Chapter 10

Iris blinked as she watched her leave, her smile faltering once again. There was something in Hailey’s eyes, a quiet awareness that made her chest tighten with unease.

Hailey leaned against the wall just outside the conference room, her arms folded loosely as she watched people walk in one by one.

Mrs. Rose gave her a small nod with a smile before stepping in as well. The lady was too quiet; if anything, it was almost like she wasn't there.

The air hummed with quiet conversation and the faint rustle of papers.

Just then, Iris approached with a clipboard in her hand and that ever-pleasant smile on her face; Hailey straightened.

“Hey,” Iris said softly, “aren’t you coming in?” she asked.

Hailey’s lips curved into a faint smile that didn’t quite touch her eyes. “In a bit. I just… have some trash to take out.”

Iris blinked hard as she paused mid-step. “Trash?” she repeated, tilting her head in confusion. “What are you talking about?”

Hailey turned fully toward her now, that same eerie calm settling over her. “You can help me take out my trash, right?” she asked with a light tone.

Iris frowned, a nervous laugh slipping out. “Uh… sure, but what trash?”

Hailey’s gaze stayed on her, steady and unnerving. “You’re my best friend, Iris,” she said softly, almost tenderly. “You’ll help me, won’t you?”

Something in Hailey's voice sent a chill crawling down Iris’s spine. There was no hint of warmness or affection in those eyes that used to share so much warmth…it was strange, sharp, and out of place.

Before Iris could respond, Hailey gave her a small pat on the shoulder and turned toward the meeting room door, her voice barely above a whisper as she added, “Don’t worry. You’ll understand soon enough.”

Then she walked in, leaving Iris standing frozen in the hallway, a flicker of unease creeping into her chest.

~~~~

The conference room buzzed with quiet chatter as everyone settled into their seats. The long glass table gleamed under the soft lights, lined with name tags, notepads, and steaming cups of coffee.

The air carried a mixture of perfume, fresh ink, and tension, the kind that came with deadlines and tight schedules and scary CEOs.

Hailey slid into her usual seat, forcing herself to focus. She still felt Iris’s eyes on her from across the table, but she kept her gaze straight ahead. A murmur rippled through the room when the door opened again.

Just then, Trevor walked in.

He didn’t need an introduction, he was the kind of man who owned a room the moment he entered it.

Tall and sharp in his navy coloured suit, his presence seemed to silence everyone naturally. He carried no invisible note, just a calm authority that made even the senior editors sit up straighter.

“Good morning,” he began, his voice deep and steady. “I’ll keep this brief. We have a few campaigns coming up that require tighter coordination between marketing and reporting.”

Hailey tried not to stare, but his voice—she remembered it from her future timeline. It had carried power even then, but this felt different.

Their eyes met once. Just a flicker. But the contact sent a strange jolt through her, like the air had thinned.

Trevor looked away almost instantly, continuing as if nothing had happened. “We’re launching a new awareness segment next quarter,” he said. “I’ll need someone from the marketing side to handle both data coordination and on-site reporting approval. It’s tedious work, but crucial.”

Heads turned, and low whispers started forming. That task was known to be brutal since it required balancing numbers, pitching reports, and coordinating with every sub-department in the chain.

Trevor’s gaze swept across the table, then landed on Hailey.

“Hailey Wyn,” he said simply.

The room dropped dead in silence.

Her heart skipped. “Sir?”

“You’ll take the lead,” Trevor said, his tone neutral. “You’re familiar with both the creative and administrative sides. You’ll report directly to me once a week.”

A ripple of surprise passed through the room. Iris glanced at her, eyes wide, while Carter leaned back in his seat, his brows furrowing.

Hailey forced a polite smile, but inside, her stomach formed a tight knot. “Of course, sir,” she said smoothly. “I’ll do my best.”

Trevor gave a curt nod. “Good.” His gaze lingered for half a second longer before he turned away. “Let’s move on.”

As the meeting continued, Hailey could barely hear the next agenda. Her thoughts kept spinning: why her? Was this punishment for earlier? Did he still hold a grudge because of the accident?

Or was this the universe’s way of giving her another thread to pull, another path she hadn’t walked in before?

When Trevor finally ended the meeting and dismissed them, Hailey’s pen was still poised above her notebook, the ink pooling at the tip.

She blinked, realizing her heart had been racing the whole time.

And when she looked up, she caught him looking at her again, just for a moment before he walked out of the conference room.