Beneath These Scars

chapter one

"This is stupid! You are completely out of your mind and stupid!"

Jan Manchester released a frustrated sigh as Rhea Davis barged into his office. He used to admire her guts before, now it made him want to punch a wall.

"What is it this time around, Rhea?" Jan asked calmly, even as his fists clenched around the file in his hand.

"Can you tell me why the hell I had to find out from Carl that you're moving headquarters to some weird town in Ontario?" she demanded.

"Because you're a nosy flirt and Carl is a weak-spined fool who is very close to losing his job?" Jan asked.

"I am definitely not nosy, merely curious. And I only asked Carl because I knew you wouldn't tell me."

"Because the information is confidential." He let out a frustrated sigh. "And frankly, I have half a mind to fire that idiot."

"Don't do anything to Carl, I practically bullied him into telling me." She settled down on the seat in front of his desk. "And no, you didn't tell me because you knew I wouldn't agree with this."

"To what?"

"To this!" She gestured with her hands. "To whatever this is."

Jan kneaded his forehead. "You're not making a lot of sense, Rhea."

"Tell me you don't see how idiotic this is. You can't just randomly move headquarters. We've built a solid client base here and I won't let you ruin things."

"I don't need your permission to do anything. I think it's the other way around," Jan stated.

"Then why tell Carl and not me, if you don't care about what I think?"

"Carl is my manager, he is relevant to the process. You however, are not and you can't just go around harassing other employees for information. That could cost you your job."

"You would fire me?" she asked with raised brows.

Shutting the file in his hands, Jan turned his full gaze on her. "What exactly do you want?"

"I want you to tell me what's going on."

"Carl didn't tell you already?"

"No, he didn't," she replied. "I want to hear it from you. Why are you moving headquarters to some other town?"

"I'm not moving headquarters, get your facts straight."

"I would if somebody didn't keep his employees in the dark all the fucking time."

"You sometimes forget that I'm your boss," he said with an exasperated sigh.

Rhea rolled her eyes in reply. "If you're not moving head—"

"I'm opening up a new branch not moving headquarters. Headquarters will remain here."

"Oh," she muttered. "That's actually a good idea."

"I know," Jan replied. "Now, will you leave my office so I can work?"

"What town are we opening in?" she asked.

"Hillford," he replied shortly.

Rhea let out a short laugh. "Wait... what?"

Jan raised a brow at the disbelief painted on her face.

"Hillford, as in your hometown?"