Is this destiny?

~ Los Angeles, White corp. HQ ~

JoAnna strutted toward Jeff\'s office, with her protruding belly announcing to everyone in advance that she is coming. 

Bridgette could not make herself face Jeff when JoAnna announces that she wants to go to Las Vegas. In her mind, she can see his icy glare which is telling her that she messed up big time. Bridgette was covered in a cold sweat, just thinking about it. She made up an excuse that she needs something from her office.

"While there, I will catch up on my email. Call me when you are done talking to Jeff.", Bridgette told JoAnna.

JoAnna waved to Bridgette that is fine, without thinking that Bridgette has an ulterior motive because Bridgette was always mindful enough to give them privacy.

Bridgette tried getting in touch with Steve to give him a warning of what is coming their way, but he only responded: "In a meeting. Can\'t talk."

Bridgette sneered at his short response. "Fine. You don\'t want to talk, so be it…", Bridgette mumbled to herself.

As JoAnna approached Jeff\'s office, his secretary scrambled up to her feet to greet her. "Doctor Hill, I mean… Mrs. White… I…" 

JoAnna stifled a laugh. "It\'s OK. Any is fine. Is Jeff inside?"

Jeff\'s secretary shook her head and checked her screen. "CEO White is in a meeting. It should be done in four minutes."

JoAnna nodded in understanding. Jeff\'s meeting will be done in four minutes, and it can\'t take more than five to reach his office from any part of the building, so it will be at most ten minutes of wait (give or take a minute).

"Great. I will wait inside…", JoAnna responded while walking in, without letting the woman say anything else.

As soon as JoAnna closed the door of Jeff\'s office she scrunched her nose. Why is she smelling woman\'s perfume? Chanel No5? JoAnna shrugged it off as non-important. After all, many people come to Jeff\'s office and JoAnna\'s sense of smell is much sharper than usually due to pregnancy, so it\'s not unexpected that she can smell lingering scent from Jeff\'s previous meeting.

She took a seat on the sofa and observed pastries on the table, evenly arranged on a plate. JoAnna guessed that someone either has a great eye, or he used a ruler to align them perfectly. And they look fresh, almost. Well, no need to hold back. JoAnna helped herself with one. 

"Tasty…", she mumbled and took the whole plate next to her so that she can lean back on the sofa and grab the next one without moving much.

JoAnna was on her third pastry when she heard something from the back. She turned toward the sound and paused at the sight of a woman who is coming from the back room. Isn\'t that the suite that is attached to Jeff\'s office? The one with a bed and a bathroom and… JoAnna narrowed her eyes while wondering, who the hell is that woman?

The woman\'s steps paused when she saw JoAnna and she frowned. "Excuse me. Who are you? Do you have an appointment?"

JoAnna slowly chewed while observing the woman. Not bad looking. Her light brown hair is pulled into a messy bun, black business suit with a skirt is showing off her hourglass figure, long legs, seductive hips, flat stomach, full chest… Even her face is nice to look at.

The more JoAnna looked at her, the more she didn\'t like what she is seeing. Did the woman just ask her who she is? \'I am your boss, bitch!\', JoAnna screamed internally. But she decided on a different approach. 

JoAnna swallowed and responded. "I am Doctor Hill from the medical research department. And you are…?"

The woman straightened her back. "I am Vera Rogers, CEO White\'s assistant. Why are you here? CEO White does not have a meeting with you."

Vera\'s arrogance was adding oil to the flames of rage which swelled inside JoAnna by every passing moment. "How much I know, CEO White does not have an assistant called Vera Rogers."

"Well, I am new.", Vera responded smugly.

"How new?"

Vera made a face. "Why should I answer that?"

JoAnna took a deep breath and leaned back on the sofa. She wanted to take one more pastry, but then she realized that she will probably choke on it. Suddenly, she didn\'t feel hungry, as if her taste buds turned sour. 

JoAnna shook her head inwardly. No wonder she smelled woman\'s perfume. That was not from the previous meeting, it was from this crude assistant who is acting like she owns the place.

Vera impatiently walked in front of JoAnna and looked in disproval at the plate with pastries on the sofa. 

"Excuse me, these are not for you…", Vera rudely took the plate and placed it back on the table. 

JoAnna observed Vera while the latter rearranged pastries and increased the gap between them, so that it\'s not visible that three are missing.

"They are for CEO White?", JoAnna asked stiffly.

"Yes. I made them personally." Vera said smugly and then narrowed her eyes on JoAnna. "You still didn\'t answer my question. Why are you here without an appointment?"

JoAnna told herself to calm down and not to overreact. Women always flocked around her husband, hoping to get a piece of him, and not a single one was successful. And this is work. It\'s normal to have assistants and secretaries and coworkers who are females. Expecting Jeff to work only with men is unreasonable. But it\'s glaringly obvious that this woman is interested in Jeff and the fact that JoAnna is facing Vera who is acting like she is the boss, is something that JoAnna is unable to swallow.

JoAnna\'s lips curved into a fake smile while she did her best to suppress her emotional turmoil. "And you didn\'t tell me how long you are working as CEO White\'s assistant. But I am more curious about what you were doing in the back room…"

Vera lifted her chin proudly. "As CEO White\'s assistant, I get to help him and take care of his needs."

JoAnna gritted her teeth. "And his needs are for you to take care of him in the bedroom?"

"That is none of your business."

JoAnna shook her head in disbelief and got her phone. She wanted to call Jeff, but she was not sure what to say. Should she ask him to hurry to his office and clarify the situation? As much as she believes that he would not cheat on her, she is angry. She is angry that she is facing an alluring woman who is baking him pastries and doing who knows what in the room in the back and treating her (the wife!) as an outsider.

Everything negative that JoAnna felt got enhanced by the pregnancy hormones and she was in a full-blown rage.

Is this why he asked her to stay home with an excuse that she needs to rest? So that he can have Vera and who knows who around him? Is Vera the reason Jeff leaves early in the morning and comes back late in the evening? Is Vera the reason Jeff didn\'t touch her recently? 

JoAnna thought that maybe she should just leave for Las Vegas and not tell Jeff where she is. And her automatic voicemail can tell him that if he needs anything he can call his assistant, Vera. Because Vera can help him and take care of his needs. 

When did he get a new assistant? How dares he hire this woman without telling her? 

Vera tapped her foot on the floor impatiently. "Excuse me. If you don\'t leave, I will call the security."

"Call the security.", JoAnna responded icily through her teeth.

Vera\'s eyes flashed arrogantly and she went behind Jeff\'s desk and used his phone to make a call. Before she dialed any number, the door opened, and Jeff and Steve walked in.

Jeff frowned at the sight of Vera behind his desk, holding onto his phone, and he felt chills coming from the direction of the sofa. 

Jeff\'s face flashed in surprise. "Anna… What are you doing here?"

In the next instant, his face fell. Why is JoAnna looking at him like he did something very-very bad? 

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