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“Ugh, now?” I asked, staring at the pile of paperwork I needed to get done before the end of the month.
Rosie stepped into my office and closed the door behind her. “Yes, she said it was urgent, and you know how evil she can be if she doesn’t get her way.”
“Right, yeah, I know that all too well,” I muttered.
“Are you okay?” Rosie asked me. “You haven’t seemed yourself lately.”
“I’m fine, it’s just, well, I’m trying to find a new job, trying to hold down the fort here, and you know how badly I want to get out of here. The stress is making me seriously ill; I haven’t been able to keep anything down in days, but here I am, working my ass off for Hilda.”
“I’m sorry,” Rosie said. “I wish there was more I could do.”
“I’m fine, I’ll be fine,” I said. “Well, I better go answer to the evil queen, see what else she’s going to throw on my plate.”
I rolled my eyes as I got up from my seat and headed for the door. My stomach twisted and turned, and I blamed my nerves even though I was rarely nervous anymore when dealing with Hilda. She annoyed me, I hated her guts, but she didn't make me nervous. Then again, with everything going on with Hunter, I was a little higher strung than usual.
As I slipped from my office, I surveyed the area, looking for Hunter so I could avoid him if at all possible. No sign of him, which was a relief. I hurried toward Hilda’s office and knocked on the door.
“Come in,” she said.
I stepped inside and my heart dropped. The reason I hadn’t seen Hunter on my way over to her office was because he wasinher office, waiting for me. It felt like a trap. He smirked at me as he relaxed back into his seat, fingers steepled in front of him.
“Sit down, Bianca,” he said.
I didn’t like being told what to do by the likes of him.
“I’ll stand, thanks,” I said.
Hunter shrugged and turned to Hilda. “You should be the one to break the news to her.”
“What news?” I asked.
Hilda sat beside him, her white-blonde hair pulled back in the tightest bun possible. It seemed she thought if her hair was pulled back tight enough, it might act as a face lift. Not that she needed one—yet—but she did seem to desperately fight against any sign of aging, any way that she could.
She pursed her lips and let out a dramatic sigh. “I’m sorry it’s come to this, Bianca, but as you know, the company is not doing well. We talked in our last meeting about how we needed to eliminate more positions, and you talked me out of it.”
“Yes, I remember. I still don’t think we can afford to lose any more staff.”
“Well, the board has told me we have no other choice.”
My gaze narrowed and I crossed my arms in front of my chest. “Wait, the board?”
“You didn’t attend our last meeting. It was while you were frolicking about doing god-knows-what,” she said with a flippant wave of her hand.
“I was never notified of any meetings,” I said, trying to keep my voice calm. I wasn’t even sure if I believed her.
“Anyway, Hunter and I have decided that your entire department needs to be eliminated, in order for us to even have a chance at staying afloat.”
My heart sank. “My entire department? You’re eliminating the entire department? You need us, Hilda—”
“We need to cut costs, Bianca, and it really speaks to your immaturity that you don’t understand that.”
My gaze fell on Hunter who looked smug as ever.
“Does this have anything to do with the case against Hunter, by chance, and my part in it?” I spoke through clenched teeth.
“No, absolutely not, that would be illegal,” Hilda said, her voice firm and serious as she stared at me.
Bullshit. If I had picked up anything from Gage, it was knowing when I was being bullshitted. But unlike him, I knew when to keep my cool.
