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Novel Catalog
Chapter 48
Eliza marched into Loraine’s cubicle, tossing a pile of documents onto her desk with a sharp snap of her wrist. She clapped her hands authoritatively, expecting Loraine to jump into action.
But Loraine wasn’t intimidated.
She looked at the pile of paperwork and calmly spoke, “If my memory serves me right, this is not my job. Besides, you are not my boss. You don’t have the right to order me around. So why have you been bothering me lately?”
Eliza’s face turned crimson with surprise. She hadn’t expected Loraine to speak up, especially after what had just happened with Barry. It seemed like the tables had turned, and she wasn’t prepared for it.
“How dare you talk back to me, Loraine?” Eliza sneered. “You’re just a newbie. I’ve been working here long before you showed up. It’s normal for me to assign tasks to you. And just so you know, I’m going to be made the director soon. I have every right to boss you around. You’d better do as I say, or you’ll regret it when I’m in charge.”
Loraine wasn’t the least bit shaken. In fact, she called Eliza’s bluff with an almost bored tone. “Okay, show me what you got.”
Eliza seethed with anger, her hands trembling as she glared at Loraine. But Loraine wasn’t backing down. How ridiculous was it for Eliza to threaten her when she had no actual power? Loraine was certain that if Eliza really were going to be made director, it wouldn’t be without her own fair share of conflicts.
Eliza’s temper flared, and she longed to tear Loraine’s mouth apart with her bare hands, but she held herself back. The other employees stood by, quietly watching the exchange but not daring to intervene. They all knew how things worked in the office—no one wanted to risk offending the incoming director.
But just as the tension between them reached its peak, a voice from the door interrupted their standoff.
“Excuse me, who is the designer in charge of the amusement park project? Our manager wants to see her.”
Eliza immediately shoved Loraine aside and rushed to the door, practically tripping over her heels as she flashed a bright, overly confident smile.
“That’s me!” Eliza announced, her voice too sweet to be genuine.
Loraine stood silently, watching her colleague’s overconfidence with an eyebrow raised.
The man stepped forward, his presence calm but professional. “Oh, it’s you? Hello, I’m Nate Dempsey, the manager of the park.”
Eliza’s smile widened, and she practically oozed flattery as she greeted him. “Hello, Mr. Dempsey. How may I help you? I assume you’re a busy man. If you wanted any part of the plan modified, you could have sent word. No need for you to come all the way here personally.”
Nate smiled back, clearly appreciative of her gesture but not buying into her charm. “Well, it doesn’t matter. We’re satisfied with your design plan. But there are a few details we need to discuss in person.”
“Of course! Please, come in.” Eliza practically beamed as she led Nate into the meeting room, her eyes casting a smug and mocking glance at Loraine as she passed.
Loraine, unfazed, rolled her eyes and returned to her work. There was no point in wasting any more energy on Eliza’s theatrics.
Once in the meeting room, Eliza was in for a shock.
As soon as Nate settled in and they began reviewing the plan, his tone shifted. It was clear he was no longer just flattering her.
“I’m afraid we need to make some changes,” Nate began, his voice serious. “The design you submitted isn’t exactly what we’re looking for. There are several issues with the layout and a few technicalities that need to be addressed immediately.”
Eliza’s face dropped. The high expectations she had built for herself—her assumption that she would waltz into the director’s role because of the deal she closed—began to crumble as Nate listed the adjustments needed.
Loraine had been right all along. This wasn’t going to be as easy as Eliza had thought.
