2025-02-24 14:25:21Chapter 5
"You asked me to fire her just a few minutes ago," Alex said defensively, his brows furrowed in confusion. Julian, who had been lost in thought, snapped his gaze back to Alex. "Did I? Why?" Alex hesitated. "Umm... Julia—na," he stammered, unsure how his boss had suddenly forgotten. Julian’s eyes flickered with recognition. "Oh... The Peacock? You mean she made this?" His voice carried a mix of disbelief and intrigue. "Yes, sir. But we already fired her," Alex repeated, still trying to piece together what was going on. A long silence stretched between them before Julian finally spoke. "Call her back." His tone was calm but held an edge of finality. Alex blinked. "Sir?" Julian’s gaze darkened. "Call her back and double her salary." Alex stared at him, stunned. "I'm sorry, sir—what did you just say?" Julian leaned back in his chair, his expression unreadable. "You heard me. Now, leave." Alex hesitated, wanting to question him further, but he knew better. With a quick nod, he turned on his heel and rushed to make the call. Hijacked Return "We haven't even gotten to my house yet! Where are you going?" Juliana's voice was sharp, laced with panic, as she realized the driver had taken a different route. "The boss said we should come back," the driver replied, his tone cautious. Juliana scoffed, shaking her head in disbelief. "The boss?" She let out a humorless laugh, her fingers clenching into fists. "Who the heck does that creature think I am? A toy he can discard and retrieve at will?" she muttered under her breath, her anger bubbling dangerously close to the surface. She turned her gaze sharply toward the driver. "Listen, you better take me home right now, or I'll have you arrested for kidnapping," she threatened, her voice low but deadly. The driver swallowed hard, glancing at her through the rearview mirror. "Miss, I—" "Are you deaf? I said take me home!" she snapped, her voice rising with frustration. The car came to an abrupt halt. "But the boss—" "I don’t give a damn about what he said! Just take me home before you find yourself in deeper trouble!" The driver sighed, hesitating for a moment before pulling out his phone. With trembling fingers, he dialed Alex. "She’s refusing to come back," the driver reported, his voice tense. "Put her on the phone," Alex instructed. The driver turned to hand the phone to Juliana, but she shook her head in defiance. "I don’t want to speak to anyone. Just drive." Alex let out a frustrated sigh before ending the call. Without wasting time, he ran straight to Julian’s office. "Boss, she won’t come back," Alex reported breathlessly. Julian didn’t even look up from his desk. "Then consider yourself and the driver fired," he said smoothly. Alex’s heart skipped a beat. "Sir?" Julian’s cold eyes finally met his. "I want her here before noon. Figure it out." Alex stood there, stunned, but Julian had already dismissed him with a flick of his wrist. Desperate Measures "Where are you guys?" Alex asked the driver over the phone. The driver quickly relayed their location, and within minutes, Alex arrived at the scene. Juliana sat stiffly in the backseat, her arms folded tightly across her chest. When she saw Alex approaching, she pointedly looked away. "Juliana," Alex called, his voice softer than before. She ignored him. Sighing, Alex leaned against the car window. "Look, I know he was harsh, but he’s not in a good mood today. He wants you back," he said gently. Juliana scoffed, stepping out of the car and slinging her bag over her shoulder. "Not my problem." "Juliana, please." Alex ran a hand through his hair, exasperated. "If you leave now, we both lose our jobs. Do you think I came here for nothing? Do you think the driver wants to be out of work because of this?" Juliana hesitated. "He promised to double your salary." She froze, her grip tightening around the strap of her bag. Alex noticed the slight waver in her stance and pressed further. "Look, I know today has been a mess. No one saw this coming, but we’re sorry. I’m sorry. Just come back with me." A deep breath left Juliana’s lips as she wiped the tears threatening to fall. "Fine," she muttered. "Do you want to come with me or ride with the driver?" Alex asked, reaching for her bag. "I’ll go with you," she said quietly. Alex nodded and turned to the driver. "Meet us back at the house." As they got into the car, Alex smiled. "You must be a good cook." Juliana rolled her eyes but couldn't stop the small blush that crept onto her cheeks. "I must say, your meal