Chapter 3

Declan's POV

The next day, everyone was crowded around Jasper in the break room, gossiping.

"Jasper, that photo you just posted is definitely not your place. Don't tell me it's what I think it is!"

"You spent the night at Ms. Sheffield's!"

"And those pajamas look like a couple's set. Things are moving fast!"

"I told you Ms. Sheffield was into you! She personally walked you in on your first day, and even back then, it had that whole 'this one's mine and I'm looking out for him' energy."

"And remember a few days ago when your blood sugar dropped and you almost passed out? The company added afternoon snack breaks the very next day."

My hand froze on the door handle.

That day, I'd stayed through lunch helping Jasper fix data and hadn't had time to eat. That afternoon, I passed out right there in the break room. Lana saw me, but she stepped right past me to catch Jasper instead, and the panic in her eyes didn't look like an act.

When she noticed I was upset about it afterward, her explanation was simple. "You have me, but Jasper doesn't have anyone. If he gets hurt at my work, that's on me. I only look out for him because he's your friend. What, you're going to be jealous of your own buddy?"

I stopped listening to the noise coming from inside and turned to leave.

Tommy Novak from HR came barreling past me. "Okay everyone, I have two massive pieces of news! Ms. Sheffield might be getting married! I'm pretty sure I just heard her on the phone ordering wedding rings!"

The cheering around Jasper only got louder. "Look at you, Jasper! Big things are coming!"

Tommy cleared his throat. "And the second piece of news is that Ms. Sheffield just signed off on a promotion, and word is it's from your team!"

Everyone around Jasper lost their minds. "Who else could it be?"

"I'm calling it now, future Mr. Sheffield!"

Jasper smiled modestly. "It might not be me. Declan's been here longer."

I didn't stay to hear them keep guessing.

Phil Dayton in HR had received my resignation and called me into his office. "Declan, from your project work to your performance numbers, everything across the board is solid. Why are you suddenly leaving?"

I kept my head down. "Phil, that promotion Ms. Sheffield just approved, is it mine?"

He went quiet.

"I've been here three years. Everyone who started around the same time has moved up to team lead at least. I'm the only one still in the same spot."

Every year, HR submitted my name to Lana, and every time, she found some minor issue to use as an excuse to kill it.

Phil frowned. "Declan, did you do something to get on Ms. Sheffield's bad side? Maybe you should go talk to her and smooth things over."

My smile was bitter. I hadn't done anything to offend her. I'd just been stupid enough to get into a relationship with her that nobody was ever allowed to know about.

Phil didn't push it. "Entry-level resignations don't need leadership sign-off. If you've made up your mind, I'll process it."

After the conversation, Lana called a staff meeting. Her expression was stern.

"The report Team Two submitted two days ago had data errors that the client caught on the spot."

She looked up, scanning the room. "Declan, that was your team, correct? If you can't handle acting team lead, the position can go to someone else. You'll be docked one month's pay, and Jasper will take over as team lead."

A few coworkers could barely contain their excitement and quietly congratulated Jasper on the spot. But I just stared at the data sheet. That report was the one Jasper and I had worked on together during overtime a few days ago, and Lana knew full well that the project wasn't my responsibility.

My jaw tightened, and something inside me went cold. He made the mistake, I took the fall, and she stripped me of my position to hand him the promotion.

I let out a quiet, hollow laugh. The irony was almost funny.

Lana noticed the look on my face, and her brow furrowed. After the meeting, she called me into her office.

"The data errors were Jasper's fault, yes, but when a team member makes a mistake, it means the team lead failed to manage. Do you have a problem with the demotion and the pay cut?"

My expression didn't change. I kept it professional.

"No. You have your own judgment to make, Ms. Sheffield."

Lana's frown deepened, but she didn't say anything else. She just waved me out.

When I stepped out of her office, Jasper was waiting. He walked up to me carefully, holding out a cup of coffee. "Declan, want some coffee?"

I pushed his hand back. "No."