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Novel Catalog
Chapter 47
Loraine’s spirits lifted as she realized that Barry had finally gotten what he deserved. She couldn’t help but feel a sense of satisfaction, knowing that such a vile man wouldn’t be around to torment others any longer.
“It’s all right now, Jolie,” Loraine said with a comforting smile. “That scumbag has gotten his reward. You don’t have to work in fear anymore.”
The two women exchanged a warm smile, a bond that felt like it had strengthened in the wake of the situation. For a moment, they were simply two colleagues, sharing in a quiet victory.
Their voices had been lively, perhaps even a bit too loud, because one of their female colleagues overheard their conversation and quickly chimed in.
“Don’t get too excited, especially you, Loraine,” Eliza Welch sneered, walking over with a smug expression. “You caused trouble in this company just a few days after getting employed. If you want to stay here, I suggest you keep a low profile.”
Jolie turned to her, surprise flashing across her face. “What do you mean by that, Eliza?”
Disdain was clearly written all over Eliza’s face as she crossed her arms. “Did I speak French?” she scoffed. “You know exactly what I meant. Arrogant people disgust me. It’s ridiculous that a newbie has managed to get two directors fired in such a short time. Who does she think she is? This company isn’t her family’s property.”
Loraine felt the weight of Eliza’s words, the thinly veiled contempt in them. It was clear that Eliza disliked her, but Loraine wasn’t about to let it slide. When Jolie opened her mouth to respond, Loraine stopped her with a calm but firm voice.
“Don’t accuse me falsely, Eliza,” Loraine said, her eyes narrowing slightly. “I didn’t make trouble. How could you even say that? I’m the victim here. There’s nothing wrong with standing up for myself against a bully. Tell me, wouldn’t you have done the same if you were in my shoes?”
The room fell into a tense silence for a moment before Eliza’s face turned red with fury. “Hey! You sharp-tongued shrew!” she spat, glaring at Loraine before storming off without another word.
Loraine stood her ground, but she could feel the eyes of her coworkers on her. As the tension dissipated, she turned to Jolie and shrugged. “Some people just can’t handle the truth.”
When they returned to their cubicles, they found the rest of their colleagues huddled in a quiet conversation about the department’s future.
“Guys, have you heard?” one of them asked. “A new director will be chosen from the best employees in the department. Who do you think it will be?”
“It’s obviously going to be Eliza!” another colleague chimed in confidently. “She’s the most experienced among us. If her design plan for the amusement park gets approved by the client, she’ll definitely be promoted.”
“I heard it’s already done. The client accepted her plan, and she closed the deal. Eliza’s practically got the director spot locked in.”
The whispers spread quickly, and from that moment on, everyone began treating Eliza with more respect. She had clearly become the front-runner for the director position, and her colleagues fell in line accordingly.
Eliza, now convinced that the position was as good as hers, began to put on airs. She strutted through the department, acting as if she had already been crowned the new director. But her newfound attitude came at a cost, especially for Loraine.
“Loraine, go and get me a glass of water,” Eliza barked one day, as if she were already in charge.
Loraine’s expression darkened, but she didn’t react. She had been on the receiving end of Eliza’s snarky commands all week.
“Loraine, print out this design drawing and bring it to my desk immediately!” Eliza ordered the next time they crossed paths.
“Sort out these reports and submit them in thirty minutes. Stop slacking off!” Eliza added, her tone dripping with superiority.
Loraine gritted her teeth, but she was determined not to let Eliza’s petty attempts to put her down break her. She had more important things to focus on—things that didn’t involve sinking to Eliza’s level. But one thing was clear: Eliza wasn’t about to make things easy for her.
