Chapter 79
“What test results?” Audrey asked.
“…I secretly pulled Luna’s hair yesterday and did a DNA paternity test using Valerie’s sample.” Carson’s voice trembled with excitement.
“Oh.” Audrey sounded much calmer.
Paternity tests usually require guardian approval. Carson had connections in this field, so getting the test done wasn’t an issue–even if the process was unofficial and the results couldn’t be used as legal proof, at least they’d uncover the truth.
Carson’s agitation made Audrey curious about the link between Luna and Valerie.
“So what’d it show?” Audrey asked.
“I never saw this coming…” Carson said.
“Dr. Wilson, the patient in Bed 3 is hemorrhaging!” someone called him.
“On my way!” Carson replied. “I’ll explain later.”
The call cut off. Audrey pocketed her phone and turned to see Tiffany exiting the manager’s office too.
The girl looked stricken, leaning against the wall with her eyes shut as tears spilled down her cheeks. Edana went to comfort her and led her to the
corridor for a talk.
Soon Mia stepped out of the office as well. She approached Audrey, with suspicion in her eyes. “You don’t act like someone from a small town, Audrey. What are you hiding?”
Mia thought she’d earned the company’s leniency–her past mistakes were outweighed by her contributions. When she quit, she’d made it clear she was open to returning. Her message today was obvious–she wanted her old job back.
Paul knew exactly what she wanted, yet he’d stayed silent. After the earlier mix–up, she’d stated her intentions plainly, but Paul had refused, saying rehiring her would be unfair to Audrey.
‘He rejected me, a former sales manager, for a brand–new secretary? Absurd.‘ Mia fumed inwardly.
Audrey’s gaze was icy. To her, Mia was insignificant. “Instead of obsessing over my secrets, maybe worry about whether Derek will rat you out,” she said.
Mia’s face drained of color, her hands tightening into fists. “You told Paul!”
Audrey merely smiled, neither confirming nor denying.
Panic flashed in Mia’s eyes. She started to speak, then remembered Paul’s warning. Shooting Audrey a vicious glare, she turned and stormed off, tossing back. “Audrey, this isn’t over!”
Edana came back from the corridor and gestured to Audrey. “Tiffany didn’t have bad intentions. She got played by Mia.”
Audrey nodded but didn’t respond.
“They say there’s a mystery guest at tonight’s party. The company’s short on funds, but try to make an impression.”
“Okay,” Audrey replied.
After Edana left, Audrey waited a bit until Tiffany came out. Her eyes were red, clearly from crying for ages.
Tiffany tensed when she saw Audrey and instinctively tried to slip away. But Audrey moved quicker, grabbing the now–cold coffee from the desk and splashing it on her.
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“Ah! The coffee stained Tiffany’s face. She stared at Audrey in shock, knowing this was payback for her plotting just now. Wiping her face, Tiffany said with an unyielding look, “Now we’re even.”
Audrey set the cup down, her gaze still calm. “You threw hot coffee. This was cold.”
What more do you want?” Tiffany shot back, jutting her chin up. “Want me to let you do it again?”
Audrey scoffed. “I just want you to wise up. Stop being a pawn for others.”
Tiffany froze.
Audrey sat at her desk and ignored her.
When Edana returned from the operations department, she found Tiffany standing awkwardly by Audrey’s desk, her clothes stained with coffee.
“Tsk.” Edana clicked her tongue, pulling Tiffany toward the restroom. “You knew she had connections. Why mess with her?” She helped fix Tiffany’s hair, dabbing the damp strands with a tissue.
Tiffany stayed quiet.
“Take your shirt off and wash it,” Edana said. “We’ll dry it. Audrey has to go to the party with Mr. Gibson later, and we’ve got loads of work. We’re in for a late night.”
Tiffany slowly unbuttoned her shirt. “Do I have to handle Audrey’s tasks too?”
“Who cares who it belongs to? There are only a few of us in the secretarial department. When you’re not here, I do it; when I’m not, you do it. Don’t nitpick.” Edana squirted hand soap onto the coffee stain.
“You used to go to all those cocktail parties with Mr. Gibson. It killed your free time, and you had to drink. Now that Audrey’s here, you’re off the hook, right?”
Tiffany let out a self–mocking laugh. She thought, ‘If I stop attending events with Mr. Gibson and miss out on chances to network with clients, I’ll get fired in no time as just a regular secretary!’
Plus, she got per–diem pay for attending events with Paul and bonuses for closing deals. It was grueling, but wasn’t that the whole point of working–to make a buck?
Edana watched her scrubbing the shirt and sighed, “God knows where Audrey came from. Mr. Gibson has broken so many rules for her.
“First he let her take your spot at the last event–that shocked me. Now he’s okayed 2,500 dollars for her hair and makeup for this event! How much did he give you before? 1,000 dollars?”
Tiffany kept her head down, scrubbing the fabric. “Wait, I heard reps from Darkshell International were at that last event?”
“They were.” Edana nodded. “Too bad Audrey’s clueless. She didn’t even manage a word with them. If you’d been there, you’d have definitely made an impact.”
Bang! The bathroom door slammed open.
Edana turned, her face flickering when she saw Audrey–though she quickly composed herself. “Audrey, go get your glam done early. Tiffany and I will
hold down the fort here.”
Audrey gave a smile. “Tiffany, Edana said your family had a sudden emergency last time, so I filled in for you at the event. Are they doing better now?”
Edana’s smile froze. “Oh right! The sales team sent over a file with errors. I left it on your desk. Can you take a look before you go?”
Audrey didn’t budge, still eyeing Tiffany.
Tiffany frowned, instantly sensing something was off. “My family had no emergency. Edana said you went to Mr. Gibson and asked to replace me.”
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Edana’s forced smile turned painful, more of a wince than a grin.
Audrey turned to leave but quickly came back, pushing open the bathroom door again.
Edana had just begun explaining things to Tiffany when Audrey reappeared, her posture stiffening with sudden alertness,
“Edana, you told me the styling budget was 1,500 dollars,” Audrey said. “But now you’re saying 2,500 dollars. What’s the actual amount the company approved for me?”
Tiffany’s eyes shifted to Edana, suspicion clear in her expression.
Edana flashed an awkward smile. “It’s 1,500 dollars. Must’ve mixed up the numbers.”
“Sure it was a mix–up? Let’s hope you don’t tell Mr. Gibson it was 2,500 dollars and claim I’m stuck–up or breaking rules,” Audrey said.
The moment Edana was caught in the lie, her face paled and then flushed. She clenched her soap–slicked fists, accidentally slamming her wrist into the sink with a thud. She winced at the sharp pain.
Audrey handed Tiffany a clean shirt. “I’ll handle my own work from home. That way, if anything goes sideways, I won’t get thrown under the bus.”
Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
