Chapter 2

The doctor looked at me with surprise, then frowned. "I remember you. The last time you were here, you were so happy when you found out you were pregnant. So, why would you want an abortion now?"

My expression stiffened for a moment as a bitter feeling welled up from deep within.

A month ago, while Jasper was away on a business trip, my body had felt off. After an exam, I found out I was pregnant.

I hadn't told him right away because I'd planned to surprise him with the news after our wedding today. But I never expected that Wendy would come back.

He had fled from our wedding, making me a laughingstock in front of all the guests. I was still wearing the wedding dress, which only made me look all the more pathetic.

"I've just seen things clearly, that's all. Please make the appointment for me."

The doctor sighed. "Alright. Tomorrow at 9:00 am, in the first operating room. Just give your name at the desk."

I nodded and went back to the hospital room.

When I unlocked my phone, our mutual friends' group chat was buzzing with discussion. Jasper had added Wendy to the group.

"Welcome back, Wendy. I knew it—after everything, you'd always end up back with Jasper."

"That's more like it. You're one of us after all."

"Uh, have you guys forgotten that Celeste Ingram is still in this group?"

The chat fell silent instantly.

I felt a pang of mockery. These people had only ever accepted me because of Jasper, but they had never truly thought of me as one of their own.

The very next second, a notification popped up in the chat.

"You have been removed from the group by the admin 'Jasper.'"

My lips turned pale and unsightly, drained of all color.

He sent me a message, saying, "I'll add you back in a month. Be good."

I stared at the screen for two seconds without replying. Once the abortion procedure was done the next day, there would be nothing left tying me to him.

On the third day, Dad regained consciousness. I went through with the termination and returned to Eaton Group to submit my resignation letter.

I had just sat down in the executive office when Wendy stepped out of the elevator with Jasper.

He stopped in front of me. "Has Dennis' hypertension gotten any better?"

I clenched my fists, my voice dripping with sarcasm. "Thanks to you, he's better than he's ever been."

Jasper pressed his lips together and frowned, as if he disliked my barbed tone. He was far more accustomed to me being completely compliant and agreeable.

He shifted his gaze away with displeasure, then turned to Wendy. His expression softened instantly, even becoming somewhat ingratiating.

"You'll work as the chief secretary in the CEO's suite first. Once you're familiar with the business, I'll arrange for you to join the project department."

Wendy glanced at me. "Sure, I'm still new and don't quite know my way around yet. Jasper, how about you have Celeste show me the ropes?"

I snapped my head up and said with suppressed fury, "I refuse."

Wendy didn't react, nor did she get angry. Instead, she simply stood there quietly, waiting for Jasper to speak.

Sure enough, the very next second, Jasper's commanding voice exploded in my ears, brooking no argument.

"You're in no position to refuse. Celeste, this is a workplace, not a game. Your preferences don't come into it."

With that, he cast a cold glance over my stricken eyes. Then, he took Wendy by the hand and walked straight into his office.

My hands and feet turned ice-cold.

Just then, snow began to fall from the sky that had only just cleared. The icy wind poured in through the window, making me shiver violently. I collapsed weakly into my seat.

All around me, the mocking laughter of the other staff in the CEO's office kept drilling into my ears.

That afternoon, I had just finished composing my resignation letter when Jasper, his face dark with fury, called me into his office and hurled a document at my feet.

"Celeste, do you think a contract is a joke? You wrote a 30-million-dollar project as 300 million dollars! Everyone is cleaning up your mess right now!"

I picked it up and took a look. What I saw sent a jolt through me.

"That's impossible!"

I had checked it countless times, especially the price. There was no way it could have been wrong!

My gaze inadvertently swept over to Wendy standing to the side, and the sight of the faint smirk curling at the corners of her lips made my pupils constrict sharply.

"It was you."

No wonder she had suddenly become so eager to learn after being assigned to shadow me this morning. She had been sitting beside me all morning, so getting my computer password would have been no trouble at all.

"Celeste!" Jasper roared, making me freeze. His face was completely expressionless as he said, "Are you seriously trying to shift the blame?"

I closed my eyes and drew a deep breath. Then, forcing down the tremor in my voice, I replied, "Then let's check the surveillance footage. Wendy probably doesn't know that the figurine on my desk is actually a surveillance camera."