Chapter 71

This time, Jolene shoved me harder than before. I stumbled backward, my balance teetering. I braced myself for a fall, only to collide with a solid chest.

Turning my head, I froze.

It was Alex. Of all times, he had to walk into the office then.

The moment Alex’s dark, stormy gaze swept over the scene, my heart sank.

“Mi Hastings!”

The previously noisy office fell silent. Everyone avoided eye contact, suddenly engrossed in their work. Only a few colleagues greeted him quietly.

I could feel my pulse hammering as I quickly stepped away from Alex, my stomach churning with dread.

“Are you incapable of standing up for yourself?” Alex asked sharply, his brows furrowed. “She pushes you, and you just stand there?”

“I… I didn’t react fast enough,” I stammered, glancing at Alex, guilt and embarrassment swirling within me.

Alex’s eyes swept over me, his expression unreadable. He took a single, deliberate step forward, stopping in front of Jolene. Without a word, he extended his hand.

“You’re fired,” Alex said flatly as he placed the necklace back in its box.

Jolene’s face blanched with shock, but she quickly straightened, raising her voice in protest. “On what grounds?”

“First, you assigned your work to a new hire and then tried to take credit for it,” Alex began, his tone cold and controlled. “Second, as the supervisor of the office assistant, you invaded your boss’s privacy and disclosed personal matters publicly.” He raised the necklace slightly to emphasize his point. “Third, Hastings Group does not tolerate employees who incite internal conflict or division.”

With each word, Jolene’s complexion paled further, but her eyes still burned with anger.

“Hastings, are you firing me to protect Serena? She’s just a newbie with no qualifications or skills. And yet you took her to the gala?” she questioned, her voice laced with resentment.

Though the others dared not speak, I could sense their doubts and resentment.

“I am protecting Serena,” Alex said calmly.

The entire office fell into stunned silence. Everyone turned their eyes to Alex.

He turned and placed the necklace in my hands. “Serena is my sister. We’re family. Of course, I’ll protect her.”

Relief washed over me for a fleeting moment, but it was quickly followed by an inexplicable ache, as if something in my heart had shattered.

People looked at us in disbelief.

The stark differences between Alex and me—our looks, personalities, and even the way we carried ourselves—had led everyone to assume something entirely different about our relationship. Hearing the truth directly from Alex left them all shocked.

Chapter 21