Miles' gaze was already fixed on the office entrance before the door burst open under the force of Daniel's arrival.
Daniel strode straight toward the desk, leaving the door to swing shut behind him.
"What is this, Miles?" Daniel demanded, tension tightening his jaw.
"Good aftern…" Rhea's voice trailed off from where she stood behind Miles as she registered Daniel's tone.
Miles lifted his head toward Daniel with a calm exhale, "Daniel, this is an office space…"
"The hell it is!" Daniel snapped, striking the desk hard before leaning onto it with both hands.
"Please calm…" Rhea tried again softly.
"Get out Rhea!" Daniel barked.
"Rhea, stay!" Miles said sternly, never once breaking eye contact with Daniel.
"How dare you?" Daniel said, his hands almost visibly trembling against the desk.
Miles knew exactly why Daniel was agitated, but he kept his expression unreadable.
"This is how employees manage your behavior here? " Miles asked evenly.
"What did you say to her?" Daniel accused.
"Speak coherently or Rhea will contact security," Miles replied.
Daniel held his stare for another long second before slamming his fist against the table with a frustrated grunt.
Rhea instinctively stepped forward, but Miles stopped her with a brief raise of his hand.
"Fuck all of this! Miles," Daniel spat, leaning closer again. "You are nothing but a bloody pretender."
Miles simply held Daniel's gaze, fully aware that Daniel could not directly confront him about the breakup Maria had obviously delivered.
"Mr Daniel please…" Rhea begged.
Daniel stepped back, still glaring daggers at Miles.
"I won't make it easy," he said with a shake of his head. "Not for you or Maria."
Then he turned and stormed out.
Silence stretched through the room.
Miles simply returned his attention to the computer before him, leaving Rhea stunned by the sheer intensity of what had just happened.
"Sir, are you…?" she began cautiously.
"Keep documenting," Miles cut in smoothly. "We have a deadline."
Rhea hesitated.
Then—
"Yes sir."
**
"She is so much worse than I thought," Crystal said from across the steel-framed wooden top, wooden-top canteen table while having lunch with Christian.
She had held back on Christian giving her information on what he had found out from the GOATASTE magazine distribution earlier in the main office, she wasn't risking anyone stealing this story from her.
Only now, during lunch break in the office canteen, had Christian told her what he had heard, which was further shocking.
Maria was suspected of having an affair with the CEO.
"It wasn't confirmed," Christian said, adjusting uneasily on his chair.
"It's only a matter of time that people discover what kind of whore Maria really is," Crystal replied, folding her arms over the sky-blue suit jacket on top of her black shirt.
"If people already suspect Maria," she continued, "then they've definitely seen evidence. They just haven't gotten hard proof yet."
Christian exhaled quietly.
"Maybe if we find out it's really her, we could get better luck with a different story."
Crystal snapped her head toward him, glaring.
"Are you crazy?"
Christian immediately tensed.
"I'm sorry," he muttered, lowering his gaze.
Crystal was genuinely irritated that Christian imagined she would mix emotions with work.
Whatever relationship she once had with Maria meant absolutely nothing beside a story this massive.
"You'd better stop acting like a coward," Crystal jeered, leaning back as she lifted the glass of cola beside her plate and took a sip.
"I agree," Christian replied quickly.
"This is real life," Crystal continued, setting the glass down. "Maria turned out to be a social climber, and now I have to do society a favor by exposing her."
"I mean…why couldn't she just use her brains?" Christian added, lifting his juice cup. "She actually seems brilliant too."
"Shut up," she snapped, picking up the low-calorie burger on her plate.
Imagine, Maria.
Maria—whom Crystal had once believed would never be attractive enough to catch the attention of elite men—was now rumored to be involved with both GOATASTE brothers at the same time.
Crystal bit her burger, nearly choking on the bitterness rising inside her.
She had worked in Mapla longer than Maria, yet her apartment was nowhere near as luxurious as Maria's.
Maria was practically spoiled like a princess with projects and fancy events.
Crystal scoffed under her breath.
So that was why Maria barely talked about her workplace.
A hunter would never give out the location of a game spot that kept giving her prey.
"Maria is such a bad example," Crystal continued, glancing at Christian, who still looked visibly conflicted.
She frowned in annoyance.
