Chapter 3

"Didn’t I tell you he has a bit of a temper? Didn’t I tell you not to take anything he says personally? Since when did you stop listening?" the Director snapped the moment Emery stepped into his office.

He had warned her that the CEO had a temper, but what she saw upstairs was far worse than "a bit." That man had a serious anger problem. All she did was ask a simple question.

"Now look at what you've done! Your job could be on the line because of this."

Anyone who knew Ethan Wensley would panic for Emery right now. Madran Laga, the Director, couldn’t hide his frustration.

Emery was one of the most hardworking employees in the department. Her attention to detail and careful work even outshined the project manager’s.

Since she joined Cosmic Enterprise as the assistant project manager, the team had stopped having delays and mistakes.

Every project under her watch had been finished smoothly. She had become her manager’s right hand and always made sure nothing was overlooked. Her sharp eyes often caught small errors before they became big problems.

As the department head, Mr. Laga had been planning to promote her. Move Mr. Thomas to another branch and make Emery the new project manager.

But after today’s mess, that plan might be ruined. On her first meeting with the CEO, she had landed straight into his bad books.

Emery stood there quietly, staring at the floor. She didn’t know what to say. No one had told her she couldn’t ask questions.

Maybe this was just how her luck turned out. She thought about apologizing, but Joan had warned her it would only make things worse.

Her heart sank. Maybe her time at Cosmic Enterprise was over. She would return to her office, update her resume, and wait for the termination letter. Life was too unpredictable to waste time crying.

"I’m sorry, sir," she said softly.

The Director rubbed his head and let out a sigh. His voice lowered. "Whatever happens, it’s not the end of the world. You’re talented. You’ll find your way again."

He wanted to help her, but there was nothing he could do. If he tried to defend her to the CEO, he might lose his own job.

"It’s alright, sir," she said, trying to keep her emotions hidden even though she felt like breaking inside.

"You can go now."

When she got back to her office, Joan rushed toward her. But when she saw the look on Emery’s face, she stopped. There was no need to ask. Things had gone exactly as she feared.

"I'm so sorry, Ms. Collins."

"It's okay, Joan. We learn every day, and today I’ve learned a new lesson."

Emery walked over to her desk and sat down. She glanced at the reports in front of her, then pushed them aside. Mr. Thomas could submit them whenever he returned.

Time seemed to move slowly, maybe because of her mood. She couldn’t focus on work and didn’t feel like talking to anyone.

The news about what happened had already spread across the company. Wherever she went, people looked at her with pity in their eyes.

Finally, the workday ended. She quickly packed her things and left the office before the rest of the staff started leaving. She didn’t want to deal with their sympathetic stares.

At home, she dropped her bag on the sofa and went straight to her bedroom. She sat on the edge of the bed for a while, then headed to the kitchen. After searching through the fridge, she grabbed a jar of milk.

Slowly, she made a small pastry, took it to the dining table, and ate in silence. When she was done, she returned to her room and freshened up in the bathroom.

She changed into her sleepwear, even though it was still too early to sleep. Then she laid down and stared blankly at the ceiling.

She never would’ve believed that asking one simple question could cost her job.

Who does the CEO think he is? Just because he runs the biggest IT company in the country, does that mean he can treat people like dirt?

She looked at her arm where the vase had hit her. It was still a little swollen, even though she had put some ointment on it earlier.

She felt terrible, and worst of all, there was no one to talk to. Neil was visiting her boyfriend and wouldn’t be back that night.

For a long time, she had forgotten how alone she really was. No parents. No siblings. No relatives.

The family she once had died years ago, and the people she later called family had betrayed her without a second thought.

She had trained herself to be tough and fearless, but now she was starting to wonder. Can I really handle life on my own?

She got out of bed, opened her laptop, and pulled up her resume. After making a few changes, she closed the computer.

Silently, she returned to bed, started counting numbers in her head, and before she knew it, she drifted off to sleep.

A private room

“Stop! Please, you’re hurting me!” the woman cried, her voice shaky and scared.

But Ethan didn’t stop. His mind was somewhere else. Far, dark, and angry.

“I paid you, didn’t I? You came to me on your own,” he snapped, moving rough and cold.

Her hands were tied, and her eyes were blindfolded. What she thought would be something fun had turned into something terrifying.

"She stopped begging. Deep down, she knew he wasn’t wrong. She had agreed to come, asked for payment, and he had paid in full. But this wasn’t what she expected at all."

When it was finally over, Ethan left her without a word. He tossed a pile of cash onto the bed like it meant nothing. “Extra,” he muttered, walking away.

In the bathroom, he stood in front of the mirror, staring at himself.

“When will this end?” he whispered to his own reflection. “I’m tired. So tired.”

When he returned to the room, the woman was already gone.

“Bitches,” he said under his breath, his face emotionless.

It was late at night, but the elderly Mr. and Mrs. Wensley were still wide awake. At their age, they should have been resting, but their grandson wouldn’t let them.

Ethan had returned to the country just the day before after being away for four years. They had hoped time would change him. But clearly, it hadn’t.

Suddenly, the front door swung open and Ethan walked in. He glanced at his grandparents sitting in the living room, gave them a cold greeting, and headed for his room.

“What’s the meaning of this, Ethan? Do you want to kill us with worry?” the old man shouted, clearly angry.

Ethan stopped in his tracks. His face darkened.

“How can you leave in the morning and come back this late at night?” his grandmother scolded, pointing at him.

“Look at the time! What kind of responsible young man stays out this late?”

“You have one week to bring home a woman you’ll marry and prove that you’re changing,” the old man said firmly. “If not, I’ll rewrite my will and hand over the family businesses to your cousin Bryan. He’s just as capable of running things.”

“It hasn’t come to that, Father,” Robert said quickly, stepping in to defend his son.

“You know I don’t make empty threats,” the old man replied. “One week. That’s all. After that, I’ll take action.” He gave Robert a hard glare, then walked out of the room.

“Mother…” Robert turned to his mother, hoping she’d support him.

“Don’t forget, Robert, you failed him. Will your son do the same?” she said sadly before leaving the room too.

“Ethan, can we just—”

But before Robert could finish, Ethan had already walked off. There was no way he’d spend another night in that house. He would move back to his own place the next day.

“Don’t let Bryan take over, son! Please!” his mother called out, running after him.

Ethan turned and looked at her.

“Only over my dead body,” he said quietly, then turned and walked to his bedroom.