Chapter 2
After a quiet weekend, Monday morning rolled around, and Freya arrived at work on schedule.
She handled her usual tasks, including notifying Jasper about his upcoming meeting, Approaching his office, the glanced through the partially open door and stopped cold.
Mia was sitting in Jasper’s lap, feeding him the other half of her cookie. The famously germaphobic CEO actually ate it with a smile, then gently kissed her fingertips.
“You were talking about craving these yesterday, so I stood in line for three hours this morning Worth it?” His voice had a tenderness Freya had never heard before.
“Mmm, they’re perfect–sweet but not sickeningly so. You used to trek across town for these all the time. Now you’re literally running a corporation. Can’t you just send someone to get them? Mia wiggled her foot as he massaged her
ankle.
The look on Jasper’s face was pure devotion. “Anything that matters to you, I handle myself. Always.”
Mia’s face lit up as she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him. He pulled her closer, completely lost in
the moment.
Watching them, Freya felt like she’d been punched in the chest, a bitter ache spreading through her. Her fingernails dug deep into her palms, leaving bloody crescents behind.
As the meeting time approached, Freya composed herself and knocked lightly.
“Mr. Whitemore, your meeting’s about to start.”
Hearing her, Jasper tensed slightly and started to rise, but Mia tugged him back down.
“Don’t go yet. Five more minutes?” She gave him puppy–dog eyes.
Her playful plea melted his resolve instantly.
“Push the meeting back two hours,” he called out.
This meeting involved a collaboration between major New York corporations that was crucial to the company’s future. Freya knew its importance and couldn’t help adding:
“The CEOs from Verdean, Aurex, and Vireon are already in the conference room…”
“God, Jasper, your assistant is such a buzzkill! Can’t she take a hint?” Mia rolled her eyes dramatically.
Jasper’s expression hardened instantly. “I said postpone it two hours. Nothing comes before Mia, got it?”
Freya felt like she couldn’t breathe. In the end, she simply closed the door and walked away.
Everyone in their circle knew Jasper was a workaholic machine. No matter what was happening personally–even
4.3%
Chapter 2
right after surgery–he’d drag himself in to finish his work
Yet here he was, risking relationships with major partners because of a little whining. This was completely new
territory.
Did he really love Mia that much?
Freya pulled herself together and walked into the conference room to face the waiting executives.
The Whitemore empire was powerful enough that these CEOs, despite being pissed, wouldn’t directly criticize Jasper. Instead, they unloaded on Freya.
She took their verbal abuse silently, head down.
After an excruciating two hour wait, Jasper finally showed up. As Freya left the conference room on legs that felt like jelly, Mia called out to her.
“You’re Freya, right? Jasper says you make killer coffee. Everyone looks dead on their feet–whip up some for the whole floor? Mine with ice, no sugar.”
Knowing her place in the hierarchy, Freya headed to the break room without protest.
Two hours later, she finished preparing over four hundred cups, delivering them one by one.
After just one sip, Mia’s face darkened. She hurled her mug straight at Freya’s head.
The ceramic smashed against Freya’s forehead, opening a nasty gash. She let out a gasp of pain and dropped to the floor, clutching her wound.
Not satisfied, Mia grabbed more mugs and kept throwing them.
Bruises bloomed across Freya’s body as ceramic shards sliced her skin. Coffee soaked through her clothes, mixing with bright red blood dripping onto the floor.
Despite the blinding pain, she could only curl into a ball, protecting her head and chest.
The office went dead silent. Nobody dared step in as Mia continued her meltdown. They all kept their distance, watching in horror.
The commotion brought Jasper out of his office. He surveyed the chaos and Freya’s crumpled form with narrowed
eyes.
“What the hell happened?”
Seeing him, Mia instantly switched to victim mode. “Jasper, I asked her to make me coffee. I’m on my period, and she deliberately put ice in it. My cramps are killing me now.”
Seeing her teary eyes, Jasper’s face darkened immediately.
“You’ve worked for me for four years and can’t handle a simple coffee order? Or do you have some problem with
5.8%
Chapter 2
Mia?”
Freya raised her deathly pale face to explain, but he didn’t give her the chance. He called over another assistant.
“Dock her entire month’s salary and quarterly bonus. Send a company–wide notice and have her make a public apology at next week’s all–hands.”
With that, Jasper draped his jacket over Mia’s shoulders and led her away.
