SWNOVELS Chapter 986
Jared's grip on her arm gradually eased, and Agnes was quick to leave, her heart pounding. But Jared, with the coolness of a midnight breeze, showed no sign of worry. He strolled back into the room where Agnes' purse from the previous day lay abandoned. Inside were her ID and passport. With these in his possession, Jared wasn't concerned about Agnes leaving.
But what had spurred Agnes to leave in such a hurry? Was she on her way to seek Ryder?
Jared's brows knitted together, a storm brewing on his forehead.
Agnes, having left the imposing edifice of Maplewood Manor behind, hailed a cab straight to the Tim Tower. Indeed, she was on her way to find Ryder, the newly minted chairman of the Tim Group, who was likely holding court in his corporate castle.
Agnes knew the presidential office as well as she knew the back of her hand. So, it was no surprise that she arrived at Tim Tower without delay. As she breezed past the secretary pool, she ran into Leo, who was on his way out, clutching a cardboard box-a clear sign of a workplace exodus. Colleagues gathered around, their faces etched with reluctant farewells.
A premonition of dread flitted through Agnes' mind.
"Leo, what in the world is going on? Where are you off to?" she inquired, a tremor in her voice.
Leo, upon seeing Agnes, flashed a surprised but sincere smile. "I've resigned," he declared, with the nonchalance of someone used to life's ebb and flow.
Agnes felt as if she'd been sucker-punched. Leo had been Jared's right-hand man, his confidant for nearly a decade. Did Ryder's ascension mean there was no place left for loyalty?
Leo continued, "Agnes, we've known each other for years now. Before I leave, there's something I need to tell you. Can we talk privately for a moment?"
Agnes nodded, and they retreated to a small balcony off the corridor.
"Why the resignation, Leo? Did Ryder let you go?" Agnes asked, her voice a cocktail of concern and disbelief.
Leo let out a laugh that seemed both free and a little forlorn. "I'm Jared's man. In the shifting sands of the Tim Group, there's no room for the old guard. Better to leave with some dignity than to be hollowed out by power plays."
His words carried the weight of a seasoned pro, but Agnes couldn't help feeling a pang of sadness. The corporate world was ruthless. She had once thought the feud was merely between Jared and Ryder, but how many careers, how many lives were being upended in their wake?
As these thoughts tormented her, Agnes' heart twisted with guilt. After all, she was the catalyst for this upheaval.
"Agnes, you should steer clear of company affairs. But there's something you ought to know about the boss," Leo said, still referring to Jared with the respect he had earned over the years.
Agnes knew that by 'the boss,' Leo meant Jared. Old habits die hard.
"Jared has been a wreck lately, and it's because of you. I've never seen anyone affect him like you do. Your every tear and smile seem to be etched onto his soul," Leo confessed, his gaze locked onto the horizon.
Agnes looked down, a silent sentinel to her own inner turmoil.
"Jared has moved heaven and earth for you-crossed lines he never would have considered before. Did you know when you were trapped in Bronzetown during that storm, he nearly lost his mind? All routes were blocked, the world was shutting down, but Jared drove through the night to reach you. He faced landslides, life-threatening dangers, but he kept saying he could hear you calling for him. He couldn't wait, not even a second longer."