Chapter 123: Lunchtime buzzed with gossip. Employees eagerly exchanged whispers and the latest office dramas.

"What do you think of the new boss?" one employee wondered. "What's her story? How did she manage to catch Mr. Lloyd's attention?"

"I heard Mr. Lloyd had to invite her several times before she finally agreed to join," another replied.

Just then, Marc's phone buzzed. A new message: "Use whatever method you need to get Allison out of the company. Once you do, a rich reward awaits you, plus the opportunity to join the Stevens Group."

The message, from Melany, included an extensive dossier. Marc remembered Melany from years ago, when she'd attempted to bribe him to steal information from Charisma. It had been easy, so why not do it again? He'd already planned Allison's dismissal, even without Melany's request. Allison seemed manipulative and, in his opinion, inferior. He was sure she'd seduced Mr. Lloyd. A smug smile spread across his face. He lazily typed, "Don't worry, Miss Johnson. Consider it done."

He glanced at his colleagues, noting their mixed expressions, and adjusted his glasses. "I heard our new boss has a questionable past," he began, "You remember Miss Johnson, who arrived today? No wonder she harbors so much animosity toward Allison. After all, Allison stole Miss Johnson's fiancé—Mr. Stevens!" He leaned closer, conspiratorially. "I have solid information that Ms. Johnson and Mr. Stevens were childhood sweethearts. She probably fled abroad out of frustration."

A voice interjected nonchalantly, "Well, in the end, true love always finds a way."

Marc shook his head. "The worst part? Allison and Mr. Stevens just broke up, and now she's with Mr. Lloyd! But the Lloyd family is incredibly prestigious; it's not easy to enter their circle."

Everyone was so engrossed in the gossip that lunch was forgotten. Office life was usually mundane; juicy rumors were a welcome distraction. Marc's revelation sparked a significant realization. Kellan Lloyd was the heir, and needed a spouse of equal status.

"Exactly," someone said. "There's no way the Lloyd family would accept an orphan as their mistress."

"Right, and Miss Clarke is divorced. It's probably just a fling."

"Yes, if she stumbles, she'll be the first to go!"

The small group, previously reprimanded that morning, felt a sense of satisfaction. They began plotting to make Allison's life miserable.

Encouraged by Melany's promised reward, Marc escalated his plan, spreading rumors throughout the company within three days. Even the cleaning staff knew. During work hours, everyone focused on their tasks, but at mealtimes, they intentionally avoided Allison. "People like her," someone muttered, "You have to remind her of her place!"

However, after a day or two, they noticed Allison seemed blissfully unaware. She dedicated herself to her work, seemingly oblivious to their silent rejection. But the rumors grew darker. Aimee overheard two men on the stairs saying, "I wonder how our Miss Clarke managed to land in Mr. Lloyd's bed." Aimee hesitated, then walked into the lab during lunchtime. She found Allison engrossed in an experiment, a wave of sadness washing over her.

Allison, a shareholder, exceptionally qualified, and the current champion of the Perfume Contest, was being treated like trash. Aimee, having faced workplace slander herself, felt empathy.

"Miss Clarke, I'm sorry to interrupt," she said. Allison turned to see Aimee, head down, on the verge of tears. "What's wrong? Are you worried about something?"

Before Allison could respond, Aimee blurted out everything that had happened in the past few days. Her voice trembled with emotion. "Those people are incredible. If they're jealous, they should admit it instead of whispering. It's so unfair."

Allison felt a mixture of gratitude and amusement. She patted Aimee's shoulder gently. "Those kinds of people aren't worth your energy. But I really appreciate you sharing this with me. Keep an eye on them, will you? I've been wanting to watch their antics for a while."

This was a perfect opportunity to catch the troublemakers off guard. "After all," Allison said, her voice steely, "I won't tolerate any nonsense in the lab I supervise."

Aimee's heart warmed. "Okay, I'll keep a close eye on them," she said firmly. Allison smiled at Aimee's determination. Aimee's emotions were transparent, but she seemed to be holding something back.