Chapter 701 Favoritism Out of Affection
Mira was totally stuck.
The person being threatened was always in a passive position, especially when the consequences were severe. She couldn't risk it.
"Alright, I can give you two hundred grand," Mira said, "but how do I know you'll actually delete the photos and not keep coming back for more?"
These things never just ended; they only got worse. The guy would treat her like his personal ATM.
"I can't promise that. But if you give me the money, you'll get the photos and be safe for now."
Translation: He'd keep milking her.
Even if he said he deleted them, Mira wouldn't buy it. "Give me the account number."
Less than a minute after hanging up, she got the account number and transferred the two hundred grand.
She made over fifty grand a month, which was six hundred grand a year. Two hundred grand was like four months' salary. Mira felt a mix of heartache and rage.
Soon, a message popped up on her phone, showing the photo taken when she got out of the car and swiped the contract.
But the angle was far away, making it unclear who took it.
Mira's face darkened.
She jumped online to find a private detective and sent the bank account number, hoping to track down who was threatening her.
She shot a cold glance at Juniper and thought, 'This all started because of her. She's bad news, and I need to get rid of her.'
Juniper sneezed and instinctively looked at Mira, whose gaze was icy.
Juniper shivered.
She was pinning her hopes on Anthony. He'd surely find out the truth and clear her name.
Mira was a mess all day, constantly glancing at the CEO's office.
Supposedly, the guy wouldn't send the photos after getting the money, but what if? She was on edge and kept screwing up.
Near the end of the workday, a few female colleagues came over and asked, "Mira, you haven't been yourself today. What's up? This isn't like you."
"Nothing," Mira denied. She looked at Juniper, who was also watching her.
She knew Juniper was waiting for her to slip up, so she had to stay cool and not show any signs of stress.
"But you really don't seem well."
"Just been super busy lately," Mira replied casually.
"Yeah. With unhelpful colleagues, it's tough on you."
"Exactly. Someone keeps messing up, and you have to clean up the mess. Must be exhausting."
"Mira, you're really capable. Not everyone can handle this."
"Exactly."
They started throwing shade again.
Juniper didn't mind the sarcastic remarks. She had been watching Mira all day and felt something was off, like Mira was on edge about something.
It was like Mira was sitting on a ticking time bomb, not knowing when it would go off, making her super tense.
'So, what's she nervous about? And what's that so-called threatening call in the morning?' Juniper thought.
Juniper wanted to tell Anthony, but without solid proof, it would look like she was framing Mira. Better to keep watching for now.
After work, Mira went to grab dinner.
As she walked, she felt like someone was tailing her.
When she turned around, there was no one.
'This is so weird. Am I just being paranoid?' she thought.
Mira wasn't sure and kept looking back.
The more she didn't see anyone, the more freaked out she got. She lowered her head and sped up, suddenly bumping into a wall of a person, dropping her bag.
"Sorry," Mira blurted out, her heart skipping a beat when she looked up. "Mr. Eilish."
Anthony nodded, picking up her bag and handing it back to her.
"Thanks," Mira said, her heart racing. "Mr. Eilish, are you here for dinner too?"
"Yeah. Goodbye," Anthony replied, about to leave.
"Wait..." Mira impulsively grabbed his sleeve.
Anthony turned to look at her. Mira bit her lip, her face turning red. She tried to stay calm but couldn't. After a long pause, she stammered, "Mr. Eilish, I'm kinda scared to go home alone. Could you walk me?"
She didn't dare tell him about the call that made her afraid of being followed.
Her eyes looked super nervous.
Anthony had been raised to be a gentleman, to protect women. He nodded, "Alright, I'll walk you."
"Thank you, Mr. Eilish," Mira said, excitement bubbling up.
It wasn't her first time in Anthony's car; she had accompanied him to meetings before. But this time was different. It was her first time in his car after work.
Anthony looked out the window, his profile gentle and handsome, making her dizzy. But his jawline was tightly clenched.
Mira thought, 'Is he troubled by Juniper? Before that woman showed up, he never looked like this.'
Mira couldn't help but feel both hatred and jealousy towards Juniper, jealous that Juniper could affect Anthony's mood. As for herself, even if she worked for another ten years, she would only be his secretary.
Mira desperately wanted to leave a mark in his heart.
Even if she couldn't become his wife, she wanted to be the woman who accompanied him the longest and worked at the Eilish Group for many years.
No one could stop her.
She was lost in thought when the car suddenly turned, and she fell into Anthony's arms.
At that moment, Mira felt like she was electrocuted, her whole body heating up.
It was her first time being so close to Anthony, hearing his heartbeat, seeing his Adam's apple, and smelling his clean, alluring scent.
Her heart pounded wildly, almost jumping out of her throat.
She madly loved Anthony and wanted to tell him how much she loved him and how much she had endured and borne for him, willingly.
Mira wished she could stay in his arms longer and was reluctant to leave. She was intoxicated until Anthony held her shoulders and pushed her away.
Then Mira couldn't help but think, 'If the person in his arms was Juniper, he wouldn't have pushed her away. It might even turn into a passionate kiss. How far have they gone? Are they together? Have they kissed?'
The thought made Mira furious, as if the most sacred thing in her heart, like a god, had been defiled and dirtied.
She thought Juniper was unforgivable and wanted to tear Juniper apart.
"Mr. Eilish, I'm sorry. I felt a bit dizzy just now." Mira worried Anthony might misunderstand her intentions. She regretted not pulling away immediately, but the situation was so rare, so it was normal to be reluctant.
"It's okay," Anthony replied.
Anthony had encountered countless women throwing themselves at him, but he didn't think Mira was one of them. Terry was right about one thing: Mira did her job very well.
If she really used such means to frame Juniper, he would feel sorry for her.
Even though Terry repeatedly vouched for Mira, and Anthony himself recognized her ability and character, he still believed Juniper. His heart leaned towards Juniper.
This was what they called favoritism because of love.
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