Deeper wounds

Jaxon sat behind his desk, his laptop open before him, glasses perched on his nose. The screen displayed his email inbox, and he was busy scanning through the unread messages.

Among the new emails, one caught his attention—it was from Clef Roberto’s personal assistant. The message detailed the goods Jaxon had paid for and where he was supposed to retrieve them. 

As he read through the information, there was a knock on the door, and Alex stepped in. Jaxon didn’t look up, his focus remaining on the laptop.

“Mr. Waverly, I’ve handed Isla the iPad with your schedules,” Alex reported. Jaxon finally raised his head, glancing through the transparent office walls to see Isla inspecting the iPad in her hands.

“Great. That’ll make things smoother. Roberto’s reached out,” Jaxon said, shifting his attention to Alex.

“The goods are ready?” Alex asked, taking a seat across from him.

“They’ll arrive Thursday,” Jaxon confirmed, his tone brisk. “Same parking lot where we met Wommie.”

Alex nodded, watching him intently. “The engineers are here for elevator maintenance.”

Jaxon gave a distracted nod, his eyes still on the screen. Silence settled over the room. Alex glanced at Isla through the glass walls, wrestling with himself over whether to broach the subject weighing on his mind. Finally, he spoke.

“Can I ask you something?” Alex asked hesitantly.

Jaxon looked up, his brows knitting in curiosity. “Hmm.”

“It’s about Isla,” Alex said carefully, and Jaxon paused. His focus shifted from the laptop, his brows furrowing further.

“What about her?”

“Last night, I thought you were going to punish her for trying to enter the company after working hours,” Alex began.

Jaxon raised a brow. “I changed my mind.”

“You changed your mind?” Alex repeated, disbelief lacing his tone. “You never do that. What if she’s a spy? It’s suspicious she came back after everyone left.”

“She’s not a spy, Alex,” Jaxon replied firmly, leaning back in his chair. “I made sure of that last night. She’s no threat.”

“How can you be so sure?” Alex pressed, his voice tight with emotion he didn’t fully understand. “Did she... did she stay at your place last night?”

Jaxon’s expression shifted to one of disbelief, as though Alex had become a stranger to him. “You’ve worked with me for seven years. When did you start doubting my judgment?”

Alex swallowed hard, rubbing a hand over his face. “I’m sorry. I just want to make sure we’re not being careless. We can’t afford that right now.”

“I’m not careless,” Jaxon said calmly but decisively. “I can recognize someone harmless when I see them. Isla isn’t a threat, and you need to stop being so uptight about her.”

“I’m not uptight…” Alex started to argue.

“There’s no need to deny it,” Jaxon interrupted, his gaze sharp. “I’ve seen how you look at her. It’s obvious you don’t like her. But she’s my secretary now, and unless she breaks company rules, that’s not going to change.”

Alex gave a reluctant nod, bowing his head slightly. ‘He’s favoring her and doesn’t even realize it,’ he thought bitterly.

“I’ll take my leave,” Alex said quietly, heading for the door. Just as his hand reached the handle, he paused and turned back.

“Will you be free tonight?”

Jaxon’s brows knitted in confusion.

“It’s the last Wednesday. The company dinner,” Alex clarified.

Realization dawned on Jaxon. “Oh! Right. Yeah, I’ll be there.”

“Okay,” Alex said with a small smile. “I’ll wait outside at 7 p.m. to take you to the venue.”

Jaxon nodded, still watching him with a faintly puzzled expression as Alex left the room. Something about Alex’s behavior felt off—different in a way he couldn’t quite pinpoint.

As the door clicked shut behind Alex, Isla glanced up and caught his eye. She offered him a soft smile, lifting the iPad slightly in acknowledgment.

“Thank you for this,” she said, her voice gentle.

As she expected, Alex didn’t respond. He walked past her without a word, his expression unchanging, as though she hadn’t spoken at all.

Isla sighed deeply, lowering her gaze before glancing back into Jaxon’s office. He was still engrossed in his laptop. A quick check of her phone showed it was already noon.

‘He’s probably finished his coffee by now,’ she thought. Rising from her seat, she decided to make another cup for him.

In the coffee room, Isla busied herself with the machine, her mind preoccupied with Alex’s hostility. She couldn’t understand why he disliked her so much. Sure, their initial encounters hadn’t been pleasant, but did it warrant such visible disdain?

When the coffee was ready, she returned to Jaxon’s office, knocked lightly on the door, and entered when she heard his faint acknowledgment.

