Hazel's POV

It’s silent. Silent enough to hear it every time our cutlery crashed into our plates, and I can almost hear her chewing. I don’t have much of an appetite, but the sooner we finish the faster we can have the discussion that I came for. She wipes her lips lightly and takes a sip from her glass. I’m relieved to see that her plate is empty.

“This is nice,” she remarks with a hint of sarcasm. But it's clear to me that she’s enjoying herself. “Indeed,” I reply with the same tone. “Although skipping the bullshit and telling me why I’m here would make it even better,” I snap.

She smiles. “Thank you for being so patient with me, Hazel.”

I can’t believe she’s pretending to be such a sweet little angel at a time like this. It’s a joke. It’s a tactic. It’s getting on my nerves.

“Let’s talk then. You fired me because you thought I wasn’t good enough for the job. What changed your mind?” I ask.

“Nothing. I still don’t think you’re good enough for the job. This is my first and only act of merc