Chapter 11

As soon as Trevor left the room, the atmosphere shifted, like everyone could finally breathe again.

Hailey was packing up her notepad when Iris’s soft laugh reached her ears.

“Well,” Iris said with a honeyed tone, “looks like someone’s about to have a very busy few weeks.”

Hailey looked up slowly, meeting her gaze. Iris’s smile was bright and polished, but it wasn't hard to notice the edge to it.

“Guess Mr. Trevor must have really been impressed by you,” Iris added, resting her chin lightly on her palm. “Or maybe he’s just punishing you for nearly taking out one of his employees.”

A few nearby colleagues chuckled under their breath.

Hailey’s jaw tightened, but she forced a small, calm smile. “Or maybe,” she said softly, “he just thinks I can handle what others can’t.”

That shut a few of them up. Iris blinked, she clearly wasn't expecting that. Before she could reply, another voice cut through the air.

“Let’s not flatter ourselves, Miss Wyn”

Mr. Hart. How could she have forgotten about him?

The general editor’s sharp tone made everyone straighten up. He was an older man with a permanent scowl and the kind of authority that thrived on making others feel small.

His gaze swept the room and landed squarely on Hailey.

“You’ve barely managed to keep up with the last few assignments, and now you’re handling cross-departmental coordination?” He clicked his tongue disapprovingly. “Let’s hope Mr. Trevor doesn’t regret his decision.”

Iris lowered her gaze, feigning sympathy. “Oh, don’t be too hard on her, sir,” she said sweetly. “Hailey’s always been… determined.”

Mr. Hart smirked faintly. “Determined,” he repeated the words like it was foreign. “Let’s see how long that will last.”

Hailey could feel every eye in the room now on her. Her fingers tightened around her notebook, but her voice came out steady.

“Don’t worry, sir,” she said, standing up. “I won’t give you or Mr. Trevor, any reason for regrets.”

Mr. Hart arched a brow, clearly unimpressed by her attitude, before turning away.

As he left the room, Iris offered Hailey another smile, the kind meant to look friendly but carried just a hint of triumph. Was she already trying to show her true nature?

Did something change?

Hailey met it head-on, her expression unreadable. “Careful, Iris,” she murmured as she brushed past her. “Mocking someone too early might not end as you expect”

And with that, she walked out, leaving Iris blinking after her.

The office had settled into its usual routine, with phones ringing, keyboards clacking, and faint chatter about deadlines.

Hailey sat at her desk, her eyes fixed on her screen, but her mind was miles away, replaying every word from the meeting.

Her fingers hovered on the keyboard, but she hadn’t typed a single word when the familiar scent of Iris perfume wrapped around her.

“Hey, Hails.”

Hailey took a slow breath before raising her eyes to meet Iris’s bright, innocent smile.

“I just wanted to check on you,” Iris said, leaning casually against Hailey’s desk. “I hope I didn’t sound… harsh back there. You know how I joke around sometimes.”

Hailey’s lips curved into a faint smile, but it was the kind of smile that didn’t reach her eyes. “You mean when you made fun of me right before Mr. Hart decided to chime in?”

Iris laughed lightly, twirling a strand of her hair. “Oh come on, don’t make it sound like that. You know how Mr. Hart is; he always finds someone to pick on. You shouldn’t take it personally.”

Hailey tilted her head slightly, studying Iris. “No, I shouldn’t.” She paused, then added quietly, “But you seemed to enjoy watching it happen.”

That made Iris freeze for a second.

“I…what?” Iris asked with a small nervous laugh. “Of course not! You know I would never want to see you embarrassed.”

Hailey’s smile softened. “Relax. I didn’t say you did.” She turned back to her screen, typing slowly; with a calm voice, she added, “You don’t have to pretend around me, Iris. We’ve known each other long enough.”

For a brief moment, neither of them said a word. The faint hum of the air conditioner filled the silence between them.

Then Iris chuckled softly, masking her discomfort with a grin. “You really are acting strange lately, Hails,” she said, tapping lightly on the edge of the desk. “But… I kind of like it. You finally have some fire in you.”

Hailey looked up again, eyes glinting. “Good,” she said evenly. “Because I plan to keep it.”

Iris smiled again, but this time, there was something hesitant behind it—something wary. “Well,” she said, straightening up, “don’t burn yourself out too soon.”

Hailey leaned back in her chair, her gaze steady on iris. “Don’t worry about that,” she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper. “I’ve learned who gets burned out first.”

Iris blinked, uncertain, then forced another polite smile before walking away.

As soon as she was gone, Hailey exhaled slowly, her expression turning cold. She had played nice long enough.

~~~

Hailey stepped out of the broadcasting station just as the sun dipped low behind the city skyline, painting the glass building in a warm golden hue.

The air was heavy with the hum of engines and chatter, that strange evening calm after a long, draining day.

She exhaled, clutching her bag closely. Today had been something else with Trevor’s impossible assignment, Iris’s sugarcoated venom masked as friendship, and Mr. Hart ’s constant nitpicking.

She was too tired to deal with anything more.

But then her eyes landed on Dan. Leaning casually against his car parked right in front of the entrance. Hands in his pockets, charming grin in place, his sleeves rolled up just enough to make her heart skip before her brain could warn her otherwise.

“Hailey!” he called out, waving slightly. “Perfect timing. I was just about to come in to get you.”

She blinked, completely caught off guard. “Dan? What are you doing here?”

“Picking you up, obviously.” His smile deepened as he pushed off the car. “I told you yesterday, you owe me one.”

Her mouth dropped open, partly flattered and panicked. Before she could respond, she heard footsteps behind her.

She turned slightly, and Carter was just stepping out of the main doors of the broadcasting station, his jacket slung over his arm, phone in hand. His expression changed the moment his gaze landed on her and Dan standing together.

The faint smile that had been on his face froze.

Dan noticed too, his grin faltering for a second before returning more mischievous this time. “Oh. Didn’t realize we had an audience.”

Hailey swallowed, suddenly feeling caught between two fires. “Carter, I…”

Carter’s eyes flicked to her, then to Dan, his jaw tightening. “Didn’t know you had… company waiting for you.”

Dan chuckled under his breath, slipping his hands back in his pockets. “You know me, I don’t mind waiting when it’s for the right person.”

Hailey shot him a warning look, but the damage was already done. Carter’s expression turned cold.

“Right,” Carter said shortly. “Well, don’t let me keep you.” He adjusted his jacket. “I wouldn’t want to interrupt… whatever this is.”

“Carter…” Hailey began, but he was already walking past them, heading toward the parking lot.

She had forgotten how much the two never got along, even back then in college, one of the reasons Dan became distant towards her.

Dan tilted his head, watching him go. “He still got that attitude, huh?”

Hailey turned to him sharply. “Dan, not now.”

“Relax,” he said lightly, though his smile had a knowing edge. “Just making an observation.”

Hailey sighed, rubbing her temple. “Let’s just go, please.”

He nodded, opening the car door for her with a soft, “After you.”

But as she slid into the passenger seat, her eyes followed Carter's movement; she couldn't afford to get on Carter's bad side now, not when she already had plans up in her head.