Lia's POV“Oh no,” I said quietly. “Are they talking about layoffs?”“They haven’t said it outright yet,” Joella said, her voice getting higher the more she spoke. “But you know how these things go. They buy a company, say they’re ‘streamlining operations,’ and the next thing you know, half the department is gone. I’ve been here four years, Lia. I thought I was safe. I thought—”“Hey, hey,” I said gently, cutting her off before she could spiral. “Breathe. You’re one of the hardest workers I know. You stay late, you take on extra work, and everyone likes you. They’re not just going to let you go.”“You don’t know that,” she said, and I could hear the panic creeping into her voice. “These big companies don’t care about loyalty. They care about numbers. What if I’m one of the numbers?”I hated hearing her like this. Joella was usually the strong one between us — loud, confident, and quick to fight. Hearing her sound so scared made my chest hurt.“Jo,” I said softly. “Even if things get m
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