Jared's gaze was cold, staring down at the old model phone on his glass table. Every notification alert seemed to carry a heavy sound.
It was loud— so loud that his moment of peace was ruined. If anything, he really wanted to pick that phone up and smash it to the ground just so that these sounds could stop.
A knock came from the door once and with no response, it was pushed open.
A fine lady stepped in, staring deeply at Jared who looked like he was about to murder someone.
She burst into laughter and Jared finally looked away from the phone.
"Did something happen?" She asked.
"Phoebe, I don't have time for these questions of yours."
Jared was practically offended. "Okay tell me, who got you infuriated?"
Jared wanted to speak, but the phone lit up once again, that annoying yelp-like alarm.
"I interviewed a lady and she forgot her phone. Now, I don't get the peace that I want all because I rejected her."
Phoebe smiled softly, understanding that this is exactly who Jared is— cold, ruthless and despised noisemaking to the extent that it crawls down his skin. Phoebe is his Fiancee, both she and Jared were bound together by a contract. The idea was obvious— to be able to give his mother some grand kids so that she could stop pestering his life and not that he really loved Phoebe.
Which is also why he tolerates her… doesn't mean that he could tolerate others.
"Don't worry about the phone. She'd be back for it and till then, you can only wait patiently."
Jared's aura shifted into something softer. "How's my mother?"
"Oh…"
She walked towards the door where she had dropped her lunch bag and picked it up. "She asked me to cook for you. I mean, I practically told her that you'd be fine but she insisted so strongly. You know that we cannot refuse her."
Jared's cold expression seemed to soften a bit, yet, he exuded his aura— powerful and domineering.
Jared had been strict and serious with Phoebe about the nature of their relationship so that she wouldn't try too hard unraveling something she couldn't completely handle. He had told her from the onset that…
They could never love each other and she had agreed. He only wanted to give his mother a grandchild so that she wouldn't pester his life but sometimes, Jared couldn't help but feel that she's trying too much to get his attention.
'Cooking for me? I know my mother too well, she doesn't even care about my well-being, all she cares about is her grandchildren and now she wants you to cook for me? Lies.'
He could tell on a whim.
Jared did not object, he picked the flask and kept it to his side then he said rudely.
"You can leave."
Phoebe was startled.
"But—" she paused.
She continued. "I should wait so that when you're done, I will take it back at once."
However Jared was not in the mood to continue seeing her face. "I'll bring it with me to the house when I come back. Just leave!"
Phoebe hesitated and she suddenly noticed that thing he always does whenever his patience with someone was running thin.
The occasional drumming of his fingers on the glass table. The way his feet clapped on the floor, faster, faster… his gaze locked on Phoebe.
She suddenly smiled and said. "Alright, let me be on my way."
He instinctively stopped both habits and turned towards his laptop, attending to the pending work he had left. He did not care that she still stared at him but a few minutes after, she turned and walked away, shutting the door behind her with a soft click.
The moment she left, he raised his head and grabbed his phone.
A few seconds later. The call connected.
"Please escort Phoebe outside. Do not let her linger around too long."
The call ended and he took in a sharp breath. Then he made a second call… this time around, the call took minutes for the line to connect and someone like Jared who lacked patience snapped at the other end.
"Do not keep me waiting on a call next time!"
He calmed down.
"I want you to run a background check on a certain Evelyn Clarke."
His gaze went to the old model phone on his glass table and for some reason, it had strangely been silent, no calls, no alarm and no notifications.
He continued. "She should come and pick up the property she's left in my custody."