Chapter 8

CHAPTER 8

JEFFERSON WAS aghast when he saw the piled papers on top of his desk. He was not used to working in an office but he knew that these much is insane! Jeffrey was thoroughly convinced that his boss is doing this on purpose.

The itch to stomp his feet and roar like a maniac percieved in his bones but his uncle's words echoed in his mind. 'You are my relative. Biologically, you have a quarter of my excellence. Don't waste it— and don't ever humiliate me.'

'Yes,' Jeffrey tried to fool himself, 'I am half a vampire. I am not just a mortal guy, but a hybrid. These papers are just... tissues I needed to sort then everything's going to be fine. Perfect even.'

He started to reach for the first paper and decided to read it. It was good, written well and had no mistake in it.

Except, he doesn't understand Math.

'Why am I assigned to these documents? Shouldn't this be directly sent to the financial team?' He murmured with great malice, 'Is he really testing my patience?'

Jeffrey debated between calling his Uncle Max or confront Cedric about this. His uncle would be so busy about his mating life— not when he had just given his other aunt, Laura, his new address.

Aunt Laura has been hidden from the public's eye for too long but Jeffrey was not ignorant about her straightforward nature. She can be playful too. Yet oftentimes that naughtiness gets misinterpreted as her, being mean.

His mother is the same. 'I guess it runs in the blood.'

'Better not call Uncle Max then.' He leaned back at the swivel chair and mumbled, 'Yeah, I should not call him for... a month.'

Uncle Max' rage can last up to a year. His mother had experienced it firsthand.

'Should I ask mom?' Jeffrey recalled his last conversation with her and decided to go firmly against it. By this time, she could still be brooding about how he chose to side with Uncle Max.

"The royal member of this office should not frown like that, okay?" A cheerful voice greeted Jeffrey, "What got you all problematic, prince?"

'There she goes...' Yeon-hee had a bright pink lipstick on that shines whenever she moves. Jeffrey was once captivated with her lovely nature when he first got here. He thought with great optimism that she will be his inspiration in this new journey. Sadly, his boss broke all of his expectations.

"Well, I'm facing math exams here. I... don't know. Did they got lost? Why are these papers with us? They should go with the financial audit department."

Yeon-hee bent down to read the front page. Jeffrey was able to caught a whiff of her expensive perfume. Once again, he lamented about how perfect was it if he could ask her on a date.

'She's friendly! And she doesn't treat me like a stranger—she doesn't care that I'm a direct clan member of the Adenhart!'

"That's strange..." she quipped, "I've never had these laid on my table before. Who sent them here? You should ask boss about this. He might have an idea if this papers were really meant for us."

"Ah..." Jeffrey scratched his nape and deliberately asked, "do you know where Ria is?"

Jeffrey thought he's going to be Cedric's lackey for two months. He had been preparing himself. He doesn't want to be picked on because he heard about how vicious this man could go.

In the end, he studied for nothing. Because Cedric hired a personal assistant for himself the very next day that Jeffrey appeared.

He was so thankful about that.

"She's right downstairs with the receptionist. Probably getting the boss' mails for this day. They can get a lot by the way." Yeon-hee moved away and shrugs. "You can just knock and go inside. The boss wasn't really keen on that. Actually, Ria's appointment as his assistant confuses me a little. This is the first time that Cedric personally contacted one."

'Well, I can partly guess why... not that I would tell you though.' Jeffrey said his thanks and proceeded to Cedric's office.

Jeffrey had initially thought that his workplace would look unconventional and even nondescript. But in all honesty, it's not really different than any other offices of the coven. Although they worked in the field, inside their sacred place, no one forgets about wearing their formal suits.

Actually, when they first got introduced to each other at work, the man was wearing a custom tailored suit and a pair of shiny Italian leather shoes. Jeffrey didn't know how to react about that— he was focused on the man's eyes.

It was rich and captivating.

'Probably the only reason how he got laid.' There's no other good qualities about the man aside from that.

Jeffrey knocked on Cedric's door before pulling it open. He met his defensive eyes upon looking at him. Jeffrey fought the innate feeling to sigh and praise the man's eyes again in his head. 'That is innapropriate!'

"What do you want?" Cedric's voice sounds cold and distant. Jeffrey was accostumed to it. He felt nothing in his blatant dislike in him but the next words made him itch for violence. "Don't just barge in next time. Wait for me to say 'come in' or it would be much better if you'll wait for Ria and tell her your complains. This is not how you should communicate with me."

'Oh, god. He's a jerk to me.' Jeffrey's lips pursed as the urge to snarl at his boss peaked in his chest. 'God, lend me your strength to deal with this horrible of a boss.'

It was clear that Cedric doesn't like him. He hates that Jeffrey is an 'Adenhart'. He doesn't want to be acquainted with him. Or even be with him in a room.

Cedric was one of those people who thought that he's not deserving of his title as the next heir.

"But your assistant is not here and this matter is urgent. Do I need to distract her from... whatever errands she might be doing now?"

This is not a huge company. This is a team of ten people who works on the field to gather intel for the coven! Why does this man acts like they're selling real estate?

Cedric stopped from writing. His hand clenched tightly on his pen. "Are you defying me? I'm just teaching you how to be professional, Mr. Adenhart."

Jeffrey breathed evenly. He nodded and with a swish of his hand, he turned his back and said, "The papers got messed up this morning. We have some files intended for the financial team. I'm going to send them now. Yeon-hee said I got to let you know. And lastly, it's Duvas. Jefferson Duvas."

It was no point trying to argue with Cedric. The man won't see his point. He's trying to act so formal when no one really works in the office everyday except for him.

The others normally gets assigned from places to places while he stays in his cubicle to rot and count papers like a douchebag. He rarely get a chance to see Yeon-hee three times a week.

He hates it.

"Why does it seems like you listen more to Yeon-hee than me. Who's your boss?"

Jeffrey halted his feet and stiffly replied, "She's my senior, so I have to consider her advices. For my future concerns, I'll let Ms. Ria know about it. Thanks for the two minutes, boss!"

He closed the door without looking at his face one more time. Jeffrey wasn't sure if he would be able to contain his annoyance towards him.

"Damn it."

Jeffrey winced but he didn't bother opening up and ask his boss what's got him cursing. Cedric can deal with it in his own. He doesn't need him for anything.

Clearly, his personal assistant can do everything for him.

Fishing his phone out of his drawer, he hurriedly typed a text for his friend.

'Wanna hang out for tonight?'

The reply came fast. 'Rough day, man?'

Jeffrey didn't hold back and typed, 'My boss was being a prick again. It's been weeks since we last drink.'

'Alright. I'll invite the girls so we can have double the fun.'

Satisfied, Jeffrey thanked him and offered to pay for the night. His mother still ignores him and his uncle is unavailable for the week. His workspace doesn't give him enough time to progress and he's not really in good terms with his boss. Lastly, he just found out that his new crush, Yeon-hee, is not single anymore.

This calls for a drink. A lot of it.