Bound by the Past, Locked by the Heart novel Chapter 303

During the afternoon meeting, the editor-in-chief announced the team members for the Vanguard Properties editorial project.

Willa was appointed the lead, assigned two assistants. One was Chloe Marshall, a recent graduate who was hardworking but lacked experience.

The other was Florence Miller, a five-year veteran at the company with rock-solid professional skills, though her cold demeanor made her notoriously difficult to work with.

"Willa, the company places a high priority on this project, so I need you to oversee the big picture," the editor-in-chief said, meeting her eyes before deliberately adding, "If you run into any difficulties along the way, come to me immediately."

Willa nodded in agreement.

After the meeting adjourned, Florence walked over to her desk and dropped a stack of documents in front of her, her tone entirely neutral.

"These are the background files and network connections for Vanguard's core shareholders. Familiarize yourself with them. If you're unsure about anything, ask me."

Willa flipped through the pages. The information was meticulously organized; it was obvious a lot of effort had gone into it.

"Thank you, Florence. I appreciate the hard work."

Florence gave a faint hum of acknowledgment and walked away without engaging in any small talk.

Chloe leaned in and whispered a warning. "Willa, Florence has a bit of a weird temper. She hates small talk, so you just have to bear with her."

Willa offered a gentle smile. "It's fine. We're just colleagues working together. As long as everyone does their job and the workflow is smooth, that's all that matters."

Chloe nodded and obediently walked away, hugging her laptop.

Willa lowered her head and carefully reviewed the files, feeling a flicker of surprise.

Vanguard Properties' shareholder structure was far more convoluted than she had anticipated. The Sterling Family held nearly thirty percent of the shares, making them the largest stakeholder.

Julian York himself only held fifteen percent, while the remainder was scattered among numerous minor shareholders.

The roots were deeply entangled, weaving a complex web of conflicting interests.

Her finger paused when her eyes landed on a specific name.

Silas Zeller.

She stared at it in a daze for a moment, convinced she had seen the name somewhere before, though she couldn't quite place it.

"Was work exhausting today?" Randal's voice pulled her back to reality.

"It was fine."

"The editor-in-chief put you in charge of the Vanguard project?"

Willa arched an eyebrow at him, her tone carrying a hint of amusement. "You're exceptionally well-informed, aren't you?"

Randal let out a soft chuckle. "The two partners assigned to you—you can trust them completely."

Willa's brows furrowed instantly, her expression cooling. "Randal, did you plant spies in my company?"

His expression instantly stiffened, his tone clearly lacking confidence. "No... I just ask about how you're doing from time to time."

A faint, mocking smile tugged at her lips. "Randal, you really never change."

"That's not it..." Randal opened his mouth to defend himself, but his voice trailed off. "I was just... worried about you."

Seeing him look so guilty and utterly terrified to talk back, the urge to mock him suddenly faded from Willa's heart.