Chapter 44
“That’s great! With Director Hart and Mr. Logan’s help, you’ll definitely be fine!” Tilly sighed in relief when she heard Logan’s words, as Myra finally returned to her senses.
As Myra regained her composure, her gaze shifted past Tilly’s shoulder, where she saw Sasha and Lily standing behind her. Myra had never had a positive opinion of Sasha, but now, she truly understood just how vile the woman was.
Sasha, on the other hand, felt a flicker of guilt when their eyes met. However, it was short-lived. With her chin held high, she walked over with a haughty air. “Myra, I can’t believe you don’t even have the courage to admit your mistake. No wonder Sean always looks down on you!”
A smile, cold and full of rage, instantly appeared on Myra’s face. No one could talk nonsense quite like Sasha. “Then, who do you think would fall for you?” Myra’s anger was barely contained. She looked at Sasha with contempt. “You failed to seduce him, so now you’re trying to frame me. Sasha, is this project really that important to you? Is it so crucial that you’d throw away all your integrity?”
Sasha’s expression faltered slightly when Myra mentioned the word “seduce,” but she quickly recovered, her voice sharp. “Don’t you dare slander me! How dare you insult me when you and Mr. Logan are having an affair? I’ve shown you plenty of respect, but now you’re pushing your limits!”
“I think you’re the one going too far,” Myra retorted, taking a deep breath. “Do you know why Director Hart didn’t immediately believe your accusations when you claimed I plagiarized? It’s because, just like me, he knows exactly what kind of person you are.”
Sasha’s fists clenched tightly as Myra’s disdainful smile remained fixed on her face. Without another word, Myra turned and left, with Tilly following close behind.
As they walked away, Tilly couldn’t help but express her own triumph, letting out a cold grunt as she passed Sasha. The anger surging within Sasha was nearly uncontrollable, but she forced herself to calm down. Beside her, Lily had gone pale at the earlier exchange with Tony. Hearing Myra’s words, she grabbed Sasha’s hand, her voice shaky. “Miss Hay, don’t you think we should admit it? Maybe Director Hart will consider saving our dignity—”
“Are you out of your mind?!” Sasha snapped, slapping Lily’s hand away. But as she noticed the people around them staring, she lowered her voice to a whisper. “If we admit to it, it’s all over. Don’t worry, they won’t find any evidence to prove it. You just need to keep your back straight, always.”
Seeing Lily’s fear, Sasha’s eyes sharpened as she leaned closer, her tone dark. “Miss Torres, you know how powerful the Hay Family is, right? We might not be the wealthiest in Bradfort City, but we could easily get a designer fired… Just trust me.”
Lily lowered her head, her voice barely audible. “I know what to do, Miss Hay.”
Back at the Chase Group, the entire office, from the front desk to the Design Department, was eerily quiet. As Myra and Tilly passed through, curious ears perked up.
“Did you hear? When Miss Stark gave her presentation to the Hart Group, she actually used the Hay Group’s design plan. That’s blatant plagiarism!”
“How embarrassing. Doesn’t that discredit the Chase Group?”
“I even heard that Miss Stark’s design plan was full of caricatures of Director Hart. She failed to seduce Director Chase, so now she’s targeting a new victim. What an embarrassment.”
But Myra remained silent, walking with Tilly. Tilly, however, looked increasingly upset. “Miss Stark must’ve known something was wrong with the design plan, which is why she didn’t take it on stage with her. In the end, I foolishly opened it in front of everyone, making her look even worse.”
“It’s all Elsie’s fault. She’s the one who secretly altered the blueprint, causing Miss Stark’s humiliation. Miss Stark—”
“Tilly, you’re badmouthing me again!” Elsie’s voice interrupted Tilly before she could finish. The woman appeared out of nowhere, standing in front of them with a smug, malicious grin. “I heard that Myra was blatantly plagiarizing the Hay Group’s designs when she presented her report to the Hart Group. Myra, if you can’t secure the Sunny Bay Project, don’t blame me. It only shows how low you are.”
Seeing Elsie’s face, Myra felt her rage simmer beneath the surface. She had been too lenient with her in the past. “Tilly, follow me to the surveillance room. I need to check the footage from this afternoon.”
She had to resist the urge to slap Elsie right then and there.
As Myra turned to leave, she could hear Elsie’s mocking laugh. “Surveillance video? The surveillance room was under repair this afternoon. Didn’t you know? Or maybe… you already knew, and now you’re just using that as an excuse to avoid responsibility?”
“You—”
“What about me?” Elsie sneered, noticing Myra’s face turn pale. “Oh, and by the way, Miss Stark, Director Chase is waiting for you in his office. He asked me to bring you there.”
The Design Department, mostly comprised of women, had gathered around, watching the scene unfold.
Tilly wanted to follow, but Elsie blocked her path. “I’m sorry, Tilly. Director Chase didn’t ask you to come along.”
Frustrated, Tilly stomped her foot, but after seeing Myra’s grim expression, she could only watch as she left.
On the way to the director’s office, Myra’s mind raced. She was certain she had been set up. How could it be a coincidence that her design plan was swapped just as the surveillance room was under renovation? She remembered meeting Sasha and Lily in the lobby of the Hart Group earlier, both of them studying her design plan. Lily had been memorizing the data in a panic. They only had three hours to study it, and there was no way they could have reviewed everything in that time. That’s when Myra realized that Lily hadn’t been studying the design, but rather memorizing the data, knowing they didn’t have enough time to fully analyze it.
Her anger bubbled to the surface as she clenched her fists. When they arrived at the director’s office, she saw two figures leaving the room—Sasha and Lily.
Her eyes widened as her stomach dropped.
Sasha approached with Lily in tow, her tone smooth as she spoke. “Myra, don’t worry. I’ve already explained everything to Sean. The Hay Group won’t hold you responsible for this, and we won’t spread any rumors.”
Elsie’s giggle echoed in Myra’s ears, making her clench her teeth. “Thank you for your kindness, but don’t you think you’re getting ahead of yourself? Before everything is clear, you should stay in your place.”
Sasha remained calm, her voice low. “For Sean’s sake, I won’t blame you—no matter what happens from now on.”
With that, she turned and left with the silent Lily behind her.
Elsie’s gleam of triumph was unmistakable as she addressed Myra’s stern expression. “You can go in now. Director Chase and the others have been waiting for a while.”
After taking a few deep breaths, Myra opened the door to the director’s office.
The room was eerily silent, and the tension in the air was almost palpable. Myra walked straight toward Sean, who was sitting in his armchair, one hand pressed to his forehead, the other holding a draft paper. His eyes were narrowed, his lips tight with a barely contained frustration. He looked every bit the part of a man in a terrible mood.
“Director Chase…” Myra’s voice came out shakily, her fingers twitching at her sides.
Sean’s piercing gaze locked onto her the moment she spoke. His eyes were cold, his voice icy. “What is this?”