Ready to Rule: The Real Heiress Strikes Back novel Chapter 77

Josef cleared his throat and spoke up, “Let me introduce everyone. This is our new company president, Ms. Norwood.”

The whole room froze.

The group that had just been gossiping stared at Lydia, completely thrown. “Josef, are you serious? She looks so young. She’s really the president?”

“Josef, you’re not joking, right?”

“Yeah, Josef, if this is a prank, April Fools’ was months ago.”

Lydia just raised an eyebrow and showed them her employee badge.

Silence hung in the air.

“President?” someone finally managed to say.

Lydia nodded, her gaze sweeping over the office. “Who’s the head of the design department?”

A woman who’d been fixing her makeup, tall and curvy in one of LYLX’s latest dresses, strutted out with a hint of attitude. “That would be me.”

Lydia took in her look, head to toe. “Your foundation is way too thick. It’s caking everywhere.”

The office fell completely silent.

She glared at Lydia, her anger barely contained. “You…”

Marissa’s face went stiff, like she was about to snap.

Lydia had already looked away, addressing the rest of the staff. “During work hours, I expect everyone to stay professional and focus on their jobs. Personal stuff can wait until before or after work.”

She turned to Josef. “Take me to the production department.”

The design department handled the creative side, designing all the clothes. The production department took care of actually making them, everything from sourcing materials to planning and quality checks. It was one of the most important parts of the company.

As Lydia and Josef stepped out of the design area, a young woman rushed toward them, carrying a tray loaded with coffee. Maybe she didn’t expect anyone to be coming out, or maybe she was just in a hurry, but she stumbled and nearly crashed right into Lydia.

In a split second, Lydia reached out and steadied the tray before it could hit the floor. She moved so fast that even Josef, who was standing right there, hardly saw what happened.