She was trembling in fear.
Her department was looking for the perpetrator. Whoever handed the formula to their competitor must be punished at all cost. She heard that the CEO was searching for the culprit too but they'll do a thorough investigation after the launching of the new the product.
"Miss Jasmine." She sobbed as soon as the woman came to see her at the rooftop where they first met. "What am I going do? What if they will discover what I did? Am I going to be terminated?"
"Jackie, calm down. You won't lose your job, that I'm sure of." She caressed the woman's back. "Don't worry, I'll stand for you no matter what."
She heaved a heavy sigh. "R-really?" She was touched.
"Ehm." Jasmine confirmed. "And I'm sure Jade will protect you too because you did the right thing."
She sobbed once again. Jasmine was right, she shouldn't worry because she did the right thing.
"And how is your mother now?"
"She's doing fine. Thank you for all your help. The doctor said they placed my mom's name at the top list to receive a new heart and they will proceed with the surgery as soon as they receive the organ."
"That's good to know then." She smiled. "Why don't you file a week of vacation leave so you can assist your mother at the hospital for the time being?" She suggested.
"I don't think It will get approved." She replied defeated.
"It won't be rejected. I'll make sure to work on it so fill out the form and make sure to send it today, okay."
"R-really?" A hint of hope rose within her.
Jasmine nodded confidently.
As soon as Jackie went back to her work, she took her phone out and dialed Jade's number. It was ringing but she's not picking it up.
"Hmm… It's lunch time. I don't think she's busy." She mumbled to herself before sending her a message.
MEANWHILE, Jade sat on the chair in front of Marcus' desk. He was looking at her doubtfully but she quickly looked away. His eyes were seemingly penetrating her soul.
"Do you really want me talk first?" Marcus clearly doesn't have a plan to let her take a break.
"Marcus, it's 12:30, aren't you hungry?"
"No lunch break unless you tell me the truth."
"Hey! If you're not hungry then I am. Can't we eat lunch first?" She pouted cutely but Marcus didn't even bat an eyelid.
"Not effective." He nonchalantly replied. She heaved a heavy sigh.
"What do you want to know?" She replied defeated.
"These." He tossed the papers which she handed to him while they were at the conference room.
"Papers? Information about the company's new products? And the great difference between our products and theirs?" She met his accusing gaze. "What is there to explain?" She acted innocently.
"Jade, are you taking me for a fool? Do you really think I'm that stupid?" He folded his arms across his chest.
Jade sighed in defeat. She knew she won't win against him now that he has his qualms about the matter.
"What do you want to know?" She conceded.
"Explain that." His eyes landed on the papers in front of her. "You knew all about these, am I correct?"
She paused for a few seconds. She needs to construct her words to avoid misunderstanding.
"Ehm." She nodded.
"And you kept it from me?"
"I tried to tell you…" She pouted. "But I couldn't. You've been ignoring me during those days."
"Even so, but this is a very important matter! I'm sure I would have listened to you if you tried to inform me."
"Tsk!" She hissed. "Look who's talking." She muttered softly.
"Did you say something?"
"No?" She yelped. "Anyway, I'm sorry. I know I should have told you before but our situation back then didn't allow me to."
She sighed as she recalled the day Jasmin introduced Jackie to her.
"One of the employees working at the marketing department told me that someone tried to offer her a big amount in exchange of the formula of our new product."
"If it is higher than her salary then why refused?"
"Marcus, you should know that there are faithful employees in your company. Not because of the high salary but for some personal reason. Stop assuming that you can buy people's integrity all the time."
"So?" He raised his brow.
"She's desperate for money so giving in to such an offer was supposed to be easy. They tried to cooed her by offering to pay for her mom's surgery, saving his father from going to jail and sending his young brother abroad, but she chose not to. So tell me, if that's not faithfulness and loyalty then what do you call that aside from stupidity?"
"Gratitude?"
"If that's what you want to think then fine. But you must know that turning down their offers was like turning her back against her family."
"But even so, their product was almost the same as ours. Still, the formula was handed to them."
"Because I told her to. I was also the one who gave her the copy of the formulas."
Now Marcus raised his brows and leaned his back on the chair.
"The ingredients were different as you have seen it here." Her hands picked up the papers. "I made it look so real. Same procedure, same effect, same name and all but not the ingredients in it, let alone the real formula." She explained.
"You worked on it alone? You could have just encouraged her to reject the offer."
"Ehm. I have to work on the solution by myself. Rejecting their offers will only patch up the surface level, it won't solve the real problem because they can always pay one of our employees to do the nasty job. Therefore, in order to prevent that from happening, I came up with a plan."
"This way, we can easily turn the tables on our side." She added.
Marcus unknowingly smiled. "I didn't know you were smart."
Tsk! She made a face. "But you had just lost your smart and responsible secretary." She smirked naughtily.
He was confused for a second but he sneered knowingly as soon as he recalled his blunt bluff while they were arguing at the conference room.
"I wasn't serious when I said I would fire you." He chuckled.
"But I am." She looked at his eyes. He met her gaze.
Fudge! She was not joking! He immediately glowered.
"I've been thinking about it lately and I already made my decision. I don't want to be your secretary anymore."
What? She doesn't want to be his secretary any longer? But why? Doesn't she like the idea of working in the same office with his husband? Or could it be that....
He looked at her suspiciously.