Miss Josefina: Nobody's Princess
Chapter 70

"Come on! We were just having lunch. How can you threaten to fire us over that?" the workers protested, their voices filled with disbelief and angst.

"Ms. Josefina, we're all in the same boat here, just trying to make a living. Why make things tough for your employees?" They tried to appeal to the sense of comradeship that they hoped still existed. Sitting regally in her chair, Josefina exuded an aura of commanding presence, her expression one of haughty disdain. Her eyes, bright as stars, fixed on Jaxon with an icy glare. Her words came out sharp as flames. "Jaxon, you still recognize you're a senior employee, huh? Impressive. But since when have senior employees not stuck to their schedules? Skipping work without any reason?"

Her direct confrontation left many of the workers with sour expressions, their pride wounded. They hadn't anticipated Josefina's boldness to call them out so bluntly, leaving them no dignity to save. Jaxon, riled up, retorted, "I took everyone out for a meal today, so what if we went over time by an hour?"

"So you like to hang out, Jaxon? Maybe you should just quit, then. You can drink into the wee hours, and no one will bat an eye. But work hours are work hours. Tardiness and leaving early will be dealt with by the book. We have rules for a reason. Without them, the company would be in chaos."

Jaxon's face was like the color of storm clouds, and though his brows were furrowed in anger, he dared not talk back to Josefina. Crossing Josefina meant you might as well pack your bags and leave. He was livid, turned on his heel, and stormed back to his office, leaving the others meekly returning to their desks, heads down, not daring to make a sound.

Josefina's cold gaze swept over the crowd, her presence so dominant that it felt like the air was too thick to breathe.

Back in his office, Jaxon was seething, tempted to smash something. He had once dreamed he'd take the reins of the company, but Josefina's sudden rise had shattered that dream. He couldn't swallow the bitter pill of defeat.

Grabbing his phone, he dialed angrily. "Miss, Josefina is just too much. We can't handle her."

"Just wait," a woman's voice replied from the other end of the line.

Jaxon lamented, "She doesn't play by the rules and shows no respect for us workers. A single minute late, and she's on your case, not to mention her iron-fisted hold on power, crafting horrible policies." After venting his frustrations, Jaxon pressed, "Can't we just get rid of her?"

"Not yet. Stay cool for now. See what she does next."

Jaxon had no choice but to agree, "Fine. But Josefina is a nobody. Why can't we just kick her out? You could squash her as easily as an ant, right?"

There was a moment of silence from the other end before the call ended without another word.

Jaxon cursed under his breath, his mind racing as he leaned back in his chair. At that moment, there was a knock on the door. It was Josefina.

"Come in!" Jaxon barked, his tone less than welcoming.

Josefina entered, holding a stack of papers, while Jaxon's eyes bore into her as if laced with venom.

"Ms. Josefina, may I ask what brings you here?"

Josefina placed the files on the desk, her voice even, "Jaxon, I've been reviewing the company's recent contracts. These two, in particular, are troubling. They're with some no-name fabric mills, yet the prices are higher than established suppliers. Why is that?"

Shock flickered in Jaxon's eyes, but he masked it with indignation. "Are you questioning my judgment and decisions?"

Josefina nodded simply. "That's right."

Taking a deep breath, Jaxon tried to defend his position, "You can't just dismiss these smaller mills. They can produce quality fabric. If you don't understand the business, then don't interfere with our work." Josefina then laid out a piece of fabric on the desk. "You call this quality?"

Jaxon was in shock. He looked into Josefina's piercing eyes, suddenly feeling a twinge of guilt.

"How is this not quality fabric? Just do your job and don't worry about past contracts. What's it to you? Are you a Harrison heiress or something to be sticking your nose in everywhere?"