Kapitel 115: New

But it wasn't Claire. Instead, it was his assistant, a young woman with a nervous expression on her face. Her usual cheerfulness was gone, replaced by a cautious demeanor that only added to Joshua's irritation.

"Mr. Cane," she began hesitantly, her voice barely above a whisper, "is everything alright? I heard some—"

"Everything's fine," Joshua snapped, cutting her off before she could finish. He immediately regretted the harshness in his tone, but the frustration swirling inside him had no outlet. He softened his voice slightly as he continued, trying to mask the storm within him. "I'm just dealing with some things. I didn't mean to be short with you."

His assistant nodded, clearly relieved that he wasn't angrier. "If you need anything, just let me know," she offered, backing out of the room as if she were escaping a sinking ship.