Chapter 265: Uneasy
Georgia’s POV
After days of social events, chaos, back-to-back dramas, and unfortunate events, it felt oddly nostalgic to finally be back at my desk.
The familiar sound in the office, the soft tapping of keyboards outside my door, and the smell of freshly brewed coffee brought me a quiet sense of normalcy I didn’t realize I’d missed.
It had been a long day, though. Bella and I had spent hours interviewing candidates for the operations manager position she’d posted last week. By the time we wrapped up, my voice was hoarse and my brain was running on caffeine fumes.
Now, we sat across from each other in my office, surrounded by a mess of folders, notes, and evaluation sheets.
"You don’t seem happy," Bella suddenly said, watching me with that knowing look of hers.
I slumped into my chair, exhaling a tired laugh. "Is it that obvious?"
"Sort of," she replied, resting her chin on her palm. "But it’s not just you. I feel the same. They were all great on paper, strong credentials, confident answers, but... I don’t know. Something’s missing. I’m just not feeling it."
I nodded slowly. "Wow. You just said what I’ve been thinking all afternoon. I kept waiting for someone to click, but nothing did. Maybe I’m just being too cautious after what happened with Irene and Frank."
Bella shook her head. "No, you’re not. It’s smart to trust your gut. We can’t afford another—"
She didn’t get to finish. The door suddenly swung open and Melanie burst in, breathless and wide-eyed.
"Georgia!" she exclaimed, making both of us jump. "Is it true that your house burned down?!"
My heart skipped, and Bella’s jaw dropped as she scrambled to her feet.
"What?" Bella blurted. "Burned down?!"
I blinked at Melanie, trying to process her words. "Who told you that?" I asked carefully.
"Your boyfriend..." she said, catching her breath. "He’s in the lobby right now. We talked for a bit, and he mentioned it—that we need to find an operations manager fast so you can focus on rebuilding your house."
For a moment, I just sat there, speechless. It’s something I don’t want to discuss with others yet, but I am fine with them knowing about it.
I sighed softly, pressing a hand against my temple. Bella and Melanie exchanged glances, both waiting for me to say something.
"Yeah," I admitted with a small sigh, "it burned down last Monday night. He’s right though—we really do need to hire someone soon. Not just because I’ll need to focus on rebuilding the house, but also because..."
I lifted my hand and showed them my engagement ring.
Both Bella and Melanie gasped in unison before grabbing my hand, eyes wide with excitement.
"You’re getting married?!" Bella squealed.
I couldn’t help but smile and nod. The next second, they were practically screaming as they threw their arms around me.
"Oh my gosh, congratulations!" Melanie exclaimed. "I hope this one ends in an I do—unlike the last one."
We all burst out laughing. If only they knew that Nick and I were already legally married—they’d probably faint on the spot for keeping it a secret. Still, I was grateful that my engagement news had distracted them from asking about the fire. I wasn’t ready to talk about that. Not yet.
"Don’t worry, it will," I said with a confident grin. "And that’s why we need to find the right person for the job, fast. Bella, let’s reject all these and open new slots."
"Got it," Bella said, already stacking the resumes into a neat pile.
I glanced at Melanie, who was still staring at the documents on the table with a thoughtful frown. "What’s on your mind?" I asked gently.
"Uh, just something I’ve been wondering," she began. "You mentioned this morning that we’ll be merging with Knight Fleet Maritime. What happens to the operations manager we’re hiring once the merger goes through? That role won’t exist anymore since the company’s shifting to an in-house recruitment structure, right?"
"Good question," I said, impressed by her foresight. "The role will stay, just under a new title—Talent Acquisition Operations Manager. I actually offered that role to Bella first since she’s already the recruitment manager. It’s technically a promotion."
Bella smiled sheepishly. "And I turned it down. I’ve got a baby at home. A promotion means more work, and honestly, I want to enjoy this stage of my life."
"Then... can I apply for it?" Melanie asked suddenly.
Bella and I looked at each other, both surprised—then we smiled.
"Yes, absolutely!" I said, leaning forward. "But I have to ask—why the sudden interest?"
"Wait," she laughed. "Is this an interview already?"
We all chuckled before she continued more seriously. "I guess it’s time I stop playing it safe. I regretted not saying yes to David back then when he offered me the same role. Maybe if I did, things with Irene and Frank wouldn’t have gone downhill."
"Hey," I said softly, shaking my head, "don’t blame yourself. Everything that happened led us here for a reason. And because of that—congratulations, you’re hired."
Her eyes widened as I raised my hands in celebration before pulling her into a playful hug. Bella joined in, wrapping her arms around both of us.
"Congratulations!" Bella laughed. "And thank you for saving me from having to sort through another hundred resumes."
"Seriously, Melanie, I couldn’t be happier," I said sincerely. "You’ve been with this company longer than I have. You know every corner of this place. You deserve this promotion. And once we merge with Nick’s company, you’ll get a raise and better benefits—everyone will. It’s a relief knowing I can offer him a team I completely trust."
Melanie smiled, her eyes glistening slightly. "Thank you, Georgia. Now go—your Prince Charming’s waiting outside. We’ll lock up."
I grabbed my bag, still smiling as I left the office. And there he was, Nick, my man, leaning casually by the lobby, his eyes lighting up the moment he saw me.
"Why are you early?" I asked as I walked up to him.
"Dad called," he said, slipping his arm around my waist. "He wants everyone at the mansion tonight. Says he has an important announcement to make."
My steps faltered slightly. That house and Violet always made me uneasy.
Still, I smiled faintly, trying to mask the twist in my stomach. "An announcement, huh? This should be interesting."
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Author’s Note: 10/4/2025
From Oct. 5-14 I will only publish 2 Chapters per day since I will be out of the country. But don’t worry, I’ll make it up to you after that. I will be mass-releasing daily from Oct. 15 until the end of the month (3-4 Chapters daily or more).
Thank you all for your support!