Chapter 45: Chapter 45

Chapter Forty — Five

Ava's POV

Jasper.

What was he doing here?

Jasper threw Kevin on the ground and kicked him in his ribs. Kevin let out a cry at the kick. Jasper grabbed Kevin by his shirt's collar and hauled him up. He brought him to his face.

“What were you doing there? Huh?” He asked before he landed another good punch on his face that made Kevin fall on the floor while blood began pouring out of his nose and mouth.

All of a sudden, at the corner of my eye, I saw a person walking in the parking lot.

I raised my head and found Charlotte, entering the place. As she walked in, her eyes creased and her whole face changed into a confused one over what was happening.

She saw me leaning against the car limply and two men fighting on the ground. She still looked confused, until her eyes landed on Jasper. That was when her eyes widened and her whole face registered shock.

“Oh, shit.” I heard her letting out a curse.

The moment she saw Jasper on the ground, she began running Jasper's way. But not before taking out her phone, calling someone.

Soon, I got to know that she had dialed Nine one one as I heard her talking to the Nine one one operator.

Tearing my eyes off Charlotte, I watched as Jasper beat Kevin on the ground. Clutching my mouth in horror, as blood started streaming out of Kevin's nose. Charlotte ran over to Jasper and screamed at him to stop, to get his attention and stop him from beating Kevin who was cradling his head, to protect from the blows that Jasper was delivering.

“Jasper. Jasper! Jasper, stop it. Stop it, I said.” Charlotte screamed at Jasper. Jasper, though, did not pay him any attention and took a step again, to kick him on the ground. This time, Charlotte got to his side and grabbed his arm and gave him a push to his side. Jasper took a step back at Charlotte's push, but he did not take his eyes from Kevin.

He stopped kicking Kevin though.

With his chest was heaving and his hands balled up in a fist on his sides, he stood on his place, looking like he wanted to murder Kevin.

“What the hell is going on here? Why are you beating him!” Charlotte screamed at Jasper to answer him, but he did not say anything.

All of a sudden, two security guards along with two police officers entered the place. They scanned the parking lot until their eyes fell on us. All of them hurried to where we were standing and stared at the scene in front of their eyes. One security guard walked over to Jasper's side.

“Sir?” He asked. Seeking any sort of hint or direction, about what they should do next.

Jasper shook his head, still glaring at Kevin, who had now his head raised and was peering up at Jasper.

“Mr. Gray, what happened here?” One of the officers asked Jasper.

“This fucker was trying to kidnap Ava, on the edge of his knife.” Jasper rasped out, nodding his head toward Kevin.

“What?” Charlotte asked, looking at Jasper in disbelief and shock. Charlotte's eyes drifted from watching Jasper to looking at Kevin to me. Her eyes took in me, checking out my state from head to toe. I knew what she saw, me sagged up against the car and clutching my side.

The police officers glanced at me too, looking a little stunned to find another person standing there. Both of the officers saw me and met my eyes. At the same time, both of them tore their eyes from me and trained it back to Kevin's. Both of them moved to pick up Kevin.

Jasper moved to his side and began striding in my direction. On his walk to my side, he smoothly took off his coat. Once he reached my side, he swung his coat in the air and carefully deposited it on my shoulders, covering me.

I shook my head at him. Trying to shrug off his coat, I spoke.

“No, I don't need this.” I told him, trying to assure him that I was fine without the coat.

“Actually, you do need it.” He said, pointing at my sleeve of the top that I was wearing, was now torn apart from the side. I didn't even realize when that happened.

And then I realized when Kevin was pulled from me, he ripped a piece of my clothing with him. The turn of events happened so fast that I didn't even notice when Kevin managed to rip off my sleeve.

I nodded my head and clutched the coat even tighter.

My gaze drifted back to Kevin, who was being handcuffed against the car. Squashed against it, just like I had been a few seconds ago.

“What happened? Why was he trying to kidnap you?” Jasper asked me again.

“He was taking revenge for a slap.” I told Jasper, still looking at Kevin.

“Revenge of a slap? What do you mean?” He asked. Tearing my gaze from the scene, I glanced at Jasper.

“From the first day, he was making advances on me. When I denied him, he ignored it and kept going. At one point, things got out of control and I ended up slapping him, in front of everyone in my office.” I told him.

The look of anger intensified on his face. His jaw clenched, and he looked away for a second. With his nostrils flaring, he turned his face and looked at me again.

“Why didn't you report him to Charlotte?” Jasper asked me.

I glanced at the ground as I answered him.

“I tried to, but Charlotte was busy that day. So, I could not. And from then on, he stopped showing up, so I guessed that there was no need to report him anymore.” I answered him.

“Charlotte!” Jasper yelled at my side. Making me glance up. I raised my head to see him glaring at Charlotte.

Charlotte circled to face our side and walked over to us. Looking serious as hell.

“What? What happened here?" Charlotte asked us, glancing from Jasper to me.

