Chapter 48

Jace sat in his chair, dressed in a black suit with a white shirt and a star-dotted tie. That tie was a birthday gift from me last year. He’d never worn it before, likely because he disliked it. But now, after our breakup, he had begun wearing it.

His expression was grim, his eyes locked onto me with fierce intensity. I knew why he was angry, but I calmly began, “Mr. Johnston, what do you need?”

“Where have you been?” His voice was icy.

“On vacation,” I replied, evasively.

Jace’s fingers curled on the desk. “I asked where you went.”

“Chiverton,” I said honestly. I had nothing to hide.

His frown deepened, confusion flashing in his eyes. He probably had no idea where Chiverton was. It was a small, obscure town. How would he know? If he cared about me, he would remember I’d mentioned it before. It’s where I was born, where my parents wanted to take me. But he had heard it and forgotten, simply because he didn’t care enough to remember.

“Touring that place?” Jace’s question made me want to laugh.

I did laugh, nodding with a smile.

“Then why was your phone off? Why didn’t you respond to messages?” His tone was accusatory.

I pressed my lips together before saying, “That’s my freedom, Mr. Johnston.”

His face turned even paler. “Yes, it’s your freedom, but company policy states that employees must not let personal issues affect their work.”

“Did I neglect any work?” I asked, maintaining my composure.

Jace swallowed hard. For some reason, I thought about Hayden’s chin brushing against my nose, watching his Adam’s apple move. Hayden’s Adam’s apple was more pronounced, giving him a stronger, more masculine vibe.

“The amusement park…” Jace pointed at me. “Can you seriously say you did not neglect any work?”

“I didn’t neglect it,” I shot back. “Whether I took my vacation or not, the lighting issue would still be there. As soon as I found out about it, I cut my vacation short and came back immediately.” My vacation was supposed to be ten days, but I had only taken a week.

Jace was momentarily silent, then nodded angrily. “But it’s your project. Any issues are your responsibility.”

“I understand. I am actively working to correct it and ensure it doesn’t affect the park’s completion,” I promised.

Jace knew my capabilities and my stubbornness. He nodded. “Fine, but if this delays the project, don’t blame me…”

He didn’t finish, but I knew what he meant. I completed his sentence for him. “If it’s not completed on time, I’ll take full responsibility for the losses.”

“Can you bear that?” he suddenly shouted.

My fingers curled slightly. “I know I can’t, so I won’t let it affect the deadline.”

He argued, and I responded. This should have reassured Jace, but I could see it only made him angrier. Jace fell silent, just staring at me.

“Is there anything else, Mr. Johnston? If not, I’ll get back to work,” I said, turning to leave.

“Stop!” he commanded coldly.

“What else do you need?” I asked formally.