work well together."

"Hello, Ms. Sterling." Evelyn extended the greeting, though her instincts warned her this woman would be trouble.

Sure enough, Victoria gave only a slight nod before dismissing her with a glance. "Mr. Whitmore, the project department isn’t understaffed."

"Of course not," Gregory countered smoothly. "But we’re always in need of talent. Phoenix is still growing, and we need skilled individuals to elevate the company. Evelyn has that potential. Consider this an infusion of fresh energy into your team."

Victoria, however, wasn’t one to back down easily. She had no qualms challenging authority. "Does she? I’ve never heard her name mentioned in the industry."

She paused, feigning sudden recollection. "Ah, wait. There was that infamous 'perfumer without a nose'—Evelyn Carter—a few years back. Was that just a coincidence, or…?" Her tone was sharp, her gaze cutting.

Evelyn straightened, meeting her stare without flinching. "No coincidence. That was me."

"Oh?" Victoria arched a brow. "Has the bar for 'talent' fallen so low?"

Evelyn smiled, unfazed. "There were misunderstandings back then. Honestly, I’d nearly forgotten about it. Funny that you remember so clearly." She tilted her head. "Seems fate really wants us to work together."

Victoria’s expression darkened at Evelyn’s composed response. "Call it fate if you want. I’d call it misfortune."

Her smirk vanished as she turned to Theodore. "Mr. Montgomery, I refuse to allow an unqualified individual into my department. Especially one entangled in a lawsuit. Hiring her now is a terrible decision for this company."