Chapter 3

Chloe casually tossed the torn shreds into the trash can by her feet, dusting off her hands with theatrical boredom.

"What reimbursements? I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Those designer handbags, vintage wines, and Thanksgiving condoms... weren't those gifts from you to show respect to Mr. Crawford and me?"

"Who ever heard of an employee asking the company to reimburse brown-nosing gifts?"

I shook with so much rage I could barely breathe, glaring straight into her eyes.

"Chloe Vance, do not push me too far."

"That is my grandmother's life-saving money. You are literally killing her!"

Chloe stood up and shoved me hard.

"Stop trying to guilt-trip me with your dying old hag."

"There is no money. Cause another scene in here, and I'll have building security drag you out into the street!"

She shoved me violently out of the finance office and slammed the door shut in my face.

The force sent me stumbling backward, my shoulder crashing into the hallway wall.

Tears pricked the corners of my eyes, but I clamped my jaw shut, refusing to let a single tear fall.

I frantically pulled out my phone and scrolled through my contacts.

I called every friend, acquaintance, and distant relative I could think of.

By 5:00 PM, after swallowing every shred of my pride, a distant cousin finally agreed to wire me the last thousand dollars.

With the three thousand dollars scraped together, I immediately wired the funds to the hospital's billing department.

Only when the doctor confirmed that the surgery would proceed on schedule did my frayed nerves finally loosen slightly.

I checked the time. It was almost the end of the workday.

I needed to ask for time off to be at the hospital with my grandma.

She was going under the knife tonight; she had to be terrified being all alone in that ward.

I walked straight into Julian Crawford's office.

"Mr. Crawford, my grandmother has surgery tonight. I need to take tonight off to be by her side at the hospital."

Julian didn't even look up from the document he was reviewing.

"Denied. The entire project team is working mandatory overtime tonight to push through a new proposal."

"As a core member, how can you just walk away?"

Panic flared in my chest.

"I already completed the entire core proposal! Lisa and the others can easily handle the minor formatting and wrap-up."

"My grandmother really needs me right now!"

Just then, Chloe pushed the door open and walked in.

She glanced at me, her lips curling into a sneer.

"Nicole Davis, drop the devoted granddaughter act."

"The company is at a critical juncture. Asking for leave right now proves you have zero team spirit."

She paused, a flash of malicious amusement glittering in her eyes.

"Besides, Mr. Crawford and I might need you to run a few personal errands for us tonight."

"If you leave, who's going to buy our condoms?"

My hands clenched into tight fists. I stared at them, stunned.

"Can't you two buy your own damn protection for once?!"

Chloe took two steps toward me, her tone dripping with deliberate provocation.

"No."

"I want you to buy them in person, and I want you to hand-deliver them to our door."

"Aren't you supposed to be so proud and pure? I just love watching you swallow your pride, looking humiliated while being forced to obey."

In that split second, everything became crystal clear.

They didn't need me for the project. They didn't even need a courier.

They just wanted to torture me. They wanted to grind my dignity into the dirt and stomp on it until there was nothing left.

I looked at their smug faces, the fury in my chest turning into ice-cold resolve.

I turned around, walked out of his office, and immediately began packing my purse at my desk.

If they wouldn't approve my time off, I was clocking out at 6:00 PM sharp and walking out that door.

No one was going to stop me from being there for my grandmother.

5:59 PM.

I slung my bag over my shoulder, my eyes locked onto the digital clock in the corner of my screen.

The moment it flipped to 6:00, I stood up without hesitation and marched toward the glass exit doors.

Just as my hand touched the handle, someone grabbed my forearm with a bruising grip.

I whipped around. It was Kevin.

He yanked me back, a malicious, triumphant grin plastered across his face.

"Nicole, Mr. Crawford ordered mandatory overtime for everyone tonight. Are you really trying to ditch work?"

I ripped my arm out of his grasp, my eyes slicing into him like daggers.

"Let go of me! My shift is over, and I have every legal right to leave."

Lisa and three other colleagues quickly moved in, forming a human wall between me and the exit.

"Not so fast. If you leave, who's finishing the proposal?"

Looking at these hideous, groveling faces, I let out a humorless laugh.

"My part has been done for hours!"

"Get the hell out of my way!"

I shoved Lisa aside with all my strength, trying to force my way through.