And the way she framed it only improved her image further.

By saying she wanted to work without using her family’s influence, she subtly painted herself as someone humble and grounded, someone who didn’t wish to be sheltered by an overprotective older brother who simply wanted her to enjoy a carefree life.

Instead, she presented herself as a young woman secretly applying to her own family’s company in order to experience the real working world firsthand, willing to be treated no differently from everyone else.

Naturally, that kind of story was easy to admire.

To the employees, it would earn sympathy and respect, perhaps even admiration. And Ophelia knew that very well.

If she succeeded in building a good reputation within the company, those favorable impressions could later become useful tools, whether to subtly drive a wedge between Apollo and Ashley, or at the very least, prove that she was far more capable and refined than the so-called country bumpkin Ashley.

The head of the HR department had considered all of this carefully. Truthfully, Ophelia’s sudden request to join the company came at the worst possible time, especially with the quarter nearing its close and every department already overwhelmed with work.

But at the same time, he saw no real reason to reject such a simple request. She wasn’t asking to be parachuted into an important position that could disrupt operations or affect company decisions.

As an intern, her presence would hardly create any trouble, so allowing it seemed harmless enough.

As for the woman who brought Ashley in, she was merely an ordinary HR employee already drowning in her own workload. Since Ophelia’s entry had been arranged so abruptly, the department had only managed to hastily prepare a small workstation in the corner of the Sales and Marketing office.

It had previously been nothing more than a spare desk where urgent documents were piled for temporary review. Someone had quickly cleared and reorganized the stacks, placed an unused computer there, and added a chair to make it look presentable enough for a new intern.

That was the extent of the preparation.

Everyone was simply too busy to properly handle the onboarding. So the remaining orientation duties were left to the other interns, who had already completed theirs.

Since Ophelia had supposedly just arrived, the assumption was that she would spend her time doing simple tasks like printing documents, running errands, and observing workflows like every other intern.

The work assigned to interns was light and straightforward anyway, so there was no need for special attention.

That was why the HR employee had merely led Ashley there, given a few rushed instructions, and left immediately afterward to return to her mountain of unfinished work.

But in truth, the woman from HR couldn’t be entirely blamed for mistaking Ashley for Ophelia. The misunderstanding had been built from a series of assumptions that, from her perspective, made perfect sense.

Because the HR department head had agreed to keep Ophelia’s internship a secret, for now, at least, so Apollo wouldn’t immediately learn about it, he had only given vague instructions.

All he mentioned was that the new intern came from an excellent background and should be handled discreetly. Beyond that, he casually described her as someone exceptionally beautiful and elegant, the type who would naturally stand out in a crowd.

And the HR employee, despite her rushed state, had a surprisingly sharp eye for luxury.

The moment she entered the lobby, Ashley immediately drew her attention. The understated Bottega Veneta Madison bag on her arm alone was enough to reveal wealth to anyone knowledgeable enough to recognize it, despite its subtle appearance.

Combined with Ashley’s refined bearing, elegant posture, and carefully chosen outfit that whispered old-money sophistication instead of flaunting logos, she perfectly matched the image the department head had described.

More importantly, among all the women in the lobby, Ashley stood out the most.

And to complete the misunderstanding, Ashley herself had been standing quietly to the side as though waiting for someone to fetch her.

So naturally, the HR employee approached her without hesitation, completely convinced she had found the right person.

And perhaps, even if Ophelia had been standing right beside Ashley at that moment, the HR employee might still have made the exact same mistake. The difference between the two was simply too obvious once they were placed side by side.

One carried herself like someone born into generations of refinement; the other looked like someone trying too hard to prove her status.

It wasn’t merely about beauty or clothing; it was in their bearing, the unconscious grace in the way they moved, spoke, and presented themselves.

Ashley possessed the quiet composure of someone raised within an aristocratic environment, as though etiquette and restraint had long been woven into her instincts. Ophelia, meanwhile, leaned toward the flashy side of luxury, draping herself in recognizable designer brands as if afraid others might fail to notice her wealth otherwise.

That was the clearest difference between nouveau riche and old money.

Those desperate to display status often relied on loud labels and obvious extravagance, while families with true generational wealth valued exclusivity, craftsmanship, and subtlety above all else.

They didn’t need to announce what they possessed; their confidence alone spoke for them.

And the HR employee, having worked with countless people over the years, had long since learned to distinguish between the two at a glance.

Which was precisely why she had confidently mistaken Ashley for the mysterious "young lady" the department head described. Even if given another chance, she likely would have fallen into the same misunderstanding all over again.

Now that Ashley had been mistakenly led to the Sales and Marketing department while Ophelia was being escorted toward the CEO’s office instead, the misunderstanding only deepened.

Ashley barely had the chance to explain herself. The moment she was left standing near the entrance of the busy office floor, surrounded by employees rushing around like worker bees trying to meet their deadlines, one of the interns immediately noticed her arrival.

A cheerful young woman around Ashley’s age hurried over with bright eyes and an eager smile.

"Hello! I’m Lily!" she introduced enthusiastically. "I’m 20 years old and also an intern here. I’ve been with the company for about two weeks now. I heard the HR head telling our team leader that we’d be receiving a new intern today. Are you her?"

Before Ashley could even answer, Lily had already stepped closer, excitement practically radiating off her.

"Come on! I’ll show you your desk! I even cleaned it for you!"

Without waiting for a response, Lily grabbed Ashley by the arm and began pulling her along. It wasn’t difficult to guess why she was being so friendly. Lily simply liked attractive people regardless of gender, and the moment she saw Ashley, she had already taken a liking to her. 𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖

Seeing how enthusiastic Lily was, Ashley found herself unable to ruin the girl’s excitement, so she reluctantly allowed herself to be dragged along.

Soon, she was brought to her supposed "new workstation", a simple corner desk that lacked any real decoration, though it had at least been cleaned neatly.

Lily practically pushed her into the chair with excitement before hurrying to turn on the computer for her, bustling around as if she had personally taken responsibility for Ashley’s first day.