AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Um—”
My throat squeezes so tight I have to force each word out as I continue. Emotion is evident in every shaky syllable.
“I-I would argue that the Tiffany windows seen here are the single most important detail in the east wing of the house.”
“They cannot hear you, Emelia,” Lewis chides.
I fight to keep my composure as a tear slips down my right cheek. I turn so it’s hidden, but that only makes it harder for everyone to hear me.
“The windows—”
Lewis steps up and drops his hand onto my shoulder, tugging me back so he can finish my portion of the presentation for me. His booming voice vibrates through me as I slip back behind everyone else, taking cover as I swipe away the tears now freely spilling down my cheeks.
I only make it harder by berating myself for not keeping it together in front of everyone at work.
When the meeting ends, I sway forward in relief, immediately turning toward the door to flee, but then I hear Professor Barclay’s voice over all the other chat.
“Lewis, you’ll stay for a moment. Emelia as well.”
My heart pounds almost painfully in my chest as I wait for the conference room to clear out. Meera rubs my arm reassuringly and hangs back as long as she can, but eventually she has to leave too.
When it’s just the three of us left, I peer over toward Lewis. His smug expression tells me exactly what he thinks is about to happen.
Professor Barclay rounds the table with ominous footfalls as he comes to stand in front of me, turning toward Lewis, acting as an impenetrable wall between me and my immediate boss.
With his back to me, he addresses Lewis. “I could barely sit through that presentation. What you just did…” He shakes his head as if trying to calm himself down. “I want to make it clear that I will not allow any employee at this company to be treated the way you just treated Ms. Mercier. Am I understood?”
His tone leaves absolutely no room for argument. Lewis’ eyes widen in shock. Clearly, he wasn’t expecting Professor Barclay’s anger to be aimed at him.
“Now, pertaining to the booklets yourteam failed to supply…” He turns back to me and asks, “Emelia, did your immediate supervisor submit those for printing?”
I hesitate at first, not wanting to get on Lewis’ bad side, but Professor Barclay says my name again, more insistently this time, and I shake my head.
“And did your supervisor—it’s Doug, right? Did Doug or Lewis check in with you last night to confirm the booklets were sent to the printer by the correct time?”
I shake my head again.
“And this morning, did Doug or Lewis check with the printer before you arrived to pick up the booklets?”
“No.”
“It was just a print job,” Lewis says with an exasperated huff. “It wasn’t that big of a deal.”
Professor Barclay whips back to face him. “Exactly, and yet you made Emelia feel like shit for it in front of the entire company.”
His voice sounds so vicious I’m surprised Lewis doesn’t cower in fear. His cheeks do redden, though, and I look away, trying to give him some modicum of respect even though he didn’t afford me the same courtesy this morning.
“It was a simple mistake made by a new hire. I expect better from you.”
Lewis exhales heavily. “Understood.” He looks over at me, and his expression has gentled. “Emelia, I apologize. The stress got to me.”
“I…it’s fine.”
And it is. I just want this whole thing to go away. I want to pretend it never happened.
Lewis gives a deferential nod to Professor Barclay then skirts around him to get to the door. The conference room is empty now, and it takes me a moment to come to terms with that fact.
Neither one of us speaks.