“Charlotte, it is your responsibility to take care of all the employees that work under you. And it is important for you to listen to your employee's problem, and more so when it is related to sexual harassment.” Jasper scolded Charlotte. From looking confused to getting angry, Charlotte's expressions changed, and she Glared at Jasper.

“What do you mean? What are you saying?” Charlotte asked Jasper in a tight voice. I knew she was holding herself back from firing back at Jasper.

“I am trying to say that when Ava wanted to complain about Kevin's situation, you told her that you were busy. You know how strict a policy we have against this sort of stuff, still you told her that you were busy.” Jasper explained it to Charlotte.

What …

I never said that I told her that it was about a case of sexual harassment. I just said that I needed to talk to her.

Jasper misunderstood me and twisted the words. Gosh, why?

Charlotte's expression changed to a grim one, appearing a little shocked. She turned to me with the same look on her face.

“When did you come to me to talk about this?” Charlotte asked me. I rubbed my arm and glanced at Jasper before answering to her.

Jasper, why did you put me in a spot with her?

“A week or so before.” I answered her, but stopped with my raised hands when she began to speak.

“However, I never mentioned that it was a case of sexual harassment. I just told you that I needed to talk to you. And you told me to tell it later, But after that, I did not mention it, since Kevin had stopped showing up for work altogether.” I explained it to her. Hearing my answer, Charlotte twisted to meet Jasper's eyes.

“See, I asked her to tell me later. It is not my fault that later she changed her mind and decided not to tell me.” Charlotte retorted back to Jasper's accusation. She crossed her arms around her waist.

Jasper's jaw clenched, and he returned Charlotte's disdained look with his own. He leaned a little closer to Charlotte's face, leaning on her face. Charlotte did not back up though, she stood her ground, not moving an inch from her place while still glaring daggers at Jasper.

“Next time, I don't care how busy you are if somebody comes to you to talk about something like this, you take care of it right away. I don't want another one of these incidents to happen again. You heard me?” Jasper questioned in a low, grave voice.

Charlotte did not reply, did not cripple under the weight of Jasper's scrutinizing eyes. She looked right into his eyes as Jasper continued speaking.

Their conversation looked way more personal than this incident. Like they were fighting their personal feud through this conversation.

“And if you can't do it. If you can't work properly, then you are fired.” He snapped at Charlotte. My eyes widened at his words. Whatever had happened was not at all Charlotte's fault. She was just doing her work. Why was he taking Kevin's doing on her? Why was he punishing her? She did nothing wrong.

I felt like I needed to interrupt, so I did. I spoke, drawing both of their attention to me.

“Umm … Sir, with all due respect, it is not her fault. It was me who did not specify on what topic I wanted to talk about. It is not her fault.” I said to Jasper, defending Charlotte. She was not responsible for what had happened, so she should not get the blame for it.

I saw Jasper grinding his teeth and I shut up. Charlotte did not say anything and just glanced at her left. He tore his eyes from me to look at Charlotte.

Out of nowhere, an officer spoke from behind us that I almost forgot was still there. We all turned to see who spoke.

“Sir, we are taking him in custody. Miss … He said, pointing his finger at me.

“Yes, It's Ava White.” I answered, completing his line.

“Miss White, you need to tell us everything, so we can report the incident. It won't take long.” He said. I glanced at Jasper and Charlotte before, I nodded my head to the officer.

I walked over to him and did a side glance at Kevin, who was handcuffed and still pressed up against the car, just like I was a few minutes ago. Watching me glance at Kevin, the first officer nodded his head to the officer who was holding Kevin against the car.

“Take him away.” He told him. The officer holding Kevin gave a curt nod before pulling Kevin from the car.

“One minute!" Charlotte yelled from behind me. I watched her as she strode over to Kevin before stopping just a step away from him. Everything was quiet as everybody waited for Charlotte's next move.

I thought she was going to say something when … smack!

Kevin's head twisted to his side as a hard slap landed on his cheek. For a second, the whole world seemed to be silenced at Charlotte's actions. I felt my eyes widened at her boldness.

“Miss, you can't do that …'' The officer who was taking my try to warn her. Charlotte raised her hand and stopped the officer from continuing his sentence.

Charlotte glared right into Kevin's shocked and angry eyes, when she spoke to him.

“You dared to prey upon one of my employees?” Charlotte asked, her voice chilling cold and extremely sharp that could cut like a knife.

“You think that you would go after one of the people that works here, and I will let it pass? It is a good thing that you got caught when you did, if you had gotten caught from me, the consequences would have been much worse.” She told him. Kevin's nose flared as he stared down at Charlotte.

Charlotte took a step back.

“And you wanted to avenge a slap? Then remember this one.” She said, with her cold expressions.

With that, the officer put Kevin into the police vehicle and then got inside himself before driving away. Subsequently,, with one glance at both Jasper's direction and mine, she swirled around and walked out of the parking lot.

“Miss …” The officer said.

“Yes …” I replied and briefed the whole incident to him. The officer finally bid his goodbye and left.

I felt Jasper come behind my back. I spun around to face him.

“I think you should go home.” He suggested.

I thought so too …

So I nodded and left the place to go home. I had enough for one day.