The two of them walked over, frowning. "Is something wrong, Supervisor?"
"Don’t go picking a fight with her. Her backer is someone else," the supervisor warned.
"Who could it be? Isn’t it just Assistant Lawson?" one of them said with contempt. They’d long since grown tired of that man, who threw his weight around just because he was Mr. Kendrick’s chief assistant.
He was always so arrogant toward them. Even his girlfriend slacked off, dumping all her work on them.
"This one is a real heavyweight. Her backer is Mr. Kendrick himself," the supervisor said wearily, rubbing the bridge of his nose.
The two streamers glanced at each other, stunned. They never would have guessed that Mr. Kendrick had personally arranged for her to be here.
Hazel Sinclair’s first day of work at Hyperion was incredibly easy.
When it was time to leave work, she walked out of the building, planning to hail a cab.
But then she remembered what Leon Sterling had said yesterday. After a moment’s hesitation, she opened her messaging app and pulled up her chat with him.
[Hazel: I’m off work. Have you started cooking?]
Leon Sterling replied the instant she sent the message.
[Leon: At the supermarket getting groceries. Need me to pick you up?]
[Leon: We’re having shrimp and steamed fish tonight. I’ll also get some beef and green peppers for a stir-fry.]
[Leon: [Image]]
She looked at the picture he sent. It showed groceries, along with pads and snacks.
Seeing the pads, Hazel touched her stomach. ’Her period was coming soon.’
’She hadn’t even remembered, but somehow Leon had. He’d even bought pads for her in advance. She never would have expected it.’
[Hazel: Okay, come get me.]
After sending the message, she sent Leon her location so he could come over.
She squatted by the company entrance to wait. Just then, Jasper Fletcher stepped out of a car and strode furiously toward the Hyperion building.
But before he could get inside, a security guard blocked his way.
The guard held him back firmly. "Mr. Fletcher, Mr. Kendrick gave orders. You can’t go in."
Blocked from entering, a furious Jasper Fletcher stood at the entrance, bellowing, "Evelyn Kendrick, you bitch! Get the hell out here and face me!"
"Bitch—"
He seethed, thinking about what Evelyn Kendrick had done.
All their business partners were refusing to work with the Fletcher Family. They wouldn’t even sign contracts that had already been negotiated.
Evelyn had also posted everything he’d done online, and now the Vorizon Group’s stock was plummeting.
Everyone online was trashing him, and sales had dropped significantly.
On top of that, someone was buying up Vorizon’s shares.
He tried to buy them back, but the other party always outbid him by fifty thousand.
This infuriated Jasper Fletcher.
"Evelyn, you bitch! No one will ever marry a woman like you!"
Unable to get in, Jasper Fletcher abandoned all dignity, pointing at the main doors and screaming, "You’re a filthy harpy who destroys families! Whoever marries you is damned!"
Hazel Sinclair watched him, then walked out, her expression dark. "Look who’s talking. A piece of trash like you is the one nobody wants."
"You get to destroy a family’s livelihood, but she can’t?"
Hazel stood to the side with her arms crossed, her voice dripping with scorn. "Stop being such a hypocrite. The world doesn’t revolve around you."
"You run your own company into the ground, but instead of blaming your own incompetence, you come here to blame a woman. How pathetic can you get?"
Hazel’s gaze, filled with undisguised contempt, swept over him from head to toe. She finished with a sound of disgust.
"Plenty of men are lining up to pursue and marry our Evelyn."
’Isn’t Silas Hawthorne trying to rekindle his old romance with Evelyn?’
’Silas Hawthorne is more handsome, richer, and more powerful than him. He could crush Jasper Fletcher in every conceivable way. Jasper really has no self-awareness.’
Jasper Fletcher was already furious, but the sight of Hazel Sinclair made him even angrier. ’If it weren’t for this woman exposing him, would Evelyn be doing this?’
’It’s all her fault!’
His eyes bloodshot, he glared at Hazel, his chest heaving. His hands were clenched into fists, and he looked ready to explode.
Seeing his state, Hazel took a few fearful steps back.
’Damn it, he’s not one of those wife-beater types, is he?’
"Hazel Sinclair, this is all your fault!" Jasper Fletcher roared, pointing a finger at her. "If it weren’t for you, Evelyn would be my wife by now, and her company would belong to the Fletcher Family!"
"Go to hell!" With that, Jasper Fletcher raised his fist and charged, aiming to strike Hazel.
Hazel was stunned as he rushed toward her.
’He really is a scumbag who’d hit a woman!’
’I’m screwed. I can’t fight him. What do I do?’
The security guard rushed over to grab him, but Jasper was too fast; the guard couldn’t even get a hand on him.
Hazel scrambled to the side, doing her best to dodge.
When Jasper saw her dodge, he bellowed, "You dare dodge? I’ll kill you!"
’Help!’
’This is it. I’m going to die at the hands of this bastard.’
Hazel ran as fast as she could, but Jasper was faster. He caught up in a few strides, grabbed her wrist, and violently flung her to the ground.
The skin on her arm and calf was scraped raw, and the abrasions burned with pain.
’Damn it! All of them are bastards!’
Hazel cursed inwardly, hating herself for getting involved. ’If I’d just ignored him, this wouldn’t be happening.’
"Die—" Jasper walked up to Hazel, raising his fist, a look of exhilaration on his face.
But before the fist could land on Hazel, it was caught in an iron grip. Leon Sterling stood beside them, his face dark as stone, his hand clamped around Jasper Fletcher’s wrist.
"Who the hell!?" Jasper roared, his attack thwarted. "Do you know who I am?"
THWACK—
Leon ignored him, simply swinging a fist straight into his face.
The punch was so forceful it knocked out a tooth.
Jasper’s cheek throbbed with pain. He stood there, dazed, before collapsing to the ground.
Leon helped Hazel up. When he saw the scrapes on her arm and leg, his expression grew even darker.
"Stand here and wait for me." Leon reached out, gently tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear. He did his best to keep his voice soft as he comforted her.
Hazel nodded, tears welling in her eyes. She looked down at her arm and leg. ’It hurts so much.’
’*Sob*, I’ve been so unlucky this month, I just keep getting hurt.’
’I really need to go to a temple and pray for better luck.’
Leon walked over to Jasper, hauled him up by the collar, and then drove his fist down hard.
One punch, two, three. Blood poured from Jasper’s nose and mouth. His once-handsome face was now swollen like a pig’s.
It was a mess of black and purple bruises, the corner of his eye already swelling shut.
"You—" Jasper struggled, slurring, "Do you... know who... I am?"
"Jasper Fletcher, CEO of the Vorizon Group," Leon stated calmly.
"Then... you still dare... hit me?"
His only answer was another punch. Leon glanced at his own blood-splattered fist, his voice turning to ice. "You hurt my wife."