Chapter 86
Chapter 86:
Eliza shot to her feet. “Bella? No — you were on site visits last week p>
Bella fired her a sharp look, eyes narrowing. Shut up.
“I checked the final design package on Thursday,” Bella said, shrugging. “I missed the historical compliance code. My bad p>
Wayne turned his full fury on her. He looked genuinely confused — Bella was their best Graphic Lead. “You? You’re usually competent p>
“I’m human. Fix it or fire me,” Bella said, crossing her arms. She was betting on her own value. She knew she was harder to replace than Dave.
Wayne fumed. He dragged a hand through his thinning hair. “Fix it. By tonight. And you’re off the bonus list for the quarter p>
He stormed off, kicking a trash can on his way into his office.
The room exhaled.
Dave collapsed into his chair and put his head in his hands, sobbing quietly. “Bella — why p>
A𝖽di𝘤𝗍𝗂𝘷e 𝘀𝘵𝘰r𝗂𝘦𝘴 оn
Bella walked over and pulled a tissue from his own desk. “You have kids, Dave. I have a cat. I can afford a pay cut. Stop crying — it’s gross p>
Eliza crossed the room, her heart swelling with admiration and dread in equal measure. “That was insane. And incredibly brave p>
“It was stupid,” Bella admitted, popping a bubble. “But I hate watching grown men cry. It ruins my vibe p>
Eliza looked down at the sample board on the floor. The Hyde Estate.
“This is Anson’s project,” she said, unease coiling in her gut. “If the client finds out there was a compliance violation — even a corrected one — Wayne will need to offer someone’s head to save the contract. He’ll fire someone for real p>
“Yeah. And Anson Hyde is a litigious nightmare,” Bella noted. “He’d sue S&D just for sport p>
Eliza knew Anson. He wouldn’t just sue. He would use this to wound the firm, to wound Augustina, and by extension to wound Dallas. And he would dismantle Bella in the process.
“I need to make sure Anson doesn’t blow this up,” Eliza said. Her hands had gone cold.
“Eliza, don’t,” Bella warned. “He’s toxic p>
“He’s my problem,” Eliza said.
She pulled out her phone. Her thumb hovered over a blocked contact. She unblocked it.
Anson Hyde sat in his leather chair, nursing the bruise on his forehead. His phone buzzed.
He looked at the screen. Eliza.
A slow, predatory smile spread across his face. He had received the preliminary report from his insider at S&D ten minutes ago — he had known about the error before Wayne did. He had simply been waiting for the leverage to ripen.
He answered on the first ring.
“Hello, Eliza. Ready to talk p>
“We need to meet. About the project.” Her voice was clipped and professional.
“I have an opening for dinner,” Anson said, glancing at his empty schedule. “Le Bernardin. 8 PM p>
“Fine.” The line went dead.
Anson set the phone down. “Got you p>
Le Bernardin was quiet — the kind of expensive silence that money buys to keep the world out. Eliza entered the private dining room, her heels sinking into the plush carpet.