Done Being His Secret のすべてのチャプター: チャプター 1 - チャプター 9

I rose calmly from my chair. "Ms. Vandenberg, the figures are based on our most recent quarterly review. Mr. Bouchard gave this proposal preliminary approval last week."Sophie smiled with open contempt. "Mr. Bouchard has his standards, and I have mine. Mine happen to be higher. Perhaps this would pass at some tiny firm. It doesn't pass with me."She idly flipped through the pages."Laurel, there's a reason you're still just a team lead. Your thinking is rigid, your perspective is narrow, and you can't keep pace with the business." She paused, her smile sharpening. "Or have you been too busy with other things to focus on work?"Around the table, everyone seemed afraid to breathe.I glanced at Derek. He was staring at Sophie without once looking my way, much less defending me. Something inside me grew colder.I met her eyes. "Everyone in this department knows how hard I work. And the countless proposals Mr. Bouchard rejected over the years? Somehow, they all ended up on your resum

I answered like someone grabbing a lifeline, but before I could speak, Derek's hurried voice filled my ear."Laurel, Sophie twisted her ankle on the way down. She can barely stand. We're heading straight back to the lodge. Get down the mountain as quickly as you can, and be careful."He hung up.I sat there staring at my phone, so stunned I almost stopped feeling the pain in my knee.Gritting my teeth, I struggled to my feet. I limped down the mountain, stopping every few steps. I couldn't have said how long it took to reach the lodge.When I opened the door, warmth and laughter washed over me.My colleagues were gathered around the couches. Sophie had stretched her injured leg across Derek's lap, and he was gently massaging her ankle with his head bowed.A colleague in the middle of a party game was bent over with one hand on his nose, spinning in circles. The instant he stopped, he happened to point straight at me.Every eye turned my way.Silence. Then the room erupted in l

By then, I'd already landed.The airplane doors opened, and a mild, unfamiliar sea breeze greeted me.I wheeled my suitcase through arrivals and spotted a sign with my name on it. It was held by one of my future colleagues, with three other staff members alongside.As soon as they recognized me, they hurried over and took my luggage."Ms. MacRae, you must be exhausted after that flight!""Welcome to our international office! We've been counting the days until you got here.""It's such a pleasure to finally meet you."Their genuine warmth and respect caught me off guard.For eight years, I'd grown accustomed to being ignored, belittled, and treated like a machine built to do other people's work. Such uncomplicated kindness made my eyes sting.I smiled. "Thank you. All of you."They drove me to an apartment they'd already rented for me.It wasn't large, just a bedroom and living area, but sunlight flowed through the rooms. From the window I could see a stretch of brilliant blu

Derek was waiting by the entrance, leaning against the wall.His eyes were bloodshot, his shoulders slumped. He looked as though he hadn't slept a minute all night.The moment he saw me, a spark returned to his exhausted face.He smiled gently and held up an insulated breakfast bag."Laurie, heading to work? I brought you breakfast. It's the maple oatmeal you used to love. Eat it while it's hot."I frowned. "No, thanks. I've already eaten. Move."I started walking, but he followed. Grabbing my arm, he tried to press the bag into my hand."Take it anyway. You might get hungry later at the office. You used to get terrible stomachaches when you skipped meals."His insistence burned through the last of my patience.I looked up at him, feeling nothing but disgust, then shoved him away.Caught off guard, Derek stumbled. The bag slipped from his fingers and struck the ground.The container burst open. Hot oatmeal splashed across the sidewalk, his pants, and his shoes.Everything w