My Husband Is a Million Years Old Vampire-Chapter 106

They had expected her to sit quietly, overwhelmed by the weight of her new position, relying on them to make the real decisions while she enjoyed the title. But it was obvious now that Valentina had no intention of being a puppet. frёewebnoѵēl.com

She want to oversee everything herself.

That realization alone was enough to sour their moods. But there was nothing they could do now. Not yet.

So they kept their expressions neutral, nodded stiffly at each other, and walked away.

At that moment Valentina returned to her office, settling into her chair. The weight of the morning’s events still lingered, but she didn’t let it distract her. There was still work to be done, and she wasn’t about to let anyone undermine her position.

Valentina had barely settled into her chair when her secretary, Harper, stepped into the office, looking slightly flustered. She hesitated at the doorway for a moment before clearing her throat.

"Ma’am, I—I completely forgot to inform you earlier," Harper admitted, her voice laced with regret. "As the new director, you’re supposed to have a team dinner today."

Valentina arched an eyebrow, leaning back slightly. "Team dinner?"

Harper nodded quickly, wringing her hands. "Yes, I just checked the schedule again. I should’ve told you earlier, but with everything happening today, it completely slipped my mind." She let out a small sigh, clearly frustrated with herself. "I’m really, really sorry, ma’am. It’s not an excuse, but I was juggling too many things today, and—"

Valentina held up a hand, stopping her mid-sentence. "It’s fine," she said calmly. "Just explain what it’s about."

Harper exhaled in relief before continuing. "It’s a tradition, especially for directors and senior management. Every time a new director comes in, they host a team dinner to formally meet and interact with their top employees, including managers and team leaders. It’s more of a way to build relationships outside of the office setting and establish rapport with the people working directly under you."

Valentina’s lips pressed together in thought. She wasn’t against the idea, but she would’ve appreciated knowing about it earlier instead of at the last minute.

"And I assume I’ll be hosting?" she asked.

Harper nodded. "Yes, ma’am. Since you hold the highest position here, it’ll be your responsibility to organize and lead the dinner."

Valentina let out a quiet sigh, her fingers tapping against the desk. She could already tell this was going to be another long evening.

Valentina exhaled softly, nodding as she straightened in her chair. "Alright, no problem," she said, her tone even. "Go ahead and make the necessary arrangements. Since it’s supposed to be today, I’d rather get it done and out of the way. Some of the staff might already be expecting it."

Harper’s face lit up with relief. "Thank you, ma’am. I’ll book the usual restaurant we use for these events and notify the staff immediately."

Valentina gave a slight nod, already shifting her attention back to the documents on her desk. "Good. Make sure everything is set up properly."

Harper hesitated for a second before stepping forward slightly. "Also, I just wanted to say... thank you, ma’am. I really appreciate your patience. I know I should have informed you earlier, and I feel terrible about it."

Valentina glanced up, studying her for a moment before offering a small, reassuring smile. "It’s fine, Harper. Just make sure this doesn’t happen again."

Harper bowed her head quickly. "Yes, ma’am! I’ll get right on it."

With that, she turned and hurried out of the office, eager to handle the arrangements.

Valentina leaned back in her chair, her fingers tapping lightly against the armrest as her thoughts grew heavier. She exhaled slowly, staring at the documents on her desk, but her mind was far from work.

She didn’t want to call Raymond. Asking him for help was the last thing she wanted, especially over something as minor as a team dinner. She had always been independent—always found a way to handle things on her own.

Then, her mind drifted to the money. The $200,000 she had set aside. The same money Raymond had refused to take back.

She had barely touched it.

Back when she went to buy Amanda’s remembrance items, the store owner had unexpectedly refused to let her pay, and since then, the money had remained untouched.

Her eyes darkened slightly as she made her decision. She would use part of it. It was more than enough to handle the team dinner, and she wouldn’t have to involve Raymond.

Yes. That was what she would do.

The atmosphere in the restaurant was warm and lively, with the staff of Sterling Design engaged in conversations, laughter, and light chatter. The dinner had been planned on short notice, yet it was clear that everyone was enjoying themselves. Valentina observed them quietly, satisfied that the team was getting along well.

As soon as she arrived, the employees stood up respectfully, greeting her politely. Some of them smiled, while others merely nodded, unsure of how to interact with their new director. She acknowledged them with a polite nod before gracefully taking her seat at the head of the table.

Shortly after, the waiters arrived, moving efficiently as they placed food menus in front of each person. Valentina took hers, her fingers gliding over the sleek laminated surface before she flipped it open. Her eyes scanned through the menu, taking in the dishes and their respective prices.

To her relief, the prices were reasonable—far cheaper than she had expected. From her quick mental calculation, even if everyone at the table indulged in the most expensive dishes and ordered in excess, the total bill shouldn’t exceed $80,000. At most, she estimated it to be around $50,000, which was well within her budget.

She took a deep breath, feeling a sense of ease wash over her. She wouldn’t need to call Raymond for help. The money she had set aside—the $200,000 that Raymond had refused to take back—was more than enough. Since she had also saved money during Amanda’s remembrance event, this dinner wouldn’t be an issue.

With that assurance in mind, she closed the menu and set it aside.

The dinner continued smoothly, and as the evening progressed, the team grew more comfortable around her. Some of them began talking to her directly, engaging in casual work-related discussions, while others remained more reserved. The two managers, Hudson and Camille, interacted the least, their expressions unreadable. Valentina could tell they were still digesting the outcome of today’s earlier events, but she chose to ignore them for now.

The food was served, and everyone ate heartily. Valentina, who had been somewhat tense all day, allowed herself to relax, even enjoying the meal. The moment was light, simple, and precisely what the team needed to build rapport.

But then—

A waiter walked over, holding a small leather folder. With a professional smile, he placed it in front of Valentina.

"The total bill, ma’am," he said politely before stepping aside.

Valentina casually reached for the folder and opened it.

The moment her eyes landed on the amount, her breath caught in her throat.

$1,000,000.

Her fingers clenched around the bill.

Her heart pounded, her mind racing.

How in the world was this possible?