Chapter 26
Malcolm abruptly pushed Janice away. Standing up, he created a deliberate distance between them. His voice was cold and firm as he said, “This is the office. Stop messing around.”
“Oh? Malcolm, are you really going to claim you don’t feel anything for me at all?” Janice’s lips curved into a faint smile,
Malcolm said nothing, merely turning his face away to avoid her gaze,
At that moment, a knock on the door broke the tension. “Malcolm, are you in there?” a soft, gentle voice asked.
Malcolm’s heart tightened, and his instinctive glance at Janice confirmed his worst fear. As expected, she was wearing a triumphant smile
Damn it!
He cursed under his breath. Without giving it much thought, he grabbed Janice and shoved her under the desk. He quickly straightened his clothes before speaking in a steady tone. “Come in.”
Reina entered the room with a perfectly gentle smile. Her voice was sweet, almost saccharine. “Malcolm, I made your favorite.”
She trailed off as her gaze swept across the spacious office and landed on Malcolm. A look of confusion flickered across her face. “What’s wrong? Why are you sweating so much?”
I
Malcolm tugged uncomfortably at his tie and moved to sit behind his desk, attempting to mask his unease. “It’s nothing I was just dealing with something”
Unaware of his discomfort, Reina walked up to him and placed a thermos on the desk. “I specifically asked Betty to make this soup for you. Drink it while it’s still hot.”
“Just leave it there. I’ll have it later,” Malcolm replied coolly, though his eyes kept darting toward the space under the desk, where Janice was watching him with a sly grin, her eyes glinting mischievously.
He cursed and wondered what kind of trouble Janice was trying to stir up this time
Reina noticed him being distracted and felt a pang of displeasure, though she didn’t let it show. Instead, she asked softly, “Malcolm, what are you looking at?”
“Nothing,” Malcolm replied, snapping out of his thoughts. He picked up a document and pretended to read it seriously.
Listening to their conversation, Janice’s lips curved into a playful smirk,
Malcolm’s body stiffened slightly. His fingers clenched the document tighter, and a faint vein pulsed on his forehead.
This damn woman!
He took a deep breath, struggling to suppress his simmering anger, and forced himself to act as if nothing was amiss. However, the fire in his eyes was impossible to ignore.
Reina, sensing his absent–mindedness, felt increasingly uneasy. Trying to sound casual, she asked, “Malcolm, what’s in that document that has you so preoccupied? You haven’t even touched your soup. Is it a serious issue in the company?
Malcolm tightened his grip on the document. He wanted to say no but found himself momentarily at a loss for words.
He shut his eyes tightly and cursed under his breath.
“Malcolm, are you listening to me?” Reina’s voice carried a hint of hurt as she noticed his lack of response.
“Hmm? Yes, go on,” Malcolm said, taking a deep breath to steady himself. Though his voice remained calm, his dark eyes churned with emotions that Reina couldn’t begin to understand
Putting on a caring expression, Reina said, “Malcolm, you’ve been working so hard lately. Why don’t I become your secretary? That way, I can help lighten your workload and take better care of you
He didn’t even hesitate before rejecting her outright. “No need. I can handle my work on my own. You don’t have to worry.”
Under the desk, Janice’s playful smirk deepened as she heard his firm response
Malcolm abruptly stood up, startling Reina.
“Malcolm, what’s wrong?” she asked, her voice full of concern.
“Nothing!” he spat out through gritted teeth.
