When Love Becomes a Cage by Nora

Chapter 21

Chapter 21



Kayla stormed out, tears streaming down her face, leaving everyone in the office shocked and staring at me.

I grinned at the onlookers. "Looks like you're all just slackers without your big-shot backers, huh?"

I could tell they were astonished that I, the usual pushover, had finally stood my ground. I didn't mean to make things tough for Kayla, though.

I would've been happy to live and let live if she hadn't messed with me. However, she had other ideas.

When I returned to the Design Department, I could feel the shift in how people looked at me. For a big company, they sure had a knack for gossip. When checking my messages, I saw a flurry of chatter about the incident.

[Has Melanie been possessed or something? She's been looking skinny lately. I hope she's okay."

[Maybe she's just had enough? Who could put up with being cheated on for three years without snapping?]

[Kayla ran crying to Mr. Patterson's office. I bet $100 Melanie will get an earful!]

[I'll put down $20 that Melanie gets off scot-free.]

Everyone was betting, but most people figured Clyde would back his girl and go against me. It seemed their opinion of him was unanimous. Over the years, he'd seemed to have my back.

end of the stick? Yet, I didn't get the anticipated dressing down. Things seemed oddly calm. Until, close to quitting time, Lina approached me in tears and with a stack of paperwork. "Melanie, the secretary said Mr. Patterson was too busy to see me, and

"Why are there so many

font... We had to keep revising. And after all that,

her frustration. Someone would have to answer for it

grabbed the documents and stormed into Clyde's office. Kayla was there, nibbling on a cupcake and cozying

haven't signed off yet, finance hasn't made the payment and now the supplier is talking about raising

Patterson

is on you." I said my piece and wasn't interested in watching

mess started because of me, but I wouldn't let Lina and the others take

look, then glanced over the documents, his brow furrowing. He didn't become the

Spot

was up to

act.

pushed the documents back to me. "This

I'm the head of

Lina's communications with Ms. Osborne are all recorded. Maybe we should go through the company's internal investigation process and make it public to the board.

as a ghost. She probably only wanted to make my life difficult, not realizing the magnitude of

our regular go-to. We only partnered with them due to a sudden shortage. They had given us

"How much are

answered without hesitation. "Half a percent. It will likely

attention. He sat up, fixing his

lie about work