Chapter 55 I Won't Let Anyone Get Away With It
Katniss bit her lip, deep in thought, but the elevator dinged, and they were already at Jasper's floor.
Samuel kept jamming the elevator door button to keep it open. He shot a look at Katniss and said, "I can't go."
Katniss stepped out and nodded at Samuel. "Thanks."
As the doors slid shut, Samuel watched her head towards the ward, his hand clenching into a fist.
He hit the button for another floor but didn't leave the hospital.
The ward door was cracked open, and Katniss could hear the voices inside.
Jasper's voice was defiant. "I ain't letting anyone who hits me get away with it."
"You started it!" Matilda shot back. "I could sue you for harassment!"
Jasper chuckled darkly. "Go ahead, sue me. Let's see what's worse—me harassing you or you hitting me."
The room went dead silent. Matilda stood her ground, her hand gripping her clothes tightly.
Michael was by the window, hands in his pockets, staying out of it.
Jasper sneered. "I've dealt with plenty of women like you. Play nice, make me happy, and this ends."
He got off the bed, took a lock of Matilda's hair, and sniffed it like a creep.
Matilda stepped back, putting space between them, and said firmly, "No way!"
Jasper's face twisted in annoyance. He turned to Michael. "Since she won't play nice, I'll deal with you!"
Michael replied calmly, "I think there's someone else you'd be more interested in."
Matilda bit her lip, looked at Michael, and said, "I'll handle this. Mr. Bell, call the cops!"
Jasper glanced at Matilda, then back at Michael. "Who?"
"Me." Katniss pushed the door open and walked in. She barely took two steps before Matilda rushed over, shoving her back out.
"Katniss, this is my problem. Let me handle it!" Matilda used all her strength, and Katniss stumbled back outside.
Jasper followed, grabbing Matilda, but his eyes were on Katniss. "Aren't you Tristan's assistant? Is Matilda your sister?"
"Yeah," Katniss said, ignoring Matilda's worried look, and stared Jasper down. "But here, I'm not Mr. Forbes' assistant. Mr. Bell, just treat me like anyone else."
Jasper gave a wicked grin, nodded towards the ward, and said, "Since we're all friends here, come on in."
"Katniss," Matilda's tears streamed down her face. "You should go. I can handle this. If I have to go to jail, so be it!"
Matilda was still too naive. This wasn't something a few days in jail could fix. If she went in, it could be for life.
Jasper yanked Matilda into the ward, and Katniss followed, locking eyes with Michael's smug grin.
Michael said, "With Katniss here, we can sort this out. I hope Mr. Bell won't push too hard for her sake."
Michael sure knew how to stir the pot. Last time, dealing with Donovan was a breeze because it was just a warning from Michael.
But this time, Jasper was Tristan's business rival. To Jasper, she was linked to Tristan, so her being here would only make him more aggressive.
But how could she not come?
Whether it was Matilda going to jail or being ruined by Jasper, she couldn't just stand by and let it happen!
Jasper might be a jerk, but he wasn't dumb. He knew Michael was using him. But he didn't care, as long as it messed with Tristan.
"Mr. Astor, Mr. Bell didn't even give you face, let alone me," Katniss said flatly, glancing at Michael before turning to Jasper. "Mr. Bell, would you mind if I handle this for Matilda?"
Jasper looked at Matilda. She was pretty, with delicate features, but she didn't ignite the same desire to conquer in him as Katniss did. After all, Katniss was Tristan's girl.
He laughed and said, "Sure, but it depends on whether your solution satisfies me."
"Matilda and I are just regular folks. If you're not happy, you have plenty of ways to deal with us," Katniss nodded.
Her sincere attitude stroked Jasper's ego. He said, "Alright, in that case, you stay and talk with me."
Katniss turned and pulled Matilda out. Matilda's tears kept falling. "Katniss, don't worry about me. Just go."
"Don't worry, I got this." Katniss patted Matilda's shoulder. "Take a cab home now. You don't need to go to the Astor Corporation tomorrow. I'll handle it."
Seeing her so confident, a flicker of hope appeared in Matilda's eyes. "Katniss, you won't get in trouble, right? You have a plan?"
Katniss nodded. "Yeah, go home. Leave this to me."
Under her insistence, Matilda left, looking back every few steps.
Watching Matilda get into the elevator, Katniss turned back to the ward, ignoring Jasper on the bed.
