Haynes'' brow creased. "Send me her location. I''ll go find her myself."


    ...


    An hourter, Haynes finally returned with Ste by his side.


    He barely paused before addressing Benson. "Tell security and the reception desk to hand in their resignations."


    "Yes, sir." Benson was just about to leave when a woman''s cool, measured voice cut through the air.


    "Mr. O''Brien, why take it out on innocent employees?"


    There was the faintest trace of a smile in Ste''s eyes, but it never reached her expression.


    "Wasn''t it you, Mr. O''Brien, who gave strict orders that I wasn''t allowed into the O''Brien Group? They were only following your instructions."


    She turned to Lacey, who stood rigidly nearby. "Isn''t that right, Lacey?"


    Lacey''s face had gone pale, and she didn''t dare speak.


    Last time Ste had tried to see Haynes, it had indeed been Haynes himself who''d said she was no longer allowed on the premises.


    And just now, Haynes hadn''t given Lacey any heads-up that Ste would being.


    Strictly speaking, Lacey hadn''t done anything wrong-except, perhaps, for her less-than-friendly attitude.


    Haynes was silent for a few moments before speaking in a calm, detached tone. "Pass down the order. From now on, if Stees here, notify me first."


    "Yes, sir." Benson replied, turning to go, but Ste''s voice stopped him.


    "That won''t be necessary." Her tone was light, emotionless. "I won''t being to the O''Brien Group again."


    She recalled how, just a while ago, Rachel had breezed right in without so much as a call, and the front desk hadn''t even blinked. But then, Haynes was always quick to bend the rules for Rachel.


    Ste had long since grown used to it.


    Watching the whole exchange, Jasper couldn''t hide his disdain. He muttered under his breath, just loud enough to be heard, "How dramatic."


    Ste turned, fixing him with a cool gaze. "Excuse me?"


    Jasper sneered. "Am I wrong? If you know you''re not wee here, you could''ve called Haynes in advance—saved everyone the trouble Instead, you stormed out, and Haynes had to chase after you himself. Quite the performance, don''t you think?"


    Ste arched an eyebrow. "So what you''re saying, Mr. Wilkinson, is that after being thrown out without so much as an apology, I should''ve just hung around, shamelessly pretending nothing happened? That''s what you call not being dramatic?"


    She smiled, cold and sharp. "That''s not being dramatic, that''s just pathetic. By the way, if I recall, weren''t you the one just now suggesting they put up a sign-''No dogs or certain people allowed''?"


    At that, Haynes shot Jasper a chilly nce. "Jasper, it seems you still haven''t learned your lesson."


    Jasper''s face nched.


    Rachel rushed to exin, "Haynes, Jasper was just joking—"


    Haynes'' expression was unreadable. "Maybe a bit of time behind bars would do him some good. For both your sakes."


    Tears welled up in Rachel''s eyes. "Haynes, all those years I was abroad, Jasper was the only one who encouraged me. If it weren''t for him, I might not have made it back alive."


    She looked at Haynes pleadingly. "Please, give Jasper another chance." Wiping the tears from her eyes, she turned to Jasper. "Well? Aren''t you going to apologize to Ms. Cameron?"


    Jasper''s pride bristled, but under Haynes'' gaze, he didn''t dare protest.


    Reluctantly, he muttered, "Ste, I''m sorry."


    Ste watched him, unmoved, saying nothing.


    She knew full well Haynes'' words weren''t really for her benefit. He was simply


    using the situation to put Jasper in his ce.


    After all, Jasper was the very definition of a liability.