جميع فصول : الفصل -الفصل 50

‘Mind if I take your place?’Kai gently nudged me out of my chair.‘You don’t know how to play the game,’ I said, before I realised he was trying to help me out of a tight spot.‘I’ve been watching for a while. I think I’ve got the hang of it.’ He smiled as he took my place. ‘Hi, Mr Gottesman, I’m new at this. Hope you can give me some pointers.’Standing behind him, I gave my colleague a grateful smile he couldn’t see, turned, and walked out of the suffocating room.I felt Grossman’s eyes on my back the entire way, and heard him ask Kai, ‘What’s her number?’I got out of the room and headed down the stairs to the aft deck, but the cooling sea breeze did nothing to calm the heat and fury raging inside me.The stuffy air in the room had given me a slight headache, and I realised the heat rising in my cheeks wasn’t only from anger.I kept walking blindly, not caring where I was headed as long as I kept moving.Stupid Grossman, stupid billionaires, stupid card games… I cursed everyone and

Before I could yank my hand back in appalled reflex, the car swerved around another bend, which sent Jaclyn crashing harder into me.I was completely flattened. My face ended up buried in the smooth, expensive cotton of Lochlan’s trousers. My hand, which I was still desperately trying to detach from its shocking position, was now trapped.I was wedged between two human bodies: a drunk woman who might vomit at any second, and my boss, who could fire me in a heartbeat.As if that was not bad enough, I could definitely feel the hard, illicit pressure of Lochlan’s arousal, unmistakably prominent beneath my fingers.No! a hysterical corner of my mind shrieked. I did NOT just face-plant into my boss’s crotch.My cheeks burned so hot I was surprised they did not scorch straight through his trousers. An embarrassed, hysterical giggle tried to escape me, but it was smothered by a wave of pure, molten heat.Lochlan’s entire body was rigid beneath my weight, his breath held tight. He didn’t move

I got my job at Mayfair Global because of Cary.This was the first real job I had earned on my own merit, with just my CV and experience, not because of my connections.Was I going to lose it barely a week after I’d started?The soft wool of the carpet blurred as tears pooled in my eyes.‘Is there anything else?’ Lochlan asked when I remained rooted to the spot for a long time.I hastily blinked back the tears. ‘No, I just wanted to thank you for the invaluable experience. It has been such a privilege and pleasure to work for you. I don’t think I can find another boss as tolerant as—’‘Wait.’ Lochlan stepped closer. His voice held evident surprise when he saw the tears in my eyes. ‘Are you crying? Because, what, you think you’re getting fired?’‘Am I not?’ I looked up, desperate for any shred of hope.‘Why would you think that?’‘Because… well, because of…’‘Because of the incident in the car?’ Lochlan gave a chuckle that was half amused, half exasperated. ‘You think I’d fire you over

‘But who and how, I can’t be certain just from this.’ I nodded at the spreadsheet.Kai scrolled down. ‘It’s been going on at least ten years. With salaries, CPF, bonuses, overtime… Two people, ten years—that’s nearly two million dollars.’‘About one point two million pounds,’ I said. ‘Lovely. Someone’s been milking the company like a prize dairy cow.’‘Whoever’s behind this has help from higher up,’ Kai said. ‘No way this slipped through unnoticed for a decade.’‘We’ll have to report it. But not before I know exactly whose neck I’m handing to the guillotine.’Kai nodded. ‘Boss has that government summit tomorrow. You can talk to him after.’‘Fine. I’ll check the factory first. See if I can shake something loose.’He frowned. ‘You sure about going yourself?’‘I’m sure.’ If I could survive a three-year contract marriage with Cary, I could handle a factory audit.Kai raised his glass. ‘Here’s to shaking the tree, then. Cheers.’I clinked his glass. ‘And may the rotten fruit fall fast.’I

After breakfast, I changed into a business-casual suit and flat shoes.I briefly considered heels, then remembered I was heading to an industrial island, not a boardroom fashion parade. Besides, nothing screams ‘clueless foreign auditor’ quite like someone trying to balance on four-inch stilettos near heavy machinery.On the taxi ride to Jurong Island, I got a text from Kai: [Boss is up. No hangover. Coconut water you suggested worked like a charm. Omw to the summit now. Gl with the investigation!]I replied with a thumbs up.Good thing I’d left early. The security process made airport immigration look like a drive-through. The taxi stopped at a checkpoint, and I was held hostage by a very polite guard with the persistence of a customs officer and the charm of a wet sock. Eventually, I had to call the plant director to vouch for me before they decided I wasn’t a security threat disguised as a woman in flats.‘Miss Galloway, welcome!’ Shawn Tan beamed at me with both hands outstretched.