Chapter 4

"Michelle was just trying to help you. Even if she misread the data, it came from a good place. Why do you have to be so aggressive?" Charles's brows knitted together tightly, his displeasure with her reaction palpable. A restrained fire burned in his eyes, and his tone left no room for argument.

"Apologize to Michelle." A dead silence fell over the entire office.

Everyone held their breath, unwilling to risk provoking Charles in this state. Victoria stood rooted to the spot, the fingers holding her phone growing stiff as she stared in disbelief at the man she had admired for so many years. In his eyes, her integrity was worth less than Michelle's feelings.

"I did nothing wrong. Why should I apologize?" She bit out, her voice a low, determined defense. "I've already flagged the issue with the data and provided the evidence. The mistake was not mine."

A subtle cramp twisted in her abdomen. She braced one hand on the edge of her desk, took a deep breath, and then looked at Michelle, who was half-hidden behind Charles.

"And Ms. Johnson made an unsubstantiated claim about my lack of professionalism, identifying the correct data as erroneous. She is the one who should apologize to me."

Charles's face darkened completely. He clearly hadn't expected the usually compliant Victoria to contradict him so directly. Just then, a delicate hand gently tugged at his sleeve.

"Charles, just let it go…" Michelle's eyes were rimmed with red, her voice catching on a sob. "It was my fault. I wasn't professional enough, I misread the data, and that's why she misunderstood." 

She sniffled, forcing a fragile smile. "She's pregnant right now, so it's normal for her to be emotional. The doctors all say expectant mothers can be irritable. Don't push her."

The statement managed to both brand Victoria as irrational and showcase Michelle's own magnanimity. 

Charles's gaze dropped to Victoria's swollen belly, noting the hand she kept pressed firmly against the desk. The anger in his eyes slowly subsided, and he delivered his final verdict with cold indifference.

"If you're not feeling well, you can take leave. But since you're here, your attitude must be professional. I won't hold this against you this time. Behave yourself."

With that, he turned and led Michelle away. The crowd gradually dispersed, leaving Victoria to endure a barrage of meaningful glances.

"Mr. Smith is terrifying when he's angry, but the way he protected Michelle… that was really charming."

"Right? And I don't know what this Victoria is even fighting for. Michelle was trying to speak up for her, and she just threw it back in her face."

Victoria clenched her fists, swallowing the bitter acid rising in her throat. She pretended not to hear the whispers as she returned to her workstation. It didn't matter. She was leaving anyway. All she had to do was survive the last few hours.

However, it seemed someone was determined not to let her leave in peace.

With a loud slap, a thick stack of files was dropped heavily onto her half-cleared desk. Chris stood over her, a smile that didn't reach her eyes plastered on her face. "Victoria, these are some old case files from the past few months. They're a bit of a mess, and Finn needs them by tomorrow. Since you're almost done with your handover, you can help sort them out."

Victoria didn't even glance at the pile. "That's not my job. And I've already resigned."

Chris's smile faltered for a second before returning. "Don't be so petty, Victoria. We were colleagues, after all. You're just sitting around with nothing to do, so what's the harm in helping out?" She deliberately raised her voice, drawing the attention of their coworkers once more.

Victoria had no desire to play these childish games. She lifted her head and looked at Chris, her gaze steady and quiet. Meeting that look, Chris felt an inexplicable chill creep up her spine.

"Chris, you were the one who entered those last few invoices into the system, weren't you? The red marks I made on the original copies disappeared, and the erroneous data in the system matches the version you ultimately submitted."

Chris's face went pale. "What are you talking about!"

"Whether I'm making it up can be easily verified by checking the data modification logs," Victoria said, rising to her feet. Though her belly was heavy, her spine was ramrod straight. 

"Deliberately altering data and framing a colleague, if it leads to serious consequences, is no longer a simple work mistake. It becomes a matter of aviation safety and liability. Tell me, if I go to Security and the Audit department right now and request a full investigation of the data chain, how do you think they'll handle it?"

Chris's face turned a ghastly white, her lips trembling, unable to form a word.

Victoria's gaze swept over the stack, "As for these files, whoever's project it is, is responsible for it. Who you want to impress is your business. Don't use me as your stepping stone."

Without another word, she ignored Chris's ugly expression, gathered her handover documents, and walked out. Behind her, she could hear Chris's furious, muttered curses. "Who does she think she is! Puffed up like a ball of dough, does she really think she can marry up? As if Mr. Smith would ever look at her! Only someone like Ms. Johnson deserves him! What does that make you…"

Victoria's pace never faltered as she headed directly for Finn's office. The hallway window reflected her current appearance: a loose, old uniform that made her look bloated, a tired, sallow face devoid of makeup. It was true. Compared to the glamorous, radiant Michelle, there was no comparison at all.

Finally, after completing the handover and enduring the rest of the day, she hurried toward the elevator. As it descended, the feeling of weightlessness made the discomfort in her abdomen more pronounced. 

Victoria leaned against the cool metal wall, gently rubbing her lower belly. The baby seemed unusually restless today.

Stepping out of the building, she was met with the cool evening breeze. 

Victoria pulled her jacket tighter and walked toward the bus stop. It was the peak of rush hour, and the stop was crowded with people. 

She shielded her stomach, carefully positioning herself at the edge of the throng. The dull ache in her lower abdomen grew sharper, wave after wave, and she bent slightly, a fine sheen of cold sweat breaking out on her forehead.

Just then, the low growl of a powerful engine grew closer. The familiar black sports car emerged from the company's underground garage. 

The passenger window was halfway down, revealing Michelle's sweet, smiling face as she leaned toward Charles, her expression bright with laughter. 

They were talking in low tones, and Charles wore a gentle expression that Victoria had never been the recipient of. With her, he was always cold, his face an impassive mask.

The car slowed for a moment as it passed the bus stop. Charles's gaze swept over the platform, and among the crowd, it unerringly found the swollen figure in the oversized ground crew uniform. 

Her face was even paler than it had been in the office. She was leaning against the railing, one hand pressed to her abdomen, looking unwell. His fingertips tapped lightly on the steering wheel, a flicker of hesitation in his eyes.

At that moment, Michelle's cheerful voice cut through the air. "Charles, look behind us! It's my brother's car!"

Charles glanced at the rearview mirror and saw a sleek, silver sports car with aggressive lines approaching from behind, pulling up parallel to his. The window rolled down to reveal Michelle's brother, who offered a small, smiling nod in their direction.

Someone on the platform recognized him, letting out a hushed gasp. "Isn't that the heir to the Johnson family? I heard he just came back to take over the family business!"

"Look, Mr. Johnson's car is following Mr. Smith's. He's obviously protecting Ms. Johnson!"

"Michelle is literally living the dream. The heads of two top families are both doting on her…"

Victoria watched the two cars drive away, her gaze following them until they disappeared into the river of traffic. Only then did she retract her dimming eyes. 

A sharp pain suddenly lanced through her abdomen, and she instinctively gripped the railing, her knuckles turning white from the force. 

Around her was the noisy, jostling crowd; in the distance, the glittering neon lights of the city. The contrast was a stark, like an insurmountable gap surrounding.