secured you a job," Alex teased. Juliana frowned. "What do you mean?" Alex chuckled. "You’re the first person my boss has ever reacted positively to when it comes to food." Juliana’s eyes widened. "Wait… really?" "Yep. He didn’t just eat it—he loved it," Alex confirmed with a grin. A small, pleased smile played on Juliana’s lips. "Tell me more about yourself," Alex said, steering the conversation toward lighter topics. As they talked and laughed, the tension of the day slowly melted away. The Boss's Rules As they entered the mansion, Alex greeted Julian first. "Good evening, boss." Juliana hesitated before following suit. "Good e-evening, s-sir." Julian’s sharp gaze landed on her, and she instantly felt small under his scrutiny. "Excuse us," Julian ordered, and Alex left immediately. Julian took a slow step toward her, his expression unreadable. "Remind me of your name again." "Juliana," she answered, her voice barely above a whisper. "That’s right. How could I forget?" he mused, his tone unreadable. "You know I have rules, don’t you?" Juliana nodded instinctively. Julian’s expression darkened. "You don’t nod when I speak. You respond properly. I do not converse with people who act like they are deaf or dumb." Juliana clenched her jaw. "I’m sorry, boss," she said, her voice laced with restrained anger. "And another thing—it’s boss, not sir. You can call Alex that, but not me. Understood?" "Yes… boss," she gritted out. Julian’s gaze flicked over her, and his lips curled in mild distaste. "Your hair is a mess." Juliana bit the inside of her cheek, resisting the urge to roll her eyes. "I expect it to be taken care of by tomorrow. I like my employees to be neat and presentable." Her fists clenched at his condescending tone. "That look will get you fired," Julian warned, his voice dangerously soft. "Alex will inform you of the rest of the rules. You may leave." Juliana turned on her heel, but before she could take a step, Julian’s voice halted her. "One more thing—never forget to thank me after a conversation." Juliana stared at him, her irritation bubbling beneath the surface. "Thank you… boss," she forced out. Julian smirked. "You can do better than that." Then, almost as an afterthought, he muttered, "By the way, sorry for earlier." Before she could react, his phone rang, and he walked away, leaving her standing there—seething. Her eyes followed him until his figure disappeared. She let out a breath. "I’m already burning up inside."
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Chapter 6Juliana clenched her fists as Julian’s words echoed in her mind. Messy hair? Of all the things he could have commented on, that was what he fixated on? The nerve of that man! Just because he was rich, he thought he could treat people however he pleased.A sudden knock at her door interrupted her thoughts.“Can I come in?”She hesitated for a moment before responding, “Yeah, sure.”The door creaked open, and Alex stepped in with a casual smile.“Oh, it’s you,” she said, relaxing slightly.“Mind if I sit?” Alex asked, motioning to the chair nearby.Juliana smirked. “What if I say no?”“Then I’ll stand.” He grinned before settling onto the chair anyway.She rolled her eyes but couldn’t help but smile.“I’m really glad you decided to stay,” Alex admitted.Juliana made a playful pout. “Why do you sound like I did you a huge favor? I mean, it was for my benefit too, so technically, I should be the one thanking you.”Alex raised an eyebrow. “You don’t realize what you did for me, d
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Chapter 8Girls. A bunch of disgusting perverts. How the hell did this loser keep track of my life? And how did she even know about Lucy?Julian exhaled sharply, kicking off his shoes with a tired grunt. "Damn, these shoes hurt." He ran a hand through his hair, his mind racing.“Tisha… ahh, Tsh…” he muttered, a strange smirk playing on his lips—one that disappeared the moment his phone rang.His jaw clenched as he picked up. “Hello, Mum.”“How are you, dear? I assume that worm at the office has been giving you a hard time again?” his mother’s voice came through, laced with concern.Julian remained silent.“We need to see you this weekend. There’s an important matter we must discuss,” she continued slowly.“Dad already told me,” he mumbled, rubbing his temple.“Yes, I know. But I need to tell you myself. I want you to understand just how serious this is.”Julian shook his head, his patience wearing thin.“I’ve heard you, Mum. I’m driving. I’ll call—”“You can use your earpods, Julian.
