After some time, Liam hung up the phone, his expression unreadable.
"Who was that?" I asked, my voice laced with concern.
"Just a friend," he replied flatly.
I narrowed my eyes. "Liam, tell me the serious thing already. I need to get back to the office."
He hesitated for a moment before exhaling. "It was just wrong information."
Wrong information? Then why did he look like he was hiding something?
Before I could push further, my phone rang. The number was unknown. My stomach twisted as I hesitantly answered.
"Ms. Jessica, you have exactly 20 minutes before you're fired."
My breath caught in my throat. "Who is this? What do you mean?"
A chuckle came through the receiver, cold and detached. "I'm Mike. And Mr. Jason doesn't tolerate lazy assistants who disappear without permission. Let me repeat—18 minutes left."
Fear spiked through me. My second day, and I was already about to be fired?
I hung up and grabbed my bag in a panic.
"Sis, what's wrong?" Liam frowned, stepping toward me.
I didn't answer. There was no time. I bolted for the door.
"Jessica!" he called after me.
Mia appeared in the hallway, her brows furrowed. "Sis, what the heck is going on?"
"Fifteen minutes!" I blurted before sprinting outside.
Liam shouted something behind me, but I was already diving into a taxi. "MECH Corporation, fast!" I urged the driver.
The ride felt like an eternity, even though it was barely a few minutes. My heart pounded, my fingers gripping my bag so tightly my knuckles turned white.
The moment the car stopped, I threw cash at the driver and dashed into the building, nearly crashing into the revolving doors.
I ignored the curious stares from employees as I sprinted toward Jason's office, my heels clicking against the floor. My lungs burned, but I didn't slow down.
Finally, I reached the door. Without even catching my breath, I knocked once and pushed it open.
Jason was inside, dressed in a perfectly tailored coat, his sharp eyes barely flicking toward me. Mike stood beside him, his expression smug as he took in my disheveled state.
"Mr. Jason," I gasped, trying to steady my breathing.
Jason leaned back in his chair, his fingers tapping against the desk. "You're seconds late," he said coldly, still not looking at me.
I swallowed hard. "I—I'm sorry, Mr. Jason. There was a family issue I had to take care of."
Mike let out a disapproving sigh. "Ms. Jessica, this is not your personal company where you can come and go as you please during working hours."
I opened my mouth to argue, but Jason cut in. His voice was calm, but there was an unmistakable sharpness in it.
"I have a meeting in an hour. Be ready."
I exhaled in relief. Maybe I wasn't fired—
Mike leaned in slightly, whispering just loud enough for me to hear, "You're fired." His smirk made my stomach drop.
But then Jason's voice rang through the room.
"It's for you," he said, finally meeting my eyes.
My breath hitched.
What did he mean?
For me?
Mike looked completely stunned, as if he couldn't believe what had just happened.
I wasn't fired.
"I'm on it," I said quickly, stepping out of the office before he could say anything else.
Settling at my desk, I started preparing everything for the upcoming meeting. My hands moved on autopilot, flipping through documents, checking details—but my mind was still spinning.
Why hadn't Jason fired me?
I shook my head, pushing the thought away. There was no time to dwell on it.
But then my stomach churned uncomfortably. Ugh. The stress must be getting to me.
I stood up and made my way to the restroom.
The moment I stepped inside, I heard voices.
Two women were talking, their conversation echoing through the space. I wasn't trying to eavesdrop, but their words were impossible to ignore.
"Girl, did you hear? Mr. Jason's grandfather is forcing him to bring his hidden girlfriend to a family gathering. If he doesn't, the old man will set him up on another blind date."
A laugh followed. "I wish I could be his blind date."
"Please. What if he already has a girlfriend?"
I froze.
Jason… had a hidden girlfriend?
The thought unsettled me in a way I couldn't explain.
I stepped out of the stall, and the moment they saw me, their laughter died. Their gazes flickered with curiosity—maybe even a hint of nervousness—but they said nothing.
I ignored them, washing my hands quickly before heading back to my desk.
Only 30 minutes left until the meeting.
I sat down, trying to refocus, but my thoughts kept drifting back to what I had just heard.
Before I could process it further, Jason stepped out of his office, his presence commanding the attention of everyone nearby. Mike followed closely behind him.
I stood up immediately. "Mr. Jason," I said, keeping my tone professional and ignoring Mike's lingering stare.
Jason barely glanced at me. "Mike, get the car ready. We need to leave."
"Mr. Jason, here are the documents," I said, holding them out toward him.
"Leave it," he said curtly.
Mike hesitated, eyeing the exchange with obvious curiosity.
Then Jason spoke again, his voice cool and unreadable.
"I need to talk to her."
The weight of his words settled over the room.
Mike blinked. "Her?" He sounded almost… shocked.
Jason turned his cold gaze toward him, silencing any further questioning.
"Miss Jessica, step inside," Mike said, motioning toward Jason's office.
Jason didn't wait. He walked in first and took his seat behind the desk.
I followed, stepping into the office cautiously.
Mike closed the door behind me but didn't leave. Instead, he positioned himself near Jason, though at a slight distance, like an observer waiting for something to unfold.
"Sit down, Jessica," Jason ordered, his voice just as cold as ever.
He… still remembered my name.
I swallowed and sat down, my heart pounding.
What did he want from me?
And why did Mike look like he had just seen a ghost?