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.

me in tears and with a stack of paperwork. "Melanie, the secretary said Mr. Patterson was too busy to see

paperwork, frowning. "Why are there so

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

it if the company faced losses. And a price hike from the supplier, even a small one,

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

slid the paperwork across his desk. "Since you haven't signed off yet, finance hasn't made the

hours. Can't Mr. Patterson have a break? Does

for hours. It is on you." I said my piece and wasn't interested in

of me, but I wouldn't let Lina and the others take the fall. That was a responsibility

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

Spot

was

act.

a sneer, he pushed the documents back to me. "This is your department's

but I'm the

communications with Ms. Osborne are all recorded. Maybe we should go

cheerful smile, then glanced at Kayla, who turned pale as a ghost. She probably only wanted to make my life difficult, not realizing the

regular go-to. We only partnered with them due to a sudden shortage. They had given us a bargain, and Patterson Group's failure to pay on time wasn't

"How much are they raising

It will likely increase our construction costs by

attention. He sat up, fixing his

about work matters,