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Chapter 9Juliana barely had a moment to herself when Alex’s sharp voice sliced through the air, pulling her back to reality.“What do you think you’re doing sitting on my boss’s couch?”She turned to him, her expression instantly hardening. The irritation in his voice was clear, and his body language screamed disapproval. He was rushing toward her with the kind of urgency that made her feel like she had committed a crime.Juliana straightened, squaring her shoulders. “Excuse me?” Her voice was firm, though laced with irritation.“You heard me,” Alex snapped. His glare was unwavering. “We need to talk.”She let out a short, humorless laugh. “We?” she scoffed, shaking her head. “Since when do we have anything to talk about?” She turned on her heel, ready to walk away.But Alex wasn’t done. “That reminds me,” he said suddenly, his tone dropping just enough to make her pause. “We do need to talk—because I’d love to understand why you think I wanted to fire you.”Juliana froze. Her finger
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Chapter OneThe morning was shrouded in an eerie darkness, a stark contrast to the usual brilliance of the rising sun. Julian sat motionless, his fingers clenching around his phone, his jaw tight. The message on his screen burned into his mind, each word a dagger twisting deeper into his chest."It’s been two years, yet she saw it as nothing..."His voice was low, bitter. Rage simmered beneath the surface, an untamed storm ready to break loose. A sharp knock on the door disrupted his thoughts, and within seconds, the scent of food filled the air.The servant placed the tray before him with a cautious glance, but the second Julian took a bite, his expression contorted with disgust. The tray crashed to the ground, the ceramic plate shattering into jagged pieces.“Who prepared this disaster?!” His voice echoed, a sharp blade slicing through the silence.The servants instinctively stepped back, their faces pale. Only Alex, his assistant, dared to respond.“That must be the chef, sir. I’m
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Epic twoJulian couldn't stop thinking about the sheer audacity of that woman—Juliana.“The nerve…” he muttered under his breath, his fingers tapping rhythmically against the steering wheel as he drove. His mind replayed the scene over and over again—her fierce glare, the way she had the guts to grab his tie, her voice laced with anger as she demanded he pay for her drink.“Tshh! Ju-lia-na…” he hissed, whispering her name like it was venom on his tongue.It wasn't just the incident that irked him—it was her presence. Her boldness. The way she had spoken to him with no regard for who he was. Did she have any idea who she had just messed with?Then, suddenly, reality struck him.“Oh my goodness! My phone.” His voice hardened as irritation flared up again. He had left his phone with Alex.With a frustrated sigh, he yanked the steering wheel, making a sharp U-turn back to the office.THE OFFICE SHOWDOWNAlex was pacing back and forth when Julian stormed in. His assistant exhaled in relief
