Chapter 28 Shop Till You Drop
Her trembling fingers began to unfasten the buttons of her blouse, the first, the second, the third... hinting at the shape of her promising career path.
Until the white blouse fell to the floor.
Wearing nothing but her bra, Juniper wrapped her arms tightly around herself, shielding her exposed chest.
She stood there, utterly defenseless before Magnus.
Completely devoid of dignity.
Her voice choked with emotion, Juniper murmured, "Do I... need to take off more?"
She looked up at the man towering above her, her eyes, damp and pleading, begging for mercy.
A sharp pain shot through her arm.
Magnus yanked her into his embrace, bent his head, and captured her lips in a rough kiss, pushing her toward the lounge inside.
Their footsteps were staggered and disordered.
When Magnus closed the door of the lounge behind them, her last shred of defense was literally torn away.
Simultaneously, he bit down hard on her soft lips, "Juniper, stop lying to me. If there's a next time, you won't be so lucky."
A metallic taste spread in her mouth, and Juniper winced in pain.
...
His tie bound her wrists above her head.
She endured over an hour of ravaging indulgence until it finally ended.
Magnus went to shower, and Juniper, not daring to linger, quickly dressed in the clothes scattered on the carpet and left the office in haste.
Stepping out of the door, she bumped into Michael and Patricia.
Patricia froze with surprise, clearly not expecting to encounter Juniper there.
A flicker of panic crossed Juniper's eyes as she nodded at Michael and hastily made her exit, without saying a word.
"What's she doing here?" Patricia asked, watching Juniper's retreating figure, confusion written all over her face.
"Juniper is working for Sycamore Group now," Michael answered.
"What? Magnus hired her?"
Patricia frowned, her gaze following Juniper's walk, sensing something was off.
"What are you looking at? Let's go in," Michael urged.
"Don't you think Juniper's walking strangely? She wouldn't just be coming from Magnus's bed, would she?"
Michael bristled at the suggestion, "Don't talk nonsense!"
"But it's obvious..."
They then entered the office.
Magnus was impeccably dressed, his aristocratic demeanor intact, with no signs of disarray.
But Patricia noticed that the distinct contour of his wrist was missing a watch.
He must have taken it off before showering and forgotten to put it back on.
Patricia puffed her cheeks in disapproval and said, "Magnus, why would you bring someone like Juniper into the company? What if she betrays you again…"
"Patricia, keep a lid on it, will you? Juniper isn't like that," Michael intervened to stop her.
"Whatever, how do we know she's not spying for some other company, huh? What if she leaks our company secrets... It's not like it's her first time betraying Magnus," Patricia said, fueling the fire with her dislike for Juniper.
Sitting in his swivel chair, Magnus's voice was cool and detached: "Juniper is just a sales rep. Even if she wanted to, she couldn't access our core operations."
Michael's gaze lingered on the diagonal stripes of Magnus's tie.
He remembered that morning during the meeting, Magnus had been wearing a tie with a black base and an eagle print.
Thinking back to Juniper's hasty retreat earlier...
"She couldn't have just rolled out of Magnus's bed, could she?" The taunting thought flickered through Michael's mind before he could stop it, and he clenched his fists subconsciously.
"Michael, what did you want to talk to me about?" Magnus's voice pulled him back to reality.
Distracted, Michael hadn't heard the question at first.
Patricia tugged at his sleeve, "What are you spacing out for? Magnus is speaking to you!"
Startled, Michael responded, "Sorry, what were you saying?"
With an exasperated tone, Patricia said, "You clearly don't care about my issues at all! Magnus, the truth is, I had my brother bring me to Sycamore Group today because I want to know if there’s a position that would be a good fit for me."
"I just returned from studying abroad and don't plan on leaving again. My thought was to have her settle in at home first, get over the jet lag, and such. No rush on finding a job, but Patricia's headstrong and insists on starting work immediately. Mr. Blackwood, although Patricia is my sister, if there isn't a suitable position available, there's no need to bend the rules for us," Michael said, albeit reluctantly, knowing he couldn't talk Patricia out of joining Sycamore Group.
Magnus asked, "What was your major?"
"I majored in Business Administration at Walton College of Business. There should be a lot of positions at Sycamore Group that suit me, right?"
"Indeed, business development or marketing—you could start in either department. But you'd have to start from the ground up as an entry-level employee. If you're willing, you can start anytime," replied Magnus.
Magnus had always maintained a clear line between personal and professional matters. It wasn't just because Patricia was Michael's sister that he agreed to bring her on board at the company.
Patricia's credentials spoke for themselves. She had the qualifications to work in business planning and marketing for the Sycamore Group.
With a sly grin, Patricia boasted, "I told you Magnus would agree! Not everyone's as old-fashioned as you, Michael. Magnus knows how to recognize talent without letting family ties get in the way. That's the mark of a true leader!"
Once the deal was sealed, the siblings left Magnus's office.
Still concerned, Michael advised, "It's fine for you to work here, but, Patricia, try to keep a low profile at the group. Avoid discussing our relationship; it's not good for you, for me, or for Magnus."
"I'm coming to work at Sycamore Group to help you and Magnus. You should be happy about that. I'm not someone you had to force in because of a lack of ability. I could get offers from anywhere with my qualifications."
"Patricia, I just think you don't necessarily have to work at Sycamore Group. The competition here is fierce, and I'm not sure you'll adapt well after being abroad for so long."
Patricia scoffed, her pride evident. "Oh really? If Juniper can handle it, why can't I? Am I any less capable than her?"
"Why are you always comparing yourself to Juniper? She has the patience and temperament for this—you..."
Her expression soured instantly. "Are you saying I have a bad temper? That I can't keep my cool?"
"Patricia, that's not what I mean..."
Before he could finish, Patricia, in a huff, clicked away in her high heels, leaving Michael with just the view of her retreating figure.
Michael sighed, wondering when his sister would ever grow up.
...
Juniper returned to the sales department, and not long after, her colleague Christopher strode in, brimming with energy.
As he walked through the door, he announced to everyone, "Coffee's on me this afternoon! Order whatever you want!"
"Hey, Christopher, what kind of big deal did you close to be so generous?"
"Another sign-up! Man, you've really got the knack!"
Christopher strolled over to Juniper's desk and gave her shoulder a friendly pat. "Hey Juniper, consider your coffee covered for the whole month, courtesy of the bonus coming your way!"
Puzzled, Juniper wasn't sure how to react on her first day on the job. "Christopher, why the sudden bonus?"
She felt uneasy accepting money from a colleague without having earned it. That just didn't seem right.
Christopher flashed a grin. "Thanks to you, Mr. Abbott quickly snapped up that 1,800 square foot luxury condo! Once I get my two percent commission, I'm treating you to a fancy dinner!"
Juniper was taken aback. Mr. Abbott was her client, wasn't he?
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