Chapter 28 Reading Too Much Into Things
That afternoon, news of Kristy’s termination quickly reached Joanna.
Kristy, looking downcast, was carrying a box as she walked out. Spotting Joanna, her eyes flashed with resentment. “Don’t get too full of yourself, Joanna. This isn’t over!” she hissed.
Joanna arched a brow, genuinely baffled. “You brought this on yourself, yet somehow, I’m to blame? Kristy, can you at
least try to be logical?”
Kristy scoffed. “Cut the act! The company handbook states that personal conflicts don’t count as grounds for dismissal. I shouldn’t have been fired. You must’ve gone running to Owen and begged him to get rid of me! Even Wilbur said the order
came from above–who else could it be but him?”
Joanna’s brows furrowed. Owen interfering for her? What a laughable idea.
“Keep spinning your little fantasies.” Joanna had no interest in wasting more time on Kristy and simply turned on her heel.
Kristy’s fists clenched as she watched Joanna walk away. Her grudge only deepened this wasn’t over. Not by a long shot.
Impressed by Joanna’s dedication, Wilbur arranged for a mentor to guide her and expand her expertise.
With the assurance that she would pass the workshop assessment, Joanna finally felt at ease. She no longer had to burn
the midnight oil.
When the clock struck five, she packed up and left without wasting a second.
Her university was in the process of selecting candidates for a prestigious scholarship, requiring students to submit their
documents for consideration.
And as fate would have it, the scholarship’s founder was none other than Owen.
She had been a recipient of his scholarships before, but this time, a strange sense of unease settled in her chest.
No matter how much she tried to push that night from her mind, she couldn’t shake the unsettling notion that something
tied her to Owen.
Deep in thought, she failed to notice a figure heading straight for her.
A solid impact snapped her out of her thoughts as she walked straight into someone’s chest.
The once–bustling Harvey Group lobby instantly hushed.
She lifted her head in confusion, her breath catching at the sight before her.
Standing before her was Owen, with Tatiana linking arms with him.
Tatiana sneered, her posture oozing self–importance, “Seriously? Do you have to go crashing into someone else’s man?”
Chapter 28 Reading Too Much Into Things
Joanna immediately lowered her gaze. “My apologies, Mr. Harvey.”
Under normal circumstances, Owen wouldn’t have given such a trivial incident a second thought.
But as he watched her quietly apologize, his mind flickered back to the surveillance footage from earlier–that same woman
who had been so bold, so defiant.
He chuckled bitterly. “You have to be both foolish and blind–bumping into someone like that while walking.”
The words stung, and though Joanna’s anger flared, she couldn’t shake the feeling that she had heard those exact words
recently.
“I’m docking your pay for a month,” Owen ordered coldly, before walking off with Tatiana.
Joanna’s blood boiled, nearly ready to explode with rage. All this fuss over a simple accident? Was he so special that even
a minor collision warranted such a punishment?
She shot a frustrated glare at his retreating figure and stormed off in a huff.
In the elevator, Tatiana beamed, her voice shy. “Owen, you didn’t have to punish Joanna just because of me. I love seeing
how much you care, but… I’m worried this might harm your reputation if others find out.”
Owen raised an eyebrow, puzzled. “What do you mean by that?”
Tatiana blinked in confusion. “Didn’t you cut her salary because you saw I was upset?”
Owen’s lips twitched in amusement. “You’re really good at reading too much into things.”
He pulled his arm from Tatiana’s grip and stepped out of the elevator.
A flush of embarrassment crossed Tatiana’s face. But she couldn’t think of another explanation. Maybe Owen was just a
private person, keeping his feelings hidden, and when she brought it up, he got uncomfortable and used denial to cover up what he really thought. Yes, that had to be it!
Tatiana’s smile returned as she eagerly followed Owen into the office.
Owen’s frown deepened. “What is it now?”
“Well…” Tatiana began, recounting Kristy’s dismissal. “Kristy is really a sweet, gentle person. Do you think there’s been
some misunderstanding?”
Owen, uninterested in talking, simply pulled up the surveillance footage.
Tatiana’s smile faded as the footage played.
Owen nonchalantly toyed with the ring on his pinky finger, his words cutting. “You might want to reconsider the people you choose to associate with.”
Tatiana’s face flushed with embarrassment. “I’m sorry, I didn’t realize things were like this. It’s just… Kristy’s family is going through a tough time, and she really needs this job. Could you give her another chance for me? I promise it won’t
happen again.”
Of course, Tatiana didn’t care about Kristy’s situation. She only wanted to appear kind and win Owen’s favor.
What she didn’t realize was that Owen loathed anyone trying to interfere with his decisions.
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