Maria didn't deserve sympathy. She was surviving the wrong way and making hardworking women look bad by exchanging her body for professional benefits.
"But somehow, I need to get close to her again," Crystal said. "That way I can keep an eye on her movements, especially around Miles Genova."
"Don't you think she might suspect something?" Christian asked carefully.
"I will replace you with a new assistant if you don't stop asking stupid questions," Crystal replied, unable to conceal her irritation.
Christian lowered his gaze again and silently lifted the straw of his juice cup to his mouth.
"You're lucky you managed to get a major lead this time," Crystal continued, leaning forward with threat heavy in her stare. "Don't let me think it happened by luck. A reporter is brutal—heartless in the face of truth."
Christian immediately nodded.
**
Maria sighed, practically glued to the lone folding chair inside the office cabinet where she had spent the rest of her day hiding from Daniel.
She had tried to soften the breakup, but nothing stopped Daniel from concluding Miles was behind her decision.
Which was not exactly a lie.
Maria hadn't responded much while they argued in the canteen.
She had simply stayed quiet while Daniel had finalized her as a slut to men for life in exchange for favors.
The way he stormed out afterward had terrified her.
She had genuinely panicked that Daniel might create a scene between himself and Miles somewhere in the office.
After leaving the canteen, she returned to her office but had been too restless to remain there before Jenny suggested the cabinet as a hiding place—and promised to cover for her absence.
Maria checked her wristwatch.
Almost closing hour.
Maybe Daniel had already left.
She couldn't hide forever.
She could take a cab home and leave the car Daniel bought parked in the garage.
Slowly, she stood and reached for the polished light-brown wooden door, gripping the silver handle as she drew a deep breath before pulling it open.
She stepped into the beige-tiled hallway, quietly observing employees preparing to leave for the evening.
Her gaze barely lingered on the open workspace before she slipped into her office.
She exhaled softly while shutting the door behind her—
Then froze.
Pete stood beside her desk.
"I never got the chance to congratulate you properly, Maria," he said, wearing one of the fakest smiles Maria had seen in a long time.
"Good evening, Pete," she replied politely as she walked past him toward her desk and began arranging her bag.
"I like you Maria," Pete continued, moving around to stand in front of the desk. "You know exactly how to use what you have to get what you want and honestly? I respect that."
Maria paused and looked at him.
"I don't understand what you mean?"
At this point, she was exhausted.
Her entire day had already been difficult enough.
Now Pete was trying to play mind games.
"I don't mean it in the wrong way," he said quickly, lifting both palms. "I'm only saying I see you, and I admire the way you're climbing. Daniel has no idea what a gem you really are."
"If you really think my capability isn't worth my current project endorsement," Maria replied, "then maybe you should take it up with the CEO instead."
Pete smirked.
"As I said, I'm complimenting you. I've always liked your ideas, the way you carry yourself…and now that Daniel can no longer suppress you, I can finally be honest. You deserve this."
Maria almost scoffed, annoyed that part of his praise actually landed.
"Thank you," she replied quietly, lowering her attention to her phone as she searched for a cab ride.
Truthfully, she didn't want to step into the garage.
Her thoughts kept spiraling toward what could be waiting for her at home.
Would Miles seriously leave her alone to deal with the consequences of the breakup he practically forced?
What if Daniel decided to take this feud to the house he put her in?
"But now that you're past the leagues of Daniel," Pete continued. "I know men on the CEO's level who could become a good backup cushion for you. Just in case."
Maria slowly breathed out, trying hard not to explode on him.
She should have left already, but her thoughts were too tangled to move properly.
None of this had been part of her plan.
She originally intended to break up with Daniel over the weekend, when things could have been calmer and more reasonable.
But Miles had destroyed those plans.
Now she was even afraid to go home.
Afraid of Daniel.
A soft tap sounded against the office glass door, causing both Maria and Pete to turn at the same time.
The familiar older man outside in a black suit with a warm smile immediately made Maria's eyes brighten.
Miles' chauffeur.
Without hesitation, Maria grabbed her bag and moved toward the door.
"Have a good evening, Pete," she said, not even bothering to look back before following the chauffeur out.
Even then, her heart still beat anxiously, hoping that the drama would not continue, at least just for today.