Chapter 2 Ms. Davis is Waiting for You

"Mr. Jennings, we should end this," Quinley said forcefully, breaking the night's silence.

No response came from Zachary.

Though he typically slept lightly—never drifting off instantly—tonight he lay motionless.

He seemed lost in deep slumber, his steady breathing the only movement, gently stirring the air above Quinley's head.

The night passed without another word.

When Quinley woke the next morning, Zachary had already gone. On the nightstand sat a note in his strong, decisive handwriting: [Take half the day off. Get some rest.]

Classic Zachary—always concise, never wasting words.

Quinley's body and mind were equally exhausted. She genuinely needed the rest. Last night she'd taken control, pushing herself until her very bones seemed ready to shatter.

Only when she neared collapse had Zachary finally shown mercy.

Afterward, she'd spoken those words and waited for his answer.

Whether he agreed or not didn't truly matter. She was leaving, and he couldn't stop her.

Yet after three years together—though he'd never spoken of love—Quinley couldn't help but hope.

For her, this had become more than physical satisfaction. Her heart was involved.

She wanted to know if his was too.

Other women might hunt for subtle clues, but Quinley wanted to hear it directly from him.

She'd waited all night, but he hadn't offered even a single word.

Now awake but foggy-headed, she pulled the covers over her face, hoping to drift back to sleep. But just as consciousness began to fade, her phone rang.

"Quinley, Mr. Jennings is in a meeting and suddenly needs the Zenith Enterprises Group contract." Lily's voice was panicked.

"I remember you handled the filing, but I've searched everywhere in the cabinet and can't find it. Do you remember where you put it?"

Lily was a secretarial intern who usually worked under Quinley's supervision. With Quinley absent, this was her first time flying solo.

Zachary's exacting standards were legendary, and Lily—unfamiliar with his expectations—feared termination if she failed him.

Quinley's head pounded as she fought off drowsiness. Apex Global Group policy mandated all contracts be filed the same day they were signed.

The Zenith contract had been finalized a month ago, and Quinley distinctly remembered filing it immediately.

"Check my office," she said, rubbing her forehead while throwing back the covers.

Lily ran to search Quinley's office thoroughly.

"It's not here either," she reported, her voice breaking. "What should I do? He's waiting for it right now."

"Don't panic. If he asks, tell him I have the contract. I'm coming in."

"Thank you, Quinley!" Relief flooded Lily's voice before she hung up.

Quinley dressed quickly, applied minimal makeup, and headed out. Her apartment was conveniently close to Apex Global Group headquarters—barely a ten-minute drive.

The meeting was still in progress when she arrived. Lily stood nervously outside the conference room, rushing to meet Quinley.

"What did Mr. Jennings say?" Quinley asked, walking briskly toward her office—just next to his.

"Not much, but he seemed displeased." Tears were already streaming down Lily's face. "Do you think he's angry? Will I lose my internship? I really love this job—I want to stay."

Quinley wasn't in a consoling mood. "You'll be fine. Stop catastrophizing and get back to work."

"Really?" Lily blinked hopefully through her tears.

Nodding, Quinley pulled an unsealed envelope from her bag—a resignation letter hastily written before leaving home.

Though Sylvia hadn't spelled it out, Quinley understood perfectly: beyond ending things with Zachary, she needed to quit her job and vanish from his world completely.

She would miss both the man and the work.

But what good was attachment without a future?

"I'll handle the contract," she said, handing the envelope to Lily. "Please take this to Mr. McDonald in HR."

"Right away."

Once alone, Quinley began searching methodically for the missing contract.

She rechecked the filing cabinet—nothing. She combed through every corner of her office—still nothing.

Just as desperation set in, memory struck: a week ago, there had been complications with the Apex-Zenith project, and Zachary had requested the original contract.

It might still be in his possession.

Without hesitation, she headed directly to his office.

The blast of air conditioning hit her immediately, making her shiver. The black and white minimalist décor—pristine and stark—perfectly matched Zachary's personality.

