Darcy thought for a moment and told him about clashing with Jasper in the meeting. "Oh, and I noticed something weird with Cindy and Zephyr," she added, her eyes lighting up. She'd almost forgotten about that piece of gossip. She'd been dying to talk about it earlier but hadn't had the chance before her mother's urgent call. Now that she'd found someone who would listen, the words rushed out. Jethro chuckled, "Is that all?" Darcy tapped her chin. "That's it. Nothing else." She wasn't sure if she imagined it, but she thought she saw a fleeting dark glint in the man's eyes on the screen. The moment the call ended, Jethro's smile vanished.A photo appeared on his screen. Heh. He hadn't realized Hugo had turned into a two-faced flirt. Trying to drive a wedge between him and Darcy? Way too naive. The next day at work, Darcy had barely settled into her chair when a WhatsApp message popped up. It was from HR downstairs. "Ms. Gale, I just wanted to apologize in advance." Darcy was confused. "Apologize? For what?" "Ugh, I can't say more. Just... I'm really sorry. Some things are out of my hands." Darcy guessed Jasper had pressured her into something. "It's okay. I understand." After replying, she put her phone down, but a sense of foreboding settled in her chest. What is Jasper planning now?Twenty minutes later, the axe fell. A company-wide email announcing a formal written warning sent shockwaves through the office. The subject of the warning? Darcy. The reason? Unauthorized absence from work. The email stated that, as this was a first offense, a written warning was issued. Any future violations would result in severe disciplinary action, up to and including termination. The tone was harsh. The moment she saw it, Darcy checked her leave request. Jasper had read it but hadn't approved. It was deliberate. A move to publicly humble her. She understood the principle: The nail that sticks up gets hammered down. She wasn't naive. "Damn it, Jasper's out of line! I'm going to give him a piece of my mind!" Cindy declared, rolling up her sleeves as if ready for a fight. Darcy stopped her. "It won't help. If he's determined to target me, he'll find a way." Cindy gritted her teeth. "So we just let him walk all over you?" Darcy managed a small smile. "Technically, I did break protocol yesterday in my hurry. I'll just have to be more careful from now on." "But you can't be on guard every single day!" "What's the alternative? We storm into his office, slap him, get arrested, and fired?" Cindy pouted. "This is so unfair." Darcy patted her back reassuringly. "I know you mean well. But trust me, I can handle this." News from Stratagem Tech reached the top floor quickly. Rowan briefed his boss immediately. Jethro, who had been signing documents, slowly capped his pen. His long fingers tapped lightly on the polished desk. "Bring Jasper up here," he said, his voice deceptively calm. Mr. Kerr's heart stuttered. He bowed out and shut the door. When Jasper received Rowan's call summoning him upstairs, he frowned and checked his digital calendar. It was empty. "Mr. Kerr, any idea what this is about?" "No idea," Rowan replied, maintaining calm. But in his mind— You're in for it now. The boss cares about Ms. Gale more than anything. Messing with her? You've picked the wrong fight. Hanging up, Jasper felt his temples throb. A sense of impending doom washed over him. Did I somehow offend him? Straightening his cuffs, Jasper took the elevator directly to the executive floor. Knock, knock. "Come in." The low voice carried from inside. Jasper turned the silver handle. Before he could step fully inside, something whizzed past his head. A thick binder thudded onto the carpet at his feet. If he'd been a split-second faster, it would have hit his forehead, not the floor. "Did you personally review this proposal? The most critical line item—the bid price—is incorrect! How did this get past you? Or have you already grown complacent in your new role?" Jasper didn't get a chance to speak. The man in the CEO's chair launched into a tirade, his voice low but carrying the full weight of his authority, each word a hammer blow. Everyone in the executive suite strained to listen without appearing to. Being publicly dressed down by his cousin in front of all these subordinates turned Jasper's face a mottled red. He quickly shut the door, blocking the curious stares. Bending down, he picked up the binder. Flipping it open to the page marked with angry red pen, he saw it—a price unit error. The amount itself wasn't the problem.