Instead, she locked eyes with Michael by the window and said, "Mr. Astor, can we talk in private?"
Jasper scowled. "What do you need to talk to him about? He's the one who handed you over to me. You think he's gonna save you?"
Michael chuckled, walked over to Jasper, and patted his shoulder. "It's late, Mr. Bell. You should get some rest. I promise you'll have a satisfactory result by tomorrow."
Jasper couldn't afford to piss off Tristan or Michael. He watched, frustrated, as his chance to mess with Tristan slipped away.
"You said it. If I'm not satisfied, don't blame me for being rude!" Jasper yelled.
Michael shrugged off the threat and motioned for Katniss to follow him out.
Katniss trailed Michael out of Jasper's ward, still hearing Jasper's angry muttering behind them.
"Mr. Astor, what do you want from me?" Katniss asked bluntly.
"You're sharp, no wonder Tristan values you," Michael said, hands in his pockets, with a harmless smile. "Resign."
Katniss felt a pang in her chest, looked up at Michael sharply, and asked, "You want me to leave Synergy Global Corporation?"
Michael raised an eyebrow. "If you need, you're welcome to join the Astor Corporation."
Katniss fell silent. It seemed Bella couldn't stand her being around Tristan anymore.
"I'll give you three days to think about it. I'll keep Jasper off your back for now." Michael didn't push for an immediate answer.
The hospital was eerily quiet late at night, the corridors empty. A cool breeze drifted in from the window at the end, but it couldn't lift the heavy atmosphere around Katniss.
She had witnessed many high-society power plays while by Tristan's side.
She had been targeted for some times, but she had never felt as helpless as she did now.
Because Tristan had always had her back.
But now she was up against the Astor family. Even though Tristan could stand up to them, why would he help her?
Outside the hospital, she found Matilda hadn't left. She was standing by her car, holding her phone, with 911 on the screen, ready to dial.
"Katniss!" Matilda ran over. "If you had come out five minutes later, I would've called the cops."
Katniss pulled out her car keys and unlocked the car. "Get in."
Matilda hopped into the passenger seat, buckled up, and started asking, "Did they give you a hard time? What does Michael want you to do?"
"It's not exactly giving me a hard time. He wants me to quit Synergy Global Corporation," Katniss said, starting the engine and pulling onto the smooth road.
Matilda went quiet. The warm light from above highlighted her guilt and unease.
After a bit, she said, "Maybe leaving is for the best. You could start fresh."
"Starting fresh isn't up to me. Even if I want to quit, Tristan has to agree," Katniss replied. She knew Michael wasn't just asking for a resignation letter.
He wanted her to convince Tristan to let her go, no matter what.
For some reason, she had a gut feeling Tristan wouldn't easily agree to her resignation.
"Starting tomorrow, don't go to The Astor Corporation. Find another job."
Matilda nodded quickly. "Okay, I won't go starting tomorrow."
She felt bad about her mistake and, if she couldn't help, at least wanted to follow Katniss's advice.
After dropping off Matilda, Katniss went home alone and sat by the window, staring at the scenery outside.
The lit-up phone screen illuminated her face, reflecting the chat window with Tristan.
For a moment, she wanted to message Tristan for help.
But then she remembered the look of extreme disgust in Tristan's eyes when she accidentally answered Bella's call that morning.
Why would he help her?
Especially since she was up against Jasper, and Bella was the one causing trouble. Tristan wouldn't take her side.
It seemed there was nothing left to keep her by Tristan's side.
Behind the hospital, there was a small garden. Tristan's black shirt blended into the dark night.
If it weren't for the faint glow of the cigarette between his fingers, no one would have noticed him standing there.
Samuel had been standing behind him for a while, but Tristan's powerful presence made it hard for him to speak.
Finally, Tristan's deep voice broke the silence. "I'm not here to watch the night view with you."
Samuel quickly said, "Mr. Forbes, it's about Katniss."
Samuel wasn't sure if Tristan would help Katniss, but he knew no one else could.
So he took a risky move, waiting by Bella's door, and finally got a chance to meet Tristan alone.
After listening to Samuel, the cigarette between Tristan's fingers had slowly burned to the end.
The dark night concealed the coldness in his eyes, his brows furrowed tightly. He flicked the cigarette away and looked in the direction of Bella's ward.
"Which ward is Jasper in?"
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