The caregiver twisted her hands nervously. "But Mr. Blackwood was very specific about you taking your medication on time." "He's back home now. His instructions don't apply here." "Well—" The caregiver was torn. She chose her words carefully. "Ms. Roby, your moods have been very unstable lately. Perhaps another consultation with Dr. Archer?" Annie's face instantly darkened. "I said I'm not sick! Get out!" she roared. Defeated, the caregiver retreated. After a moment's thought, she picked up the phone to call the doctor. Her paycheck, after all, came from Jasper. She couldn't risk his displeasure. Soon, the doctor arrived and knocked on Annie's door. Annie blinked in surprise. "Dr. Archer! What brings you here?" Seeing the flustered caregiver in the living room, she understood. Her smile returned, bright and convincing. "Thank you for your concern, but I'm perfectly fine. My caregiver tends to overreact. Oh, I'm heading back home soon. It might be a while before we see each other again." "Back home?" The doctor was taken aback. "Does Mr. Blackwood know?" "Of course. He's handling the arrangements." The doctor nodded, then opened his med kit and took out a few bottles. "This is your next course of treatment. Given the recent fluctuations, it's crucial you adhere to the schedule." Annie accepted the bottles with a gracious smile. "Of course. I'll follow your instructions to the letter." Relieved, the doctor took his leave. The moment the door closed, Annie's smile vanished. She turned and dumped all the pills into the trash. The caregiver opened her mouth to protest. "Ms. Roby—" A sharp, venomous glare cut her off. "One more word, one more step out of line, and I'll have Jasper fire you on the spot." The caregiver fell silent immediately. It was a well-paying, easy job. The only catch was her employer's fragile mental state. She couldn't afford to lose it. On Monday morning, Darcy arrived at the Stratagem Tech office. Before she even set foot in her office, she saw people moving in and out of it. She frowned and stepped closer—someone was hauling her office supplies out, shifting them into the small room next door. That small room used to be for short meetings, and it was barely half the size of her office. Puzzled, she approached. A woman in sharp heels and an even sharper expression stepped directly into her path. "Hello. I'm Jenna King, Mr. Blackwood's assistant. According to the new structure, this office is now for Mr. Blackwood." Jenna's gaze swept over Darcy, a barely concealed curl of disdain at the corner of her lips. Darcy took a deep, steadying breath. "Ms. King, I'll move my own belongings. There's no need for your people to handle them." Her plan had been to meet with Jasper first, discuss the transition. This unilateral, disrespectful move, echoing the HR announcement, felt like a deliberate slap in the face. Anger simmered beneath her calm exterior. Just then, Jasper walked in. He took in the scene, his brow furrowing slightly. Jenna immediately scurried to his side. "Mr. Blackwood, we were just preparing your new office. But the Vice President seems to have some objections." She emphasized the title pointedly, a not-so-subtle reminder of Darcy's new, lower rank.Darcy looked at Jasper and inclined her head. "Mr. Blackwood, I'm not against yielding the office. I just think, since it involves me, a heads-up would've been necessary. Don't you agree?" Jasper studied the woman standing before him—the woman rumored to be entangled with his cousin. He'd heard she was capable, but he hadn't expected her to be so strikingly beautiful. He hadn't gotten a good look at her in Jethro's office that day. Up close, she was arresting—a compelling kind of beauty. He pulled his gaze away, a faint smile touching his lips as he addressed Jenna. "From now on, without my say-so, don't make executive decisions." Jenna's face flushed with embarrassed shock. She hadn't anticipated Jasper taking Darcy's side. Her cousin had said Jasper catered to her every whim. "Y-yes. It won't happen again," she stammered quickly. But when she looked back at Darcy, her posture remained haughty and dismissive. Later, alone, Jenna quickly sent a message to her cousin, "She's not even half as pretty as you. Don't worry. She's no competition." Cindy, as usual, arrived late. Passing by the CEO's office, she pushed the door open without thinking. "Darcy! About this weekend, did you—" The words "go on a date with my brother" died on her lips as she found herself staring at Jasper, seated behind the large desk. Her eyes widened. "Jasper?" Jasper jerked his chin at her and nodded toward the computer, voice gentle. "I'm in a remote meeting." Cindy slammed the door shut with a loud thwack and stormed into the adjoining small room. Finding Darcy sitting there, looking completely composed, only fueled her fury. "Damn! He even had to take your office?!"Darcy stood up to soothe her. "It's to be expected. He's the CEO now. The biggest office comes with the title." Cindy poked her friend's forehead in exasperation. "You and your endless patience!"