19 CHAPTER 19: I AM TERMINATED?

She was so sleepy and for the first time in months, she wanted to cry desperately.

It was already past ten in the evening yet she still has lots to finish. Jasmine helped her but she could only stay until 8:30pm since her apartment complex have a strict curfew due to the recent robbery case.

Jade counted the envelopes left. Seeing ten more files on the table drains her energy. Dang it! She really cannot control her droopy eyes so she decided to finish everything tomorrow. She'll make sure to come to work early just in case.

She wrapped up everything and fixed her desk before picking up her bag and left the office. Looking at the time, she doesn't have a choice but to take a taxi, though she'll need to walk for ten minutes from the subdivision gate to Marcus' house.

The cabs have curfews at that particular subdivision and only private cars owned by the residents are allowed to pass at times like this.

Lazily, Jade waited for her turn. There's a lot of people waiting for cabs at this particular time. The company has a lot of employees with different shifts after all. No wonder the building exudes a vibrant atmosphere though it was already night time.

Her initially plan was to call Marcus but checking at the time, he must have gone home and is now resting so she chose not to disturb him. He might get mad at her once she disrupted his sleep and she doesn't want to feel his coldness for now.

The cab driver reaches the subdivision gate in twenty minutes. After paying the cab, Jade got off and was greeted by the guards.

"Good evening too." She forced a smile as she treks the road.

"Why did he chose to put up his house in the very end?!" She hissed when she realized how far the house was. "He could have built it at the first unit!"

Jade chose to take off her heels since it was slowing her down then she treks the road barefoot. After a few minutes, she finally reached the mansion. But the twinge she was feeling at the moment made her sat on the doorway and caresses her sore feet.

She was too tired to move an inch and decided to lean at the door for a while. However, she didn't notice that she dozed off to sleep.

She must have been exhausted since she didn't hear the sound of an engine parked at the garage.

Marcus got off the car and head towards the door. He should have gone home early if Rachelle hadn't invited him to dinner at one of their favorite restaurants.

Surprised, he halted on his tracks when he accidentally bumped into someone's feet. Jade?! He furrowed his brow when he saw the woman sleeping at the doorway. She was barefoot, her sandals were placed beside her. Looking at her wounded feet, Marcus knew instantly that she walked shoeless.

He felt a bit of guilt and it's kinda eating him.

"You should have called me, silly." He hissed before carrying her in his arms.

He laid the woman on her bed, then took the first aid kits in the drawer. After disinfecting her wounds, he then applied the ointment for fast healing.

She should be okay by tomorrow.

***********

"How's the interview for the new secretary?" Marcus asked Sonny as soon as he reached the office early morning.

"Everything's okay, Mr. Hanes. Today will be the start of her training and she can start working tomorrow morning." He smiled.

"Make sure to educate her properly. You are to be blame if she fails first thing tomorrow." He glared at the man.

"She's been through a lot so I'm sure she'll be able to do a great job."

"Since you have great confidence on her then I shall trust you then."

"Of course. You should." He smirked meaningfully.

Marcus knew there is something with Sonny's statement but he was not interested to know any more since his mind was pretty occupied. Aside from the business stuffs in his mind, the thought of Jade somehow crosses his mind from time to time.

Guess he was used to seeing the woman's sweet smile greeting him early in the morning, making him breakfast and joining him as well.

"Good morning! Sorry I can't join you for breakfast this time. Please enjoy the meal 😊!" It was a note she left at the table along with the dishes she cooked.

Anyway, he's been eating breakfast alone for the past few years so not having her around should be more than okay. But he must admit, he felt incomplete all of a sudden.

'Should I call her and check how she's doing?' Marcus muttered. "No, why should you do that Marcus?" He immediately dismissed his thoughts about her and went back to the paper he was signing a while ago. "Why should I concern myself about her anyway? tsk!"

*Meanwhile, Jade was able to finish everything at exactly 9am.

She woke up around 3:30am. As sleepy as she feels, the thought about her unfinished duty pulled her up out of the bed.

She prepared Marcus' breakfast at 4:30am then she left for work. It was already five when she started her unfinished assignment.

"Hey, good morning! how are you?" Jasmine greeted her friend when she saw her immersed in her station early morning.

"Thank God, I'm done!" She yelped happily.

"Oh tell me you didn't spend the night here." Jaz joked as soon as she settled at her desk.

"Nah, I didn't. though I came here early." She was proud of herself.

"Oh, just as I have expected." Jaz chuckled. "Don't overdo it Jade, you might get promoted in no time and I'll be left alone in this boring office."

"But you'll get to see Miss Angry bird every day. I'm sure she'll add some fun in your life, haha."

"Oh please Jade, don't start it." She rolled her eyes before they both chuckle aloud.

"Save your energies ladies for the whole day." They both heard a very familiar voice coming from the back office. "Jade, the general manager is looking for you."

"Me? The general manager was asking for me?" She glanced at Jasmine who furrowed her brows too. "But why?"

"I don't know." He raised her brow. "Who knows you might get terminated because of your lousiness. Anyway, he is waiting for you at his office."

Jade stood up immediately and headed to the fifth floor. As soon as she reached the general manager's office for the human resource department, she inhaled then exhaled an amount of air before she knocked.

"Come in." She heard the man spoke from the inside.

"Good morning." She greeted the man in his mid-forties' with a smile. "Sir, you were looking for me?"

"Miss Arria, right?" She nodded when the manager uttered her last name. She felt a little queasy all of a sudden. "Miss Arria, I called you here because I have something important to tell you."

"Good news?" She sat on the empty chair.

"Both. Which do you prefer to hear first, the good one of the bad one."

"Why am I feeling a creepy chill all of a sudden?" She chuckled nervously. "Please let me hear the bad news first."

"Miss Arria, this is sad for us and for our whole department. Unfortunately, we have to let you go."

Jade widened her eyes in shocked. "S-sir… are you trying to tell me that I'm fired from my job?"

"Yes and I'm sorry. I know you love your work but such matter is beyond my power."

"B-but sir, to what grounds are you firing me? Did I do something wrong?" She stammered as she speaks.

"Miss Arria, whatever reason we have will never change the outcome. I'm sorry but the decision is final."

She could feel her knees trembling. But why? She doesn't understand a thing. Is it because she took fifteen days' vacation leave? Or was it miss angry bird's fault?

I am… terminated?