Chapter 9: You Are Not My Boss
Jane turned to find Patrick walking over with a frown. It was evident that he had been keeping a close watch on her throughout the evening. “Why do I have to report my every move to you? We’re not at work, so you’re not my boss. I can do as I please!”
Jane couldn’t help but wonder why he was so concerned about her actions. Suddenly, a car pulled up in front of them, and the driver hurriedly stepped out to open the door.
Jane recognized it as one of Patrick’s cars. Gazing away, Patrick spoke indifferently, “It’s late now, and it’s not safe to take a taxi alone. Let’s go back together. If anything were to happen to you, people would blame the Pansy family for not taking care of you.”
Jane furrowed her brows and replied, “Thanks, but no thanks. I can take care of myself.”
Just as Jane moved away to flag down a passing taxi, Patrick seized her wrist and ordered, “Get in the car!”
Staring her down, he added, “Since you’ll be staying with me for three months, I’m responsible for you. Don’t provoke me now!” In simpler terms, he didn’t give a damn about her; he was acting out of self-interest.
The frown on Jane’s face deepened as she shook off his hand and reluctantly climbed into the car. Before even meeting Patrick, she had resigned herself to not falling for him during their three months together. Now, after witnessing his temper and realizing he lacked the maturity to treat her properly, her dislike for him only grew. How could her grandpa be so blind as to choose this man as a potential son-in-law?
Florence, who had followed Patrick from the hall, observed the two getting into the same car and departing. She muttered under her breath, “I should be the one sitting in that car with Patrick! This woman came out of nowhere and stole my place. I’m the only one deserving of being Mrs. Pansy.”
After some contemplation, Florence dialed a number on her phone. “Hey, what’s going on? You want to be friends with me, don’t you? Are you ready to show your commitment?”
The person on the other end was Monica, the head of the secretarial department at Pansy Group. She had aspired to infiltrate the world of the wealthy but had encountered obstacles in doing so.
Now, receiving a call from Florence, she eagerly agreed, “Of course! I’ll do whatever you ask. Just name it!”
“Well, it’s simple. It concerns Jane. I’ve heard that she’s in your department. You should be well-placed to make her life miserable, right?” Florence paused before continuing, “After this, I’ll get you any luxury handbag you desire. You know money is no issue for me.”
Monica was initially taken aback by the request but, swayed by the promise of luxury goods, she enthusiastically declared, “You’re incredibly generous. Count on me. I’ll make sure Jane gets a lesson she won’t forget.”
Florence’s heart swelled upon hearing that Patrick didn’t care about Jane. “It’s settled, then. Your reward will come once it’s all done. Don’t let me down.”
Meanwhile, in the back seat of Patrick’s car, Jane and Patrick sat in silence, a palpable gulf between them. Patrick turned to her and couldn’t help but notice that Jane had been gazing out of the window since she got in the car. Her reticence was vexing him. “Ahem! I had no idea you were such a talented pianist. When did you learn to play?”
Jane finally glanced at him, her eyebrows arching slightly. “I was that good, huh? Well, I learned it just now.”
Patrick couldn’t believe his ears.
Seeing his disbelief, Jane felt a surge of satisfaction. She added with a proud grin, “I learned it from watching Florence’s performance. What did you think of my rendition? Were you spellbound? I’m pretty clever, don’t you think?”
Patrick looked away in frustration, commenting, “It’s so hard to have a conversation with you.”
Jane shrugged, responding, “Then don’t! I didn’t beg you to start one with me in the first place. You initiated it!”Copyright Nôv/el/Dra/ma.Org.
With that, Jane also turned her head away from him.