popped up over dividers. Everyone was tuning in to watch me get the scolding of a lifetime. My stomach was turning to acid.
“You mean bringing her the pictures I found on myFace?” I asked, struggling to keep my voice steady. She had just announced my bad review to the entire office. I set my jacket on my desk and the card from Aiden's dinner fluttered out from the pocket.
“Yes, the pictures from myFace,” she repeated, her voice dripping with derision as I picked up the card and set it on my desk. “That was my case, Lena. Mine . You were supposed to go through me and I'm going to make sure the partners know you went over my head. I walked in this morning expecting a report from you only to find out you went straight to Kathryn. I'm going to be bringing up your insubordination with her. I know you don't like how I work, but that is unacceptable behavior.”
I stared at her for a moment, unbelieving at how clueless she was. The acid in my stomach was changing to triumph. She had no idea how much trouble she was in. She just thought that I was out to get her as much as she was out to get me, and thought I would use her tactics. She had no idea what I had found or how poorly it reflected on her.
You are worth standing up for. Darcie was right. I was going places and I could stand up for myself. I was worth more than Alexa or Calvin realized. You won't be low level for long... Aiden's words echoed in my mind, mingling with Darcie's. If someone like him thought I was going places, then someone like Alexa had no right to challenge me.
“You mean the pictures from myFace?” I repeated, drawing courage from the card. I was worth something. “The ones you should have gotten in the first place? The ones that were part of the job you tried to pawn off on me and when I said no, you did a half-ass job on?”
Alexa's mouth opened to contradict me, but I kept going. Now that I had started, there was no way for me to stop. “Then, when I had to go back and do your job for you- and actually did it- I found the case saving photos? The ones that are going to keep it from going to trial and will save our client millions. Those myFace pictures?”
I paused for a moment to catch my breath. The crowd that was pretending not to watch us murmured. I knew I was playing with fire, but if felt good to be the one with the matches for once. “But you know, maybe you mean the ones that I tried to give to Calvin or you last night. Except neither one of you was in the office or answering your phones. But at least Kathryn was here, you know, working after hours on your case. Are those the ones we're talking about?”
Alexa's eyes darkened and her mouth condensed into a thin, ugly line. She looked over at the secretary that was now snickering in the hallway. The girl yelped and took off like she'd been burned by Alexa's gaze. The rest of the employees scattered like fallen marbles. Served her right for picking the time when the most people would be present to try and corner me.
“You think you're so smart,” she murmured. The darkness on her face twisted into a merciless, confident smile. “Enjoy this feeling, Ms. Masterson, because I'm going to destroy you. When I'm done with you, you're going to wish you had never even heard the word 'lawyer'.”
I put on my best polite smile. It was a struggle not to shout, “You only have two weeks to do it!” but I kept quiet. Instead, I just replied, “Have a great rest of your day, Ms. Jones.”
Alexa's smile dropped and she turned on her heel to stalk off back to her office. I didn't move until she was gone. I was shaking too much.
I let out a long breath when her office door slammed shut. I couldn't believe I had just done that. I had a feeling it was going to bite me in the ass eventually, but for now, it felt good. Besides, in two weeks, I would be out of her reach. She had no way of knowing that I was set to go to Texas with Smith. The decision had happened before she arrived here.
“You mean bringing her the pictures I found on myFace?” I asked, struggling to keep my voice steady. She had just announced my bad review to the entire office. I set my jacket on my desk and the card from Aiden's dinner fluttered out from the pocket.
“Yes, the pictures from myFace,” she repeated, her voice dripping with derision as I picked up the card and set it on my desk. “That was my case, Lena. Mine . You were supposed to go through me and I'm going to make sure the partners know you went over my head. I walked in this morning expecting a report from you only to find out you went straight to Kathryn. I'm going to be bringing up your insubordination with her. I know you don't like how I work, but that is unacceptable behavior.”
I stared at her for a moment, unbelieving at how clueless she was. The acid in my stomach was changing to triumph. She had no idea how much trouble she was in. She just thought that I was out to get her as much as she was out to get me, and thought I would use her tactics. She had no idea what I had found or how poorly it reflected on her.
You are worth standing up for. Darcie was right. I was going places and I could stand up for myself. I was worth more than Alexa or Calvin realized. You won't be low level for long... Aiden's words echoed in my mind, mingling with Darcie's. If someone like him thought I was going places, then someone like Alexa had no right to challenge me.
“You mean the pictures from myFace?” I repeated, drawing courage from the card. I was worth something. “The ones you should have gotten in the first place? The ones that were part of the job you tried to pawn off on me and when I said no, you did a half-ass job on?”
Alexa's mouth opened to contradict me, but I kept going. Now that I had started, there was no way for me to stop. “Then, when I had to go back and do your job for you- and actually did it- I found the case saving photos? The ones that are going to keep it from going to trial and will save our client millions. Those myFace pictures?”
I paused for a moment to catch my breath. The crowd that was pretending not to watch us murmured. I knew I was playing with fire, but if felt good to be the one with the matches for once. “But you know, maybe you mean the ones that I tried to give to Calvin or you last night. Except neither one of you was in the office or answering your phones. But at least Kathryn was here, you know, working after hours on your case. Are those the ones we're talking about?”
Alexa's eyes darkened and her mouth condensed into a thin, ugly line. She looked over at the secretary that was now snickering in the hallway. The girl yelped and took off like she'd been burned by Alexa's gaze. The rest of the employees scattered like fallen marbles. Served her right for picking the time when the most people would be present to try and corner me.
“You think you're so smart,” she murmured. The darkness on her face twisted into a merciless, confident smile. “Enjoy this feeling, Ms. Masterson, because I'm going to destroy you. When I'm done with you, you're going to wish you had never even heard the word 'lawyer'.”
I put on my best polite smile. It was a struggle not to shout, “You only have two weeks to do it!” but I kept quiet. Instead, I just replied, “Have a great rest of your day, Ms. Jones.”
Alexa's smile dropped and she turned on her heel to stalk off back to her office. I didn't move until she was gone. I was shaking too much.
I let out a long breath when her office door slammed shut. I couldn't believe I had just done that. I had a feeling it was going to bite me in the ass eventually, but for now, it felt good. Besides, in two weeks, I would be out of her reach. She had no way of knowing that I was set to go to Texas with Smith. The decision had happened before she arrived here.
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