He opened his laptop to show Jasper the official email notification. When Jasper saw the name copied on the email—Jethro—understanding dawned. My cousin's doing. Not just the move today—he'd skipped Saturday's family meal on purpose too. Silent moves to show his displeasure. Jasper instinctively glanced toward Darcy. While they were all arguing, she sat off to the side, sipping her drink with an air of complete serenity. Hah. So confident. She must be certain my cousin has her back. He'd heard about Darcy from Zora. Zora had painted her as a gold-digging social climber, using men to get ahead. Of course, given Zora's own character, her words held little weight. Jasper hadn't paid them much mind. Now, he wondered if there wasn't some truth to them after all. Darcy seemed more calculated than he'd assumed. Without another word, Jasper turned and headed back to the elevators. Jenna looked stunned, stomped her foot, then hustled after him, nagging, "Mr. Blackwood! You're just going to let it slide? People who defy you should be fired! If you don't, they'll just get worse, finding new ways to undermine you!" Jasper dug a finger in his ear and shot her a glance. How did someone as sharp as Annie end up with such a dim-witted cousin? "I still need her expertise," he said flatly. "At least until I'm fully up to speed on all the projects." He'd returned with a vow to prove himself, to show Annie he was every bit as capable as his cousin. To prove he was worthy of her affection. Back on their floor, Jenna didn't follow Jasper into his office. Instead, she slipped into the stairwell next to the restrooms and dialed a number. "Annie, that woman is something else. Even Jasper couldn't do anything about her today," she reported in a hushed, excited tone. There was a pause on the other end before a gentle, measured voice replied, "Is that so? Then she must be quite capable." Jenna curled her lip. "Capable? It's all hype, if you ask me. She's probably sleeping her way to the top. Who knows which executive got her the job?" Annie's mind instantly flashed to the award ceremony photo of Jethro and Darcy. Her nails dug into her palm, but her voice remained light. "Jenna, don't say such things. I saw online that she won an award. And... Jethro presented it to her himself." "What? He gave her the award?" Jenna gasped, then quickly lowered her voice. "See! I told you! She must be sleeping with him! That's how she got to be CEO!" "Don't say that!" Remembering too late Annie's own history with Jethro, Jenna backtracked awkwardly. "I didn't mean Mr. Blackwood is at fault! Even the best men can be led astray by a determined seductress. He's always been so proper, but some women just throw themselves at him." Silence greeted her words. "Don't worry, Annie," Jenna rushed to reassure her. "I'll keep an eye on things. Once you're back, Mr. Blackwood won't have a single thought for her. His heart, his eyes—they'll only be for you!" Annie offered a shy, hopeful laugh. "Jenna, stop teasing me." "I'm not teasing!" Jenna insisted. "Remember how sweet you two were? He stood against his whole family for you. He spoiled you rotten." The memory brought an involuntary, wistful smile to Annie's lips.Yes. Jethro's heart has always been mine. All these years, he's been alone—it must be because he could never forget me. Once I'm back, everything will go back to the way it was. "Oh," Jenna added, "when are you coming back?" "The paperwork is being processed," Annie said. "I'll be there soon." "That's fantastic!" Jenna gushed. "When you're back, dinner's on me!" Hanging up, Jenna's eyes gleamed with ambition. If I play my cards right with Annie, my future is set. Whether she ends up with Jethro or Jasper, she'll be Mrs. Blackwood. As her cousin, I'll benefit from her rise. The thought alone was thrilling! With that goal cemented, her resolve hardened. I have to get Darcy out of the picture. She can't be allowed to mess up Annie's future! At noon, to celebrate the move, Cindy treated everyone on the 15th floor to lunch at a hotel restaurant nearby. They took over three private dining rooms. Naturally, Cindy, Darcy, and Zephyr sat together. Over the meal, Cindy sighed, thinking of Jasper. "He used to be so cute, like a little tail, trailing after Jethro and me. Who would have thought he'd turn out like this? Growing up can be really cruel sometimes." The sudden melancholy in the usually vivacious Cindy took everyone by surprise. Zephyr quietly poured her a fresh glass of soda. "Something sweet. Might help." Cindy shot him a look, a familiar pout forming. "You were the one who said soda was unhealthy yesterday."