Chapter 102: Lorie’s provocation
"You clearly have no idea how to draft a proper report," Augustine barked, his tone rising with each word. "This is sloppy. Amateur. Do it again."
"Yes, sir. I—I’m sorry," Lorie stammered, quickly bending to retrieve the file. Her hands trembled as she clutched it to her chest and turned to leave.
"If you can’t get it right, don’t come back. I’ll have you reassigned to another department—far from here."
The words hit her like a punch. Panic twisted in her stomach. She had schemed and played her cards just to get close to him, and now it was slipping through her fingers. She couldn’t afford to lose this post.
Keeping her head down, she muttered another apology and hurried out, her face pale and her breath shallow.
At Anne’s desk...
Anne’s attention drifted from her laptop screen as her phone buzzed beside her. Seeing Audrey flash across the display, her face lit up with a genuine smile. It had been a while since they last talked—Audrey had vanished off the radar, swept away on a vacation with her ever-mysterious boyfriend.
Grinning, Anne swiped to answer the call. "Look who finally remembered me," she said, feigning annoyance, though the warmth in her voice betrayed her happiness.
"Don’t be mad, sweetheart," Audrey chimed playfully. "I called you the moment I got back. That should show you how important you are to me."