Quinley moved quickly to his desk. Since she hadn't come in that morning, it remained untouched and uncharacteristically disorganized. Among the scattered documents, she found the contract.

Grabbing it, she opened the door to deliver it to Zachary—only to collide with a young woman in a Chanel-style suit.

"I'm sorry," Quinley said, stepping back.

From this distance, she could properly see the stranger: tall with an hourglass figure, chestnut hair falling in loose curls casually pulled into a ponytail—elegant yet vibrant.

She stood half a head taller than Quinley.

"No problem," the woman replied with a charming smile.

"You must be Ms. Elikin? I've heard Zach mention you often. He says you're exceptionally capable and intelligent. Thank you for taking such good care of him all these years."

Alicia Davis extended her hand graciously, warm intelligence radiating from her eyes.

Quinley had never heard Zachary mention this woman, yet from her familiar tone, they clearly shared history.

Perhaps more than just history.

"Just doing my job," Quinley replied with a polite smile, accepting the handshake. Alicia's hand felt soft and cold.

"I'm Alicia Davis, Zach's former classmate. I've been abroad until recently, which explains why we haven't met. But I'm back now, so we'll likely see each other frequently. Zach admires you greatly, and so do I. I hope we can become friends."

"Ms. Davis, welcome back. It's my honor to serve both Mr. Jennings and yourself."

Quinley wasn't naive enough to believe someone like Alicia genuinely sought friendship.

She understood her position perfectly—as Zachary's secretary, anyone approaching her, regardless of pretense, ultimately wanted something. Her job was to remain clear-headed.

After all, without her connection to Zachary, she was nothing.

Alicia released Quinley's hand without pressing further. "You're truly wonderful, Ms. Elikin. I'll make sure Zach rewards you properly—promotion, raise, whatever you prefer. Don't be shy, I'll help you."

"Thank you in advance," Quinley replied with a brilliant smile.

Women's power struggles rarely required direct confrontation—the real battle lay in subtle implications.

Alicia had established dominance from the moment she appeared, wielding the soft whip of suggestion with dangerous skill.

Quinley held up the contract. "Mr. Jennings urgently needs this for his meeting. I should deliver it."

"Of course, don't let me keep you." Alicia lowered her voice conspiratorially. "But please don't mention I'm here—I'd hate to disturb his work and make him upset with me."

Her coy demeanor barely masked her true meaning.

Quinley understood but played along. "You're an honored guest, Ms. Davis. Mr. Jennings would be delighted to know you're here—he certainly wouldn't be upset."

"Really?" Alicia asked with theatrical surprise.

She sauntered to Zachary's desk and settled into his executive chair, noticing the Brazilian wood plant with its fresh sprouts. Curiously, she reached out to touch the delicate new growth.

That plant was Quinley's New Year's gift to Zachary. After nearly a year, it had only recently begun to sprout.

Quinley almost warned her that Zachary disliked others touching his belongings, but stopped herself. Soon she would have no connection to him—why risk appearing possessive?

Entering the conference room through the side door, Quinley found Zachary leaning back in his chair, intensely focused on the presentation. She carefully placed the contract before him.

"Didn't I tell you to take half the day off?" His cool gaze swept over her pale face as he whispered just loudly enough for her to hear.

"I was planning to," she replied smoothly, "but you needed this contract urgently. It was with me, and I didn't want to delay your work."

Her answer protected Lily completely.

Zachary silently returned his attention to the meeting. As Quinley backed away with a slight bow, she added one final comment, "Ms. Davis is waiting for you."

Five minutes later, his meeting ended. Shortly after, Quinley's phone rang.

"Come here." His voice was cold and hard, emotionless.

As his secretary, obedience was her duty. Without hesitation, she walked directly to his office.

Inside, she found Zachary trapped in his chair by Alicia, who crouched before him, one hand pressed against his thigh, the other clutching a wet tissue as she attempted to clean his trousers.

"Zach, I'm so sorry, I really didn't mean to," she was saying.

"Get up. I don't need your help," he replied firmly.

It was at that precise moment Quinley pushed open the door.