Chapter 4
Laura couldn’t believe what she had just heard, “Why?”
Leo didn’t answer directly, only continued, “Melody will take charge of the project reports. For now, you’ll be reassigned to training new secretaries.” He looked up, signaling that she
could leave,
He was taking away her hard work with no explanation.
An intense anger surged within her. “Why?! I’ve spent over a year on this project, pouring in so much effort! Why should Melody get it just because she showed up?!”
Leo looked at her, surprised. It was the first time he had seen Laura so furious in their five years together. After a moment’s hesitation, he frowned and replied sternly, “I know you’re driven by ambition. The manager position will still be yours, but this project… Melody is simply a better fit.”
His words struck Laura like a knife to the heart, leaving her speechless with the pain.
Leo softened his tone. “You don’t have the energy to keep up with this right now. You need to focus on resting. Besides, Melody’s family is connected with the chairman of our partner company, making her the most stable choice to lead.”
Laura’s eyes filled with tears, and her voice came out in a rush. “This project was nearly finished without her! Are you telling me there’s no bias here? You just want her to take the
credit!”
“Laura!” Leo’s face hardened.
She looked at him, her eyes brimming with defiance and hurt.
“You’re being irrational,” Leo said coldly. “Even if you complete this project, I question your suitability for the manager position if you can’t separate business from emotion.” He added firmly, “This is a workplace, not a place for arguments.”
The words felt like a chokehold around her heart, making it hard to breathe. Without another word, she turned and left.
Chapter 4
As she walked away, the sense of injustice and frustration grew with every step. A year’s worth of hard work, countless late nights, endless meetings and dinners… only to be dismissed as ‘ambitious‘ and ‘emotional.‘
Walking further, nausea rose in her throat. Covering her mouth, she rushed to the restroom. But leaning over the sink, she found she couldn’t vomit, feeling stuck in a
miserable state,
It took a while before she could straighten up, exhausted. Her reflection in the mirror
owed a face worn out and gaunt. Despite being pregnant, she had lost weight instead of gaining, She looked downright haggard.
She couldn’t continue like this. In her last life, her difficult labor had been due to her poor health. She needed to take care of herself for the baby’s sake. Just hold on, she told herself once the baby is born, she’ll file for divorce…
With renewed determination, Laura returned to her desk. She soon saw Melody approaching with a confident stride. “Laura, Mr. Reed assigned me to handle the project
handover.”
Laura’s face remained expressionless as she placed the documents on the desk. “It’s all here. Don’t ask me about it again.”
“Thank you. You did a very thorough job,” Melody replied with an overly bright smile. Laura took several deep breaths to suppress the resentment brewing in her chest.
From that day on, Laura consciously distanced herself from Leo. Though they lived under the same roof, they hardly exchanged more than a few words each day. The cold atmosphere lasted for a full month.
One day after work, as Laura waited for the elevator with Emilia, her friend glanced at her phone, surprised. “Laura, they’re saying that the Great City Company project contract was signed today and there’s a dinner celebration planned.”
Laura’s heart sank. “Really?”
She checked her phone, but there was no notification or message for her. She stared at it blankly, then let out a bitter laugh and put it away.
Emilia noticed and exclaimed in disbelief, “They didn’t invite you?” Seeing Laura’s silence,
70
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caja kelleys You worked tirelessly on that project for a year, and Not only www mke nakity the code, but they didn’t even invite you to the dinner…
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eryone exchanged glauces, the atmosphere unbearably tense,
Melody was the first to break the silence, smiling as she spoke, “Laura, oh wait–Laura’s praypai, Why are you still here so late? Her concerned tone sounded genuine, but the way she casually changed how she addressed her made Laura’s face turn pale. She ***yped shipy
180 stepped forward as if to support her,
Laura steadied herself, stepping back to avoid him. “Thanks for the concern, but I’ll leave you to your dinner. Til be going” She turned and walked away,
Leo watched her retreating figure, his expression darkening.
That night, they exchanged no words when Leo returned home.
The next day, as Laura was organizing her documents, she heard a commotion outside the CEO’s office, Curious, she walked over and saw a crowd gathered around Leo and Melody, voices raised in dispute.
Standing beside Leo, she whispered, “What’s going on?”
Leo turned to her, about to answer, but was cut off by a woman at the front of the crowd, shouting angrily, “Another one? Mr. Reed, tell me, who’s in charge here–her or her?” She pointed accusingly at both Laura and Melody.
Leo’s anger simmered as he turned to Laura. “It’s her, but…”
Before he could finish, there was a loud “slap!”
A stinging slap landed across Laura’s face.
Good My CLO Husband Regretted It
