Chapter 63
Chapter 63
People were inherently selfish. It might be a bit harsh to generalize, but Jocelyn knew all too well that she was pretty much cut from that cloth.
She wanted to be her hubby’s everything.
She’s even thought that if she kicked the bucket, she’d want her hubby to tag along for the ride.
That’s gotta be some kind of sickness.
On some issues, she was a bit of a fanatic, too.
Melvin just shrugged it off and said, “Are there really guys like that in this world?”
Jocelyn cocked her head and eyed him, “Given our current relationship, if your mom and I fell into the river at the same time, who would you save first?”
The second the words left her lips, you could practically see his face lose all color.
“No ‘ifs’.”
Jocelyn frowned, “Can’t you just play along and give me an answer?”
“My mom’s passed away.
Jocelyn’s breath hitched, and she blurted out reflexively, I’m sorry.”
She genuinely didn’t know squat about Melvin’s family affairs; he never mentioned his parents, and she just assumed they were both hale and hearty considering he’s still a young buck.
Melvin clammed up.
Jocelyn just sat there in silence and said no more as well.
A million questions swirled in her head, but she didn’t dare to voice a single one.
Ever since she popped that question, she could feel him wrapped up in darkness, the kind where there’s no way to find your way
out.
Suddenly, a thought zipped through her mind. Could his aversion to getting married have something to do with his family? Was it because of his mother?
But his sister’s hitched and her kids are already growing like weeds.
Jocelyn sneaked another glance at him. He was driving stone-faced.
“I need to swing by the office for a bit.” Melvin had already steered the car towards his company.
“It’s cool, just drop me off at the corner and I’ll hail a cab,” Jocelyn said, not wanting to be a pain in the neck.
Melvin didn’t stop the car. “Won’t take long. Just hang in the car.”
Jocelyn didn’t feel like arguing anymore.
They pulled into the company’s open-air lot, parked, and Melvin got on the phone without getting out right away.
From the car, Jocelyn spotted her dad, alvin, at the main entrance, decked out in a security uniform. With hands full of bags, he used his body to prop the glass door, looking inside all smiles.
Soon enough, Willow showed up.
She was dolled up in designer duds In a cocky manner, she looked down her nose at Calvin with sheer contempt.
They stepped outside, and whatever Willow said to her assistant, the assistant relayed to Calvin Calvin hurriedly turned around and was to head away when he was called back again; as he listened to the assistant, he nodded and smiled. Then he scurried to load stuff into a minivan parked out front. After stowing the gear, he dashed back into the building.
Willow and her assistant stood by the car, their words lost on the wind, but their expressions screamed bad vibes.
They were staring at the company entrance, and the sneer on their lips was obviously directed at Calvin.
Jocelyn felt her blood boiling in an instant, her fists clenching slightly.
As Melvin finished his call, he saw Jocelyn staring daggers somewhere off to the side. He followed her gaze and caught sight of Calvin, empty-handed, looking like he was trying to explain the missing goods.
The sopistant rummaged through a bag and said something
Chapter 63
Having been stunned for a second, Calvin soon plastered on a smile and went over to open their car door for them.
Seeing this, Jocelyn came to the end of her patience. But she couldn’t blow her top
Whether Willow was deliberately giving her dad the runaround or not, he had taken the job. If she stormed out now, it would only embarrass him.
Jocelyn gripped her fists lighter, swallowing down the anger which was about to choke her, “Is this what a security chief’s job looks like at your company?”
Melvin furrowed his brow. Without answering her, he just got out of the car and slammed the door, striding towards the still-Idle
minivan.
The folks inside it must’ve seen him coming because the door swung open again.
Jocelyn watched as her dad stood in front of Melvin, all meek and respectful, and her heart twisted in pain.
She knew that being a security guard was no cakewalk.
To some, it’s like you’re a second-class citizen, and there are those who’ll trash-talk you behind your back, trampling the profession all over.
She had seen her dad at work before. Sometimes jotting down license plates, doing rounds, or lending a hand when folks were laden with stuff seemed only natural. To do a favor like that was due to basic human decency, even if it was not for the job.
But what she had just witnessed with Willow was different; it felt like she was deliberately treating her father as a plaything.
The look and gaze she gave clued her that it was Intentional
She was sure. Willow knew he was her dad.
Otherwise, why didn’t she bother the assistant? Why would she ask a man in his fifties, nearly at the age of retirement, to run in
and out?
if they genuinely needed help, no big deal. But it was clear that wasn’t the case.
Jocelyn didn’t want to see her father at Willow’s beck and call, nor to see him treading on eggshells with a forced grin.
At that moment, Melvin fixed Willow with a cold stare, “What do you think you’re doing?”
*Uh? People from your brand department asked me to come fetch a few things, so I….
“I mean, you’ve got your assistant, why are you making my hire run errands?” Melvin’s tone was icy.
Willow was taken aback, realizing what he was getting at.
Caught off guard by his reaction, she laughed awkwardly, “What’s the problem? Can’t I have him fetch things for me? He’s just a security guard. Is there an issue with him carrying stuff for me?”
“Of course, there is! Melvin’s voice was even more steely.
Willow was rattled.
Calvin hadn’t expected his boss to blow up at a big star over his issue. He tried to smooth things over, but when Melvin’s face darkened, it was indeed intimidating.
“Mr. Martinez, Im just lending a hand, no higgie,” Calvin figured, the girls were always more precious, and an old guy like him hauling a few items was no skin off his back.
Melvin suddenly turned to Calvin, “Is she paying your salary?”
Calvin was taken aback, shaking his head.
“So why are you taking orders from her? Melvin’s tone had softened, but the earlier sharpness made it still sound pretty harsh.
Calvin was at a loss for words.
Melvin shot another look at Willow, who was looking pretty green around the gills, “He’s my hire, and I haven’t even had him lift a finger or run an errand for me. So who gives you the right to boss my guy around? Pull this stunt again, and you can kiss your assistant gig goodbye.”
The poor assistant was already shaking in his boots from Melvin’s aura of authority, and getting called out like that only made him quiver more
Willow was mortified. This was the first time Melvin had embarrassed her in front of others, not leaving her an ounce of dignity
Hex time whoever asks you to fetch anything, just say no. That’s not your job, Melvin then turned to Calvin. brought you in to manage, not to be a gofer. If anyone else wants you to do stuff, tell them to come to me
Chapter 63
Calvin’s no fool. He could tell that despite Melvin’s rough tone, he was looking out for him.
He nodded eagerly, Thanks, Mr. Martinez, got it.”
Melvin then strolled into the company building without even looking back, and Calvin quickly followed suit.
Willow was left behind, face turning to the color of a storm cloud, fuming with anger.
