Maya raised her brow wondering why Jessica was still standing, "Anything else?"
"Huh?" Jessica blinked forgetting herself in the bliss of triumph.
"We are done here," Maya dismissed her then turn her head back to the book she wasn't even reading.
"Ma'am, your book is upside down," she informed sweetly and Maya dropped the book, giving her a mean stare.
"And there is something else," she stuttered and Maya almost rolled her eyes, Guess who isn't so confident anymore?
"Mr. Salvador was here to ask your consent for the publishing of an article according to him."
She cocked her brow, surprised, "What was it About?"
"He won't say. Says it is nothing important and he could manage on his own when I informed him he you weren't available."
"Oh."
"And Mr. Gregor was here to see you twice, he said you should head to his office once you arrive."
She peered at Jessica now wondering what was going on. Jessica shrugged and then walked out, almost wobbling on her six inches heel. It was still a miracle that she manages to walk with those, with all the hate she has locked up in her system, Maya thought amused even as she stood up herself, heading to Jared's office.
***
Jared hoped whatever he had on his face passed for a smile as he saw Maya give him one of hers, still knocking on the door even when he could see her through the glass.
"Come in," he whispered almost immediately, not in the mood to humor her as always, by asking her, her name and position.
She walked towards the leather couch opposite him with a frown. She could tell something was wrong.
"Good morning, Mr. Gregor," she whispered wondering if he wanted to give her a query for being late and that was why he seemed like the rainbow and goofy grin that seemed to be all around him, has been snuffed out.
"Maya," he whispered giving her a pointed look almost like he was trying to assure her they were still on a first-name basis and she needed to chill the hell out.
"I came to your office twice," he started.
She gave him a short glance, then looked away, "Something came up so I ran a bit late today."
Jared rolled his eyes knowing that the something had to be Xavier. Even though he could pretend to miss the telltale sign on her face, he couldn't mistake her flush. He knew just how consistently she have had very non-innocent thoughts even in the middle of a board meeting, blanking out.
So he was well acquainted with the look she was giving now and he had to resist the urge to tell her to enjoy whatever was the something for as long as it last because Tyler seemed so absorbed in making sure it doesn't last for long but he didn't do that, he just relaxed on his leather chair.
"He wanted to get your opinion before uploading an article 30 minutes ago, but you were not around so he went ahead and uploaded it anyway."
She gave him a confused smile he expected, "I'm not a proofreader, we have them in the advertising department, why would he want to run an article with me?"
Jared looked away wondering how he would break this news to her even when he had seen first-hand how irrational Xavier could get when he sees her with another male and how shocked she had looked when she had been told that she had agreed to do this promotion stunt with him and he could bet his Ronaldo signed football that she had not told Xavier about this yet.
"The thing is__"
He didn'tn't finish his word before he caught a glimpse of a fuming Xavier walking towards his office.
He closed his eyes. Okay, things just got a lot messy.
Tyler had gone and messed with the wrong woman and somehow he knew that already, Jared thought wondering how fucked up Tyler was above the surface, how long he had been scheming this, befriending Maya and getting her trust.
Maria ran in alarmed, "I'm so sorry, I tried stopping him." She tried explaining even as Maya scoffed knowing that she must have been too smitten by Xavier to have tried as much as she emphasized even as Jared smiled at her, as usual, letting her off the hook and dismissed her.
"I need to speak to my fiancée now!" Xavier's gaze was directed at him, as he lifted a shocked Maya's hand at him, obviously showing him her finger which had his ring in it. It was a universal fuck off sign.
"What are you doing here?" Maya whisper yelled, her eyes wide.
Thankful that Xavier might do the job of announcing what he had difficulty saying, he stood up about to leave his own office.
Maya's eyes widened, "You ain't going anywhere." She glared at Xavier and Jared would have laughed if not for the shitty situation he was in deep into, as she looked so small yet somehow looked at Xavier who was towering over her like he was a troublesome child.
"I wanted to get coffee anyway," he mumbled, a clear sign of saying a big thank you but I'll pass on the huge confrontation that was about taking place.
"This is your office and," she turned tugging Xavier's hand dragging him out and Jared shivered as Xavier directed a pointed glare. Obviously recognizing him as the guy from the other night since the pictures published were gotten from that night anyway, "And this is my workplace," Jared heard Maya adding before they were completely out of earshot as he saw Xavier allow Maya drag him out.
***
Maya closed the binds of her office already aware of the other staff who were doing a poor job pretending they were engrossed in their job while trying to peer into her office.
She raised her finger as Xavier made to start talking even as she sat down, leaned on her seat, and closed her eyes.
"What was so scandalous, so pressing that you had to make such a scene?" she started as calmly as possible.
"Maya__"
"I won't hear it. Do you know how hard I work my butt here just because regardless of what I'll like to believe, I see it in their stares. She doesn't have to pretend like she is a hard worker when she can get anything she wants in the world if she lifts a damn finger." She glared, "Do you know how hard it is to feel like a privileged princess even though you work harder than three of the people judging you combined!"
"When have people's opinions ever mattered?"
"I can see that it doesn't matter to you," she grimaced, "But it does to me."
He rolled his eyes, "Hard to believe that especially seeing the images of you and that pretty boy trending on social media."
Maya rolled her eyes, not comprehending whatever he had said but thought he was still referring to the night he had seen her and Jared together.
"God, I thought we were over this."
"I thought so too." He deadpanned. ,