Chapter 2011 - Secret Audit (2)

While walking out of the conference room, Chloe didn't take the coffee cup Noah gave her previously, so he took both his and hers.

Chloe followed Noah in silence down the hallway, into the elevator, and up to the top floor.

Noah opened the door and entered the office while Chloe stood at the doorway and observed the new surrounding.

It was a big corner office with an executive desk close to the massive windows. There was a second smaller desk and a sitting area, and leafy plants in the corners. The overall décor was modern, and the view from the windows was amazing. Chloe could see a big park with a lake in the middle, but she reminded herself that this is not an office tour and that she should act professionally.

"Close the door behind you…", Noah said, and Chloe obeyed.

Noah gestured toward the wall on the right. "If you need to use the washroom, you can use that one."

Next, he pointed toward a smaller desk that was on the left from the executive desk. "This will be your workstation."

Chloe frowned in confusion. Is she supposed to work from here? Whose office is this, anyway? "My workstation?"

"Secrecy, remember? You can't do an audit in your current workplace without people snooping around to see what you are doing. Just by not taking tasks from your current manager will make them curious and that might put you in an awkward situation."

Chloe nodded faintly and walked to the desk. It had a computer, phone, and a laptop, and a thick gray folder.

Noah pointed at the gray folder. "Here, you will find expenses that are allowed for each department, broken down per role, as well as quarterly budgets. Familiarize yourself with this first."

He handed Chloe an employee badge that was similar to the one she has as an employee of Blanc, but this one was white, and her current one was blue.

Every badge has an embedded chip, and it can be inserted into any of the computers that are customized for Blanc. The device will read the information from the chip and after the employee enters his (or her) password, the corresponding profile will be open. The badges are also used to open the doors to secure areas and to operate the elevators.

"This will give you clearance to access information across the departments.", Noah explained when he saw that Chloe was examining her new employee badge.

"Why a new badge? Couldn't you just add permissions to my current one?"

Noah hummed in agreement. "True. But the white one also means that you can come to the top floor and enter this office." He extended his hand, palm up. "You won't need the blue one going forward."

Chloe detached from her lanyard the blue badge and gave it to Noah.

"Whose office is this?", Chloe asked while attaching the white badge to her lanyard.

"Mine."

'I should have known…', Chloe thought and sat on the chair. This chair was made from soft leather and it was wider than the one in her cubicle.

Matilda said how Noah does not come to this building, but a man of his position probably has an office waiting for him.

'He is here to get me started with this audit business', Chloe thought.

Chloe imagined herself coming here daily and working on her own. As much as it gives some prestige, she will be lonely without seeing any coworkers. But there is a cozy-looking sofa in the sitting area, so maybe she can work from there with her laptop… or take a nap. She suppressed the nap idea. It would be a disaster if someone catches her dozing off during work hours.

While on the topic of work, Chloe had her concerns. How will she ask Noah questions? Will she be on the phone with him frequently? She couldn't imagine that a busy man like Noah will be available to hold her hand through this assignment, and she was getting nervous.

Her anxiety swelled when she thought about the consequences of others finding out that she is working from here. The gossip will be unimaginable.

Thinking about gossip, Chloe remembered Matilda. Oh, God… Matilda will give her an earful. Chloe working from the office of director Bennet will be big news, and it won't matter if Noah comes here once a year or is always present. Matilda appears to be a good person who does not mean harm but who knows what other employees will be whispering behind Chloe's back? But she can't reject this task because of some gossip. Is rejection even an option?

Chloe saw that Noah placed the coffee cup in front of her.

"I thought you might want your coffee."

"Thanks…", she accepted it and took a sip of now cold coffee.

"I didn't know how you like it…"

"It's fine.", Chloe interrupted him. It was cold and dark and bitter, and she likes her coffee warm with cream and sugar, but she didn't want to complain.

Chloe was about to open the folder, but Noah was standing right there and observing her keenly. His expression was unreadable, but it seemed that he was reading her perfectly. Did he figure out that she lied about the coffee? Not possible, right?

She looked up at him and blinked. "Anything else?"

Noah shook his head. "Not at this point."

He turned to walk to his chair behind the executive desk, and she heard him say: "Fourth door on the right is the kitchen. You can make yourself another coffee."

Chloe found herself in a predicament. If she goes to get another coffee, that will be admitting how something is wrong with the one he gave her. She thought of keeping the coffee on the side and dumping it when Noah is not looking, but now that he said this, how can she do that? Chloe swallowed her grievances and made her peace that she will finish the beverage in front of her. There is no way that she will risk aggravating the man who seems to be capable of reading minds. Not to mention that he can fire her without blinking. She already messed up by being late, and now is not the time to stir up more trouble.

Noah was amused by Chloe's reaction. She was calm and took everything without complaints even though Eve-lens told him that she was an emotional mess.

He powered up the laptop on his desk and started going through his emails. This is the first time that he allowed his deputies to handle the Amy of Chaos while he is away. Well, he is not really away but he is not there in person either. Noah gave them a certain autonomy, and he expected them to submit daily reports and to let him know immediately if they find anything suspicious. Currently, things are calm, and other than regular trainings and other daily activities, there is not much going on, but they can't relax because someone might attack them.

Noah glanced at the woman who was completely focused on the files in front of her and his lips lifted into a smile.

The chat with Aiden reminded Noah that he needs to spend time with Chloe if he wants to get some answers.

Noah was not sure what's going on between him and Chloe, and if there is anything at all. But he was ready to keep her close until he figures it out. That is why he came up with this super-secretive (and unnecessary) financial audit.

Noah normally does not concern himself with the administrative side of Blanc, as his focus is on the Army of Chaos. But Sarah said that he can manage people without her inputs and technically his position is above everyone here, so he will take advantage of that this time.

Ah, it's good to be the boss!

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