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Chapter 3Juliana’s phone buzzed, slicing through the heavy silence in her dimly lit room. She stared at the screen before answering with a weary sigh.“Hello.” Her voice was flat.“Hi, it’s Alex.” The voice on the other end was cautious.Her brows furrowed. “From the office?” she asked, surprised.“Yes, ma’am. I’m sorry—”Juliana scoffed before he could finish. “I already know. I got fired. Before I even stepped foot in the office, the report was filed, right? I get it. It’s not your fault—he’s your boss, after all.” There was a bitter edge to her voice.“Yeah, but…” Alex hesitated. “I wasn’t the one who submitted the report. I think he sent it in before you even got home.” He sighed. “But listen, if I come across an opportunity, I won’t hesitate to call you.”Juliana’s grip tightened on the phone. “It’s fine. All thanks to your heartless boss.” Her words were venomous, and before Alex could respond, she ended the call with a sharp tap.Her mother’s voice came from behind. “Who was t
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Chapter 10Accepting this job was a mistake.Or maybe the real mistake was tolerating every insult Julian threw at her.Juliana paced her room, hands clenched into fists, still fuming from the humiliation. How dare he belittle her in front of his friend? Did he even know she was a graduate? The way he dismissed her, as if she were nothing—was she supposed to just ignore his friend? Was she supposed to snub him?She scoffed.Julian was never kind. Not for a second.Everything had been an act, a disguise. Beneath it all, he was still the cold, heartless man she always knew him to be.Juliana let out a frustrated sigh, but just as she turned, a sharp knock at the door made her pause.“Juliana… Ana…”The whisper sent a chill down her spine.She knew that voice.Why can't this man leave me alone?Her body tensed, but she forced a smile before opening the door.Alex stood there, grinning as if he had just heard the funniest joke.“Umm… any problem?” Juliana asked, confused by his expression
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Chapter 8Girls. A bunch of disgusting perverts. How the hell did this loser keep track of my life? And how did she even know about Lucy?Julian exhaled sharply, kicking off his shoes with a tired grunt. "Damn, these shoes hurt." He ran a hand through his hair, his mind racing.“Tisha… ahh, Tsh…” he muttered, a strange smirk playing on his lips—one that disappeared the moment his phone rang.His jaw clenched as he picked up. “Hello, Mum.”“How are you, dear? I assume that worm at the office has been giving you a hard time again?” his mother’s voice came through, laced with concern.Julian remained silent.“We need to see you this weekend. There’s an important matter we must discuss,” she continued slowly.“Dad already told me,” he mumbled, rubbing his temple.“Yes, I know. But I need to tell you myself. I want you to understand just how serious this is.”Julian shook his head, his patience wearing thin.“I’ve heard you, Mum. I’m driving. I’ll call—”“You can use your earpods, Julian.
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Chapter 7Julian couldn't concentrate the entire day. No matter how much he tried to push her out of his mind, Juliana kept creeping back in. Something about her unsettled him, yet he couldn’t quite place what it was. He tapped his pen repeatedly on his desk, deep in thought, when a knock interrupted him."Excuse me, Boss," Alex said as he stepped inside.Julian shot him a cold stare. "Who gave you permission to come in?"Alex swallowed. "I'm sorry, Sir, but your father has been trying to reach you. He said you haven’t been picking up his calls."Julian’s eyes darkened. He leaned back in his chair, the pen still between his fingers. "And that alone didn't tell you I don’t want to speak with him? Sometimes, Alex, you act so unprofessionally. Couldn’t you have made up an excuse?""I tried, but he knew I was lying," Alex admitted."That's because you're an amateur," Julian said, exhaling sharply.Alex's phone rang again. He hesitated before glancing at Julian. "He's calling again, Sir."
