Chapter 97. The Termination

Taggart was blankly staring at his table in his working room. He had nothing to do but think thoroughly of something, and he ended up rubbing his forehead a few times. It had been two hours, and there had been no change. When Everest came to see him, he stayed the same.

“Sir, are you okay?” Everest asked, worried to see his boss's flat expression. Taggart remained bulged.

“Sir,” Everest remained call. Taggart calmly raised his eyes on him.

“Yes, I have something for you to do.” Taggart straightened his back and then took a deep sigh. For a moment, Taggart stayed quiet. He was thinking something. Everest waited for his next instruction while scrutinising his eyes. Taggart looked so different lately.

“Have Luke Damant to fire Pearl Rosenthal. Give her the right salary and a note of apology.”

Everest slowly frowned while opening his mouth shockingly. After all this time, Taggart finally fired Pearl Rosenthal.

“Sir!” Everest slightly raised his pitch.

“Just do it as I say,” Taggart repeated his instruction. Everest stayed frowned to see Taggart. After Pearl was discharged from the hospital, he never came to see her. The oddest thing is that Taggart had dinner with Tamara Lopez, who he considered a threat to Bruce before. Now, when Taggart made a friend with another woman, Everest was confused.

“I don’t understand,” Everest mumbled while holding his annoyance.

“Which one? You only have to pass my order,”

“Not that. I mean, you’ve been fighting for her. She is your mate, and you keep saying it all the time! But now,” he paused with his widened eyes.

“What happened to you? Doesn’t she your obsession anymore?” Everest stressed each tense in his words. Taggart didn’t get mad. He only shocked his head and then threw his sight randomly.

“I have to think myself before her,”

“By firing her from her work,” Everest cut Taggart’s word curtly.

“Yes. She doesn’t deserve to be here. She must leave. Do you get me?”

“No!”

Taggart clenched his jaw at Everest's stubbornness. He didn’t tell him yet about his previous meeting with Pearl and Damian. He saw them kissing. Even if it was not, he kept assuming that way.

“I thought you loved her,” Everest was heating more boldness.

“Stop agonising me, Ev. You are my assistant, and you should behave that way. Now get yourself to Luke Damant and do as I said!” Taggart pointed at the door, half yelling at Everest. Everest nodded, but he showed annoyance. He strode off and left Taggart only with a big, deep sigh on himself.

“Damnit!” Taggart cursed.

Everest came to see Luke Damant and told him to do as Taggart said. Pearl tried to get to work, but it had been almost a day. She was expecting Taggart’s response, and it came today.

“Thank you, Mr. Damant.” Pearl got the email about working termination and reported it to Luke. Luke gulped his saliva and made an odd smile at her.

“I really apologise for the trouble I caused by my missing. I do take the experience from the Excellor, and it is a great honour. Thank you.”

When Pearl wanted to leave, Luke suddenly stood and called her back.

“Wait, Miss Rosenthal!” Pearl stopped and let off her grip on the door handle. Luke walked closer and looked nervous. Somehow, he felt compassionate about her.

“What are you going to do now?” Luke asked anticipatively. Pearl let out a small smile and shook her head.

“I don’t know yet, Sir. I’ll find out later. I have to leave now. Good afternoon.” Pearl was about to leave, but Luke grabbed her hand.

“Please, wait. Uhm,” he nervously looked around like he was looking for something. Pearl was confused, but she waited.

“What about I speak to the CEO? Maybe he wants to reconsider? Who knows,”

“I don’t think he is going to do that, Sir.” Pearl quickly answered.

“Why not? You are,” Luke almost said, revealing that Pearl was Taggart’s girlfriend. Pearl let out a thought smile and then refused his help.

“It’s okay. I will find another work. Thank you for being so concerned. Have a good day, Sir,” Pearl didn’t look for another. She left afterwards. Luke still stood there watching her with guilt. There’s something about her that took his heart.

“Oh, what should I do?” Luke was getting too bad to recommend Pearl’s working termination.

Instead of feeling sad, Pearl went home to see her father. John was coming home, and she preferred to welcome him. She also missed Taggart inside her heart, but she didn’t want to show it. After getting home, Pearl was ready to bake cakes and cook something. She was always the one who was charged for the kitchen, while Sandra mostly took her time off as a housewife. Although Pearl never protested, Sandra never wanted to change the rules at their home. Pearl never knew that Sandra would never put Pearl’s priority at their home since she was not her birth daughter.

“Welcome home, Daddy!” Pearl brought a free sugar cake to her beloved dad, John Rosenthal. John was so happy that he quickly wrapped his arms around her and hugged her.

“Oh, my darling. Thank you so much.”

Briana and Keith also looked happy. Sandra only gave out a glare, as always.

“Wow, look at all these foods!” Briana shrieked in happiness.

“Why do you cook so much? You shouldn’t have to do this.” Keith also responded. John also nodded agreeably.

“Yeah, why do you spend your money on these?”

“Let her spend some for us. She’s your daughter,” Sandra blurted out with no care. Keith cleared his throat to tell his mother about her attitude, yet she didn’t care.

“Mom, don’t say like that!” Even Briana also said to her.

“It’s okay. It’s not every day. Besides, Dad is coming, and I got my salary today.” Pearl grinned, making excuses for her spending.

“On 15th? How?” Keith interrupted while frowning. Pearl only let out an awkward chuckle and then asked her dad to sit.

“Let’s sit and enjoy the feast.” Pearl let Joh to cut the cake to change the topic. She didn’t want to explain more about her termination.