Chapter 16

The middle-aged woman grinned maliciously, her hair flying in the air due to her agitation. Her eyes were bloodshot as she glared at Willow. She reached for Willow's face with thin arms. A cold wind grazed Willow's face, and the pain was akin to a knife stabbing her. She held her breath, watching carefully as the woman's hand rapidly descended toward her. When it was just a centimeter away from her face, Willow reached out and accurately grasped it. "You dare to fight back! You slut, you're asking for it!" The woman was overbearing and arrogant. She raised her other hand threateningly. Willow lifted her foot and kicked the middle-aged woman’s hand, forcefully pushing her away. Dale’s wife was strong, and resisting her alone was already exhausting for Willow. After going through these series of motions, she was almost on the verge of collapse. Yet, the middle-aged woman stumbled back a step, steadied herself, and charged at Willow even more aggressively. Willow's eyes widened. She had no strength left to resist. Why was this person so persistent and unreasonable? Willow retreated a few steps, attempting to create distance. However, the middle-aged woman was resolute about attacking. Her footsteps were swift and urgent. In the blink of an eye, Willow was at a disadvantage. She was about to be struck by the woman's fist. The head of the janitorial department walked over quickly, grabbing the middle-aged woman and stopping her. "Ma'am, this is Hughes Corporation. It's not a place for you to cause a scene. Please conduct yourself appropriately," he warned. The head of the janitorial department spoke formally, representing the authority of Hughes Corporation. Confronted with his composure, the woman's demeanor softened. Despite her arrogance, she didn't dare challenge Hughes Corporation’s authority. She began to chatter, exaggerating and recounting how Willow had seduced her husband, got rejected, and then sought someone to beat him up. Willow couldn't stand it anymore. This was clearly defamation. Panting heavily, she retorted, "Get your facts straight! Your husband harassed me. Even after I rejected him many times, he kept bothering me. The CEO's assistant caught him, and he got fired. I have nothing to do with his broken leg. I have no idea what happened!" "You're still denying it, huh? I'll call the police and have you arrested! Let's see if you'll continue to deny it!" The middle-aged woman spat out venomous words, her expression twisted. Unperturbed, Willow shot back, "Go ahead! I'll also file a complaint about your husband's harassment!" The middle-aged woman was furious. She took out her phone, and angrily dialed the police. The head of the janitorial department didn't think this to be a serious matter at all. He addressed Willow, saying, "Go clean the conference room for now. I'll call you when the police arrive." "Alright." Willow obediently complied, and left. The middle-aged woman continued to curse vehemently. She tried to stop Willow, but the head of the janitorial department intervened once more. It was only Willow’s second day of work, and she had encountered such a troublesome situation. Frustration welled up in her heart. She cleaned the conference room, her mind elsewhere. She was completely absentminded. Her eyebrows were furrowed, and she approached Jasper's side to pick up some discarded paper. In doing so, she accidentally brushed against him. The elite employees in the conference room held their breath as they witnessed Willow's body brush against Jasper's clean and elegant suit. The previously solemn atmosphere grew even more somber and hushed. Edith stood in front of the projector, displaying the design materials of various employees. When she saw Willow accidentally graze past Jasper, her expression turned ugly. The blue light from the projector illuminated her face. It accentuated her gloomy expression, icy and intimidating. Was Willow intentionally trying to seduce Jasper? Lost in her thoughts, Willow remained oblivious to the gravity of the situation. She absentmindedly swept with the broom, accidentally passing over Jasper's spotlessly polished black shoes. The entire room collectively inhaled another breath of cold air. Beads of sweat formed on their foreheads on Willow's behalf. Observing Willow's actions, Edith clenched the remote control for the projector. Due to her pressing the buttons, the design materials on the big screen to jump around. She was so furious that she didn't even notice it. Jasper's gaze was intense. An overwhelming pressure exuded from him as he stared at the woman before him. Her head was lowered, and she swept the area around his feet rather viciously, as if she held a grudge against him. Was she deliberately seeking his attention? Jasper snorted inwardly. He was filled with disdain. After clearing the paper scraps, Willow picked up the dustpan and approached the beverage table to pour tea. Lost in thought, she wasn't paying attention and ended up spilling water on the back of her hand. She winced from the burn, and waved her hand repeatedly. Her movements were so frantic, an empty cup nearby fell to the ground with a dull thud and bounced twice on the wooden floor. The entire room fell deathly silent. It was only then that Willow widened her eyes in shock. When the cup came to a stop and didn’t shatter, she sighed in relief. Strange, it was a porcelain cup yesterday. Why was it plastic today? She quickly picked up the cup. On the other side of the conference table, the meeting proceeded as usual. Someone presented a proposal, and Edith adjusted the projector to display the design images on the large screen. Jasper, who should have been reviewing the proposal, was staring fixedly at Willow. He watched her every move, his eyes growing increasingly darker. The employee presenting the proposal trembled as she finished her report, and sat down cautiously. Despite the number of people in the room, her presentation had been lonely. The CEO hadn't paid any attention to it at all. Just who was this janitor? Her actions alone managed to capture the attention of everyone in the conference room. Even Jasper was drawn to her. It was the first time he had been distracted and hadn't torn a presentation apart. Everyone seated around the conference table were on edge, their backs drenched with sweat. Jasper's gaze remained fixated on Willow. He observed as she picked up the cup, then used a napkin to wipe her hand that had been scalded red. This scene seemed to touch a nerve within him. He detested those who acted impulsively and didn't know how to do things. She didn't even know how to tend to her own injury. Was she a moron? His brows furrowed slightly; he was annoyed. He looked back to the conference table and said, "The proposal is approved. This meeting is adjourned." Everyone exchanged bewildered glances, shocked and incredulous. The clothing design proposal the CEO had rejected for nearly half a month had suddenly been approved?! The employee who had just presented the proposal couldn't believe it. Overwhelmed with surprise and nervousness, she left the conference room with the design proposal in her arms, tears of joy streaming down her face. The other employees began to leave one after another. Willow finished wiping her hands, only to realize the meeting had ended. She looked up, and met Jasper's dark and cold gaze. His eyes radiated an icy light. Her heart skipped a beat. The man's gaze alone was so intimidating. Her restless actions must have irritated him earlier. Willow curled in on herself and lowered her head, trying to diminish her presence. She quickly cleaned up the remnants, pouring the tea she had just made down the sink. When she was done, she turned to leave. As she passed by Jasper, she tripped over his black, polished shoe. She let out a cry of surprise; her body lunged forward, about to make intimate contact with the ground. A large hand suddenly grabbed her waist, gripping her tightly and lifting her. Without warning, she fell into a broad, solid chest. Willow looked up, and found herself only inches away from Jasper's handsome face. Her heart raced wildly, and she hurriedly pushed him away. She steadied herself, feeling confused and anxious. She accused Jasper, "You did that on purpose! You stuck your foot out to trip me!"