Chapter 2
The day after Independence Day, work finally slowed down, so many people began their vacations. Still, plenty of people were at their desks. Jessica was one of them.
Jessica didn’t let Joshua drop her off at the company entrance. After all, she was in Zachary’s car. If anyone saw her getting out of it, she would have no way to talk her way out of it.
She hopped out of his car a short distance from the company and snuck into a pharmacy to buy some morning -after pills. She wasn’t even sure if he had used protection, but she wasn’t taking any chances.
Just then, her phone rang. The caller was Derrick Quinton, Jessica’s boyfriend.
Her lips curled into a derisive smile when she read that disgusting name.
Jessica and Derrick had been together for five years, ever since they met at university. She was an academic overachiever who had skipped several grades, which was how she met Derrick, three years her senior.
Ever since she moved abroad with her mother two years ago, she and Derrick had been in a long-distance relationship. However, he hadn’t been able to stand the loneliness and ended up in bed with her best friend.
Jessica hadn’t confronted them, unwilling to waste her energy on petty skirmishes. Instead, she planned to go in for the kill with one decisive move.
She declined the call and was about to lock her screen when a Facebook friend request popped
“Zachary Jones sent you a friend request.”
She stood rooted to the spot, staring at it for several seconds, thinking that she must be seeing things. She wondered if he was adding her as her boss or as a friend with benefits. Gritting her teeth, she declined it.
Jessica was a fashion designer who had joined Jonest only a year ago. Aside from the creative director, she hardly interacted with any other executives. Jonest was the largest fashion company in Avelridge, with its reach extending across borders. A powerhouse like Zachary wasn’t someone she would typically encounter.
Last night had been an accident. He had shown up because the Independence Day fashion show had broken sales records.
She then received a message from Jonest’s design department. “Conference room meeting in
ten minutes.”
Jessica broke into a run toward the company.
Jessica ran into her best friend, Lilian Yandel, in the elevator.
“Jess, I thought you hated business suits. What’s with the skirt suit today?” Lilian, a fellow designer, gave her a quick once-over.
Jessica had never liked formal office attire. She played it cool and gently tugged at her outfit.” If I want my work to stand out, I had better show the goods up front.”
Lilian snorted, glanced at Jessica’s chest, and smacked her rear. “Whoever marries you is one lucky guy!”
“Ouch! That hurts!” Jessica cursed inwardly. Clenching her jaw, she didn’t make a single
sound.
The elevator doors were about to slide shut when a hand slipped in and stopped them. Joshua stepped aside to let Zachary, who was dressed head-to-toe in a sleek black bespoke suit, in. Jessica and Lilian hurriedly made room for them.
Jessica gulped hard. Zachary was now standing next to her, while Lilian stood in front of her.
She didn’t dare to look at him. She wasn’t sure if it was the cramped space or his commanding presence, but she suddenly found it hard to breathe. Color crept from the base of her ears to
her cheeks.
They were close enough to touch, yet she didn’t dare put some distance between them. She caught the subtle scent of sandalwood clinging to him-the same as last night—and it smelled so good…
Jessica bit her lip, forcing herself to stay calm and push last night from her mind.
At long last, the elevator stopped on the 28th floor, home to the design department, and
Jessica and Lilian dashed out.
“Jesus, that was so scary!” Lilian remarked, clutching her chest. “After dinner last night, I saw a woman in Mr. Jones’ car. I’m telling you, she had her arms around his neck and was kissing him fervently! And he didn’t push her away!
“Do you think our celibate boss finally caved?”
Jessica’s face flushed crimson. In the past, she was all ears for gossip, but now that it involved her, she was at a loss for words. “Is that so?”
“I texted Joshua for details, but his lips were sealed; he wouldn’t spill a thing!” Lillian grumbled as she clipped on her badge and tidied her notebook.
Ten minutes later, the team gathered in the conference room. The turnout was low because many people were on vacation. The meeting was intended to close out the recent show.
Eric Jakerman, the design department’s golden boy, kicked things off. He seemed confident and satisfied with how the event had gone. Word was that he had taken home the fattest bonus. For some reason, Jessica felt that the meeting was just his way of getting everyone to
butter him up.
In the end, his gaze landed on Jessica. “And of course, we have to thank Ms. Lockman. Her designs dominated this year’s collection and topped the sales charts!”
Jessica plastered a smile on her face. After hearing the same thing all night yesterday, she had no desire to sit through another round of it.
Eric was undeniably talented. Thanks to his sunny, free-spirited nature, he could handle things effortlessly, and everyone enjoyed working with him. Jessica, however, didn’t like him because he had a habit of dropping hints that he liked her, as though he were waiting for her to fall under his spell.
The meeting wound down soon after.
Just then, Joshua knocked on the conference room door. “Mr. Jones would like to see you in his office, Ms. Lockman.”
Silence fell over the room. Jessica, who had been dozing off in her chair, instantly felt dozens of eyes on her.
The CEO’s office was on the 30th floor. It was a level so exclusive that few employees had ever set foot there. Meetings were usually held on the 29th floor. The top floor was shrouded in mystery. It was a place everyone referred to as The Inferno.
Rumor had it that a director had walked out of the CEO’s office with a dislocated arm. The CEO’s previous assistant had left with a broken leg and was carried out on a stretcher. That was the reason Joshua, who was so young, wound up in that position.
“Any idea what this is about, Mr. Smith?” Eric immediately came to her defense.
All eyes locked on Joshua. Even though everyone knew he was unlikely to share anything, they still searched his eyes for answers.
“I have no idea.” Joshua was as tight-lipped as ever. It was impossible to get anything out of
him.
“Alright.” Jessica’s cheeks were rosy all morning, and she couldn’t stop picturing how untamed Zachary had been the night before.
“Ms. Lockman, you don’t look too good. Your face has been flushed all morning. Would you like to take the day off?” Eric was always this considerate with all his subordinates, so nobody thought anything of it.
“I’m okay. I’ll be right back. If I don’t make it back, consider the sketches in my office as my parting gift.” Jessica let out a sigh, gathered her meeting notes, and walked out of the
conference room.
She followed Joshua into the elevator. One couldn’t reach the 30th floor without facial recognition or an access key card, so almost no one ever made it up there. Joshua scanned his face, and the elevator began its slow climb.
“Since it’s just us, can you at least tell me why he wants to see me?” she inquired, puzzled.
“He didn’t say, but he seemed to be in a pretty good mood.”
Jessica sneered inwardly, thinking that it was expected. After last night, how could he not be?
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