Jaxon looked up as soon as she stepped in, leaning back in his chair as his eyes followed her approach. Isla kept her gaze low, avoiding direct eye contact.

“Here’s your coffee, sir,” she said softly, setting the steaming cup on his desk.

“Great,” Jaxon replied, leaning forward to take it. “I was just about to call you.”

“Oh?” Isla’s brows arched slightly in curiosity.

“Are you aware of the company dinner tonight?” Jaxon asked, taking a sip of the coffee. A sigh of satisfaction escaped him as the rich flavor hit his taste buds.

“Dinner?” Isla echoed, then gave a slight nod. “Yes, I saw it listed in your schedule.”

“Every employee is expected to attend, and that includes you,” Jaxon stated, placing the cup back on the desk.

“Oh... okay,” Isla replied, managing a faint smile. Internally, she felt conflicted. She wasn’t sure she wanted to attend, but declining wasn’t an option—not when her boss had personally mentioned it. 

Her thoughts raced as she considered what to wear and how to survive the evening, especially around coworkers like Alex. The only person she felt remotely comfortable with was Jaxon, but he’d likely be preoccupied throughout the event.

Jaxon slightly nodded and Isla took this as a cue to leave. She headed out of the office and walked back to her desk to continue working.

* 

Isla was completely absorbed in her work. She had spent hours filing, organizing, and maintaining sensitive documents—contracts, incident reports, compliance records. When she finally glanced at the clock, she realized it was already past 6 p.m.

With a weary sigh, she stretched, feeling the strain of sitting too long. Looking down the quiet hallway lined with desks, she noticed her colleagues wrapping up for the day. Two men strolled toward her, heading for the elevator.

“We need to get home quick so we don’t miss the opening dance,” one of them said, his excitement evident. “Who knows? I might finally meet the woman I’ll be dancing with this month.”

The other man scoffed. “I’m just there for the booze. This month’s been brutal.”

As they approached, Isla smiled warmly. “Hi!”

“Hey! You’re coming to the party, right?” one of them asked cheerfully.

“Of course,” Isla replied with a chuckle.

“Great! I’ve found my dance partner,” he teased, reaching over to kiss her hand playfully.

Jaxon looked out of his office and watched the inaudible drama going on with Isla and other staffs. However, when he saw he kissed her hand, he narrowed his gaze,   observing intently.

The men walked away, leaving Isla alone. She glanced toward Jaxon’s office, but he seemed engrossed in his computer, his usual demeanor unbroken.

‘He must be having a long day too,’ she thought, turning her attention back to her phone. A notification appeared, and out of curiosity, she opened the email.

Her heart sank. The subject line read, "Jeremy and Ivy Wedding Invitation."

She froze, staring at the screen, her fingers trembling. Tears began to spill onto her phone as she scrolled up to view the ornate digital invitation. The floodgates opened, and she couldn’t stop the stream of emotion that overtook her.

Jaxon, still watching from his office, noticed her sudden distress. Her quiet sobs tugged at something within him. He debated stepping in, but his hesitation held him back. Isla quickly stood up and bolted down the hallway toward the restroom.

Alarmed, Jaxon followed, stopping at her desk. Her phone lay abandoned, the email still open. He resisted the urge to read it, reminding himself it wasn’t his place. Yet, worry gnawed at him. “I’ll wait for her,” he murmured, retreating to his office but unable to focus.

Isla’s back rested on the wall of the restroom as she broke out, scream and wailing in pain and agony. Her body shivered as she felt fierce pain in her chest. She thought she was healing, but this just opened the wounds deeper than she thought they were. 

Inside the restroom, Isla collapsed against the wall, her anguish spilling out in cries and wails. She clutched her chest, her pain raw and relentless. She thought she was healing, but this reopened wounds she hadn’t realized were still so deep.

“Why now?!” she sobbed, sliding down the wall. Her trembling hands raked through her hair, leaving it disheveled as her cries echoed in the empty space.

Thirty minutes passed and Jaxon was still waiting for Isla to come out. The floor was now silent, her colleagues long gone. Jaxon’s concern deepened. He couldn’t ignore the dread he’d seen in her eyes. His phone buzzed—a message from Alex.

"I’m outside waiting for you."

Jaxon sighed, glancing toward the restroom again. “I can’t leave her like this,” he muttered, typing a quick reply.

"Go ahead. I’ll catch up with you later."

Alex clenched his jaws as he read Jaxon’s response. He looked at one of Jaxon’s guards and asked; “Is his secretary out?”

“No, sir.” He responded, and Alex clenched his jaws even harder, irritation creeping in. 

“Her… again.”