A night with terror
Chapter 6Juliana clenched her fists as Julian’s words echoed in her mind. Messy hair? Of all the things he could have commented on, that was what he fixated on? The nerve of that man! Just because he was rich, he thought he could treat people however he pleased.A sudden knock at her door interrupted her thoughts.“Can I come in?”She hesitated for a moment before responding, “Yeah, sure.”The door creaked open, and Alex stepped in with a casual smile.“Oh, it’s you,” she said, relaxing slightly.“Mind if I sit?” Alex asked, motioning to the chair nearby.Juliana smirked. “What if I say no?”“Then I’ll stand.” He grinned before settling onto the chair anyway.She rolled her eyes but couldn’t help but smile.“I’m really glad you decided to stay,” Alex admitted.Juliana made a playful pout. “Why do you sound like I did you a huge favor? I mean, it was for my benefit too, so technically, I should be the one thanking you.”Alex raised an eyebrow. “You don’t realize what you did for me, d
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Chapter 5"You asked me to fire her just a few minutes ago," Alex said defensively, his brows furrowed in confusion.Julian, who had been lost in thought, snapped his gaze back to Alex. "Did I? Why?"Alex hesitated. "Umm... Julia—na," he stammered, unsure how his boss had suddenly forgotten.Julian’s eyes flickered with recognition. "Oh... The Peacock? You mean she made this?" His voice carried a mix of disbelief and intrigue."Yes, sir. But we already fired her," Alex repeated, still trying to piece together what was going on.A long silence stretched between them before Julian finally spoke."Call her back." His tone was calm but held an edge of finality.Alex blinked. "Sir?"Julian’s gaze darkened. "Call her back and double her salary."Alex stared at him, stunned. "I'm sorry, sir—what did you just say?"Julian leaned back in his chair, his expression unreadable. "You heard me. Now, leave."Alex hesitated, wanting to question him further, but he knew better. With a quick nod, he tu
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Epic 4"Wow..."Juliana's breath hitched as she stepped out of the car, her eyes widening in disbelief.Before her stood a mansion so grand, so exquisite, it looked like something straight out of a fairytale. Its towering pillars, sparkling marble floors, and sprawling gardens stretched beyond what her eyes could take in. The crisp air smelled of fresh roses, and the golden glow from the chandelier-lit windows made the entire place look like a palace.Her heart raced with excitement."They must be swimming in money to afford this."Unable to contain herself, she spun around, facing Alex with sheer enthusiasm.“Hey! I'm really going to live here, right?!” she asked, her voice bubbling with joy.Alex chuckled, his cheeks dusted with a light blush. “Of course. And, please… just call me Alex. I feel more comfortable that way.”Juliana instantly nodded. “Ah! I’m so sorry for being too formal,” she apologized quickly before adding, “I must say, your house is truly breathtaking!”A small smi
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Chapter 3Juliana’s phone buzzed, slicing through the heavy silence in her dimly lit room. She stared at the screen before answering with a weary sigh.“Hello.” Her voice was flat.“Hi, it’s Alex.” The voice on the other end was cautious.Her brows furrowed. “From the office?” she asked, surprised.“Yes, ma’am. I’m sorry—”Juliana scoffed before he could finish. “I already know. I got fired. Before I even stepped foot in the office, the report was filed, right? I get it. It’s not your fault—he’s your boss, after all.” There was a bitter edge to her voice.“Yeah, but…” Alex hesitated. “I wasn’t the one who submitted the report. I think he sent it in before you even got home.” He sighed. “But listen, if I come across an opportunity, I won’t hesitate to call you.”Juliana’s grip tightened on the phone. “It’s fine. All thanks to your heartless boss.” Her words were venomous, and before Alex could respond, she ended the call with a sharp tap.Her mother’s voice came from behind. “Who was t
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Epic twoJulian couldn't stop thinking about the sheer audacity of that woman—Juliana.“The nerve…” he muttered under his breath, his fingers tapping rhythmically against the steering wheel as he drove. His mind replayed the scene over and over again—her fierce glare, the way she had the guts to grab his tie, her voice laced with anger as she demanded he pay for her drink.“Tshh! Ju-lia-na…” he hissed, whispering her name like it was venom on his tongue.It wasn't just the incident that irked him—it was her presence. Her boldness. The way she had spoken to him with no regard for who he was. Did she have any idea who she had just messed with?Then, suddenly, reality struck him.“Oh my goodness! My phone.” His voice hardened as irritation flared up again. He had left his phone with Alex.With a frustrated sigh, he yanked the steering wheel, making a sharp U-turn back to the office.THE OFFICE SHOWDOWNAlex was pacing back and forth when Julian stormed in. His assistant exhaled in relief
