Chapter 20 - A Different Kind Of Trouble
1485 Words
Newhaven
Morning sunlight slipped through the curtains of Elsie's apartment in Newhaven.
Her alarm had already gone off twice.
Elsie was still asleep.
Her phone rang.
She groaned beneath the blanket and reached blindly toward the bedside table.
Her fingers missed.
The phone continued ringing.
“Where are you?”
She stretched farther.
Her hand finally found it.
She answered without opening her eyes.
“Hello?”
“Good morning, sweetheart.”
Elsie's eyes opened immediately.
“Grandma?”
“Yes.”
Elsie smiled sleepily.
“Why are you calling so early?”
“Because I wanted to hear your voice.”
Elsie glanced at the clock.
“It's not that early.”
“It's early enough.”
Elsie sat up.
“How are you feeling?”
“I'm fine. How are you?”
“I'm fine too.”
“Are you eating properly?”
“Yes.”
“Sleeping?”
“Yes.”
“Working too hard?”
Elsie paused.
“That depends on your definition of hard.”
Grandma laughed softly.
“Elsie.”
“I am eating. I am sleeping. I am working. Everything is under control.”
“Are you sure?”
“Absolutely.”
Elsie got out of bed.
She immediately caught her foot on the edge of the carpet.
“Whoa!”
There was a loud thump.
Grandma went silent.
“Elsie?”
“I’m fine!”
“What happened?”
“Nothing.”
“Are you hurt?”
“No.”
Elsie looked accusingly at the carpet.
“The carpet attacked me.”
Grandma laughed.
“You're still clumsy.”
“It moved.”
“Of course it did.”
Elsie smiled.
“I'll call you tonight.”
“You promise?”
“I promise.”
“Take care of yourself.”
“You too, Grandma.”
They said goodbye.
Elsie put the phone down.
Then she looked at the clock.
Her smile disappeared.
“Oh no.”
She rushed toward the bathroom.
Her peaceful morning had lasted approximately thirty seconds.
Westbridge International
By the time Elsie reached Westbridge International, she had survived her morning.
Barely.
She hurried into the department, slightly out of breath.
Daniel looked up from his desk.
“Late?”
“No.”
He checked the clock.
“Two minutes early.”
Elsie smiled proudly.
“Exactly.”
Nora laughed.
“You look like you ran here.”
“I did.”
“Why?”
“My alarm clock betrayed me.”
Clara looked up.
“Again?”
“It has developed a personal grudge.”
Daniel nodded solemnly.
“Terrible.”
Elsie dropped her handbag beside her desk.
“I also nearly died.”
Everyone looked at her.
“What?”
Elsie waved her hand.
“Not literally.”
Daniel relaxed.
“Good.”
“The carpet attacked me.”
There was a brief silence.
Then Clara laughed.
Daniel shook his head.
“You're going to have to explain that.”
“I don't have time.”
“Why?”
“Because I have work.”
Elsie sat down.
Then immediately stood.
“My chair moved.”
Daniel stared at her.
“Of course it did.”
Before Elsie could defend herself, Evelyn Hart stepped out of her office.
“Elsie?”
Elsie straightened.
“Yes, ma'am?”
“Come with me for a moment.”
Elsie followed her.
Evelyn stopped beside her desk.
“I have some news.”
Elsie waited.
“Veyr Group contacted us this morning.”
Elsie's eyes widened.
“About the cooperation project?”
“Yes.”
Evelyn smiled.
“They've requested that you oversee the project's proceedings from Westbridge's side.”
Elsie blinked.
“Me?”
“Yes.”
“Are you sure?”
“Quite sure.”
Elsie glanced toward her colleagues.
They were already listening.
“But I'm still new.”
“And you've already proven yourself.”
Evelyn's tone was approving.
“You identified weaknesses in the project framework that had been overlooked and proposed practical solutions during your meeting with Veyr Group.”
Elsie smiled.
“Thank you.”
“They were impressed with your performance.”
Elsie's smile grew.
“So what exactly does this mean?”
“Starting tomorrow, you'll be going to Veyr Group regularly to supervise the project's proceedings.”
Elsie nodded.
“Understood.”
Evelyn returned to her office.
The moment she disappeared, Elsie's colleagues gathered around her.
Nora grinned.
“So you're going back to Veyr Group.”
Elsie sighed.
“Apparently.”
Daniel gave her a solemn salute.
“Good luck.”
Elsie frowned.
“Why are you saying it like I'm going into battle?”
Daniel pointed toward the elevator.
“Because it's Veyr Group.”
Clara nodded.
“He has a point.”
Elsie crossed her arms.
“I already survived one meeting.”
Nora smiled.
“And now you're going back.”
“I'll survive again.”
Daniel saluted.
“Definitely not zombies.”
Elsie pointed at him.
“Exactly.”
Everyone laughed.
Evening — Newhaven
Livia arrived outside Westbridge after work.
Elsie climbed into the passenger seat.
“Hello.”
“Hi.”
Elsie fastened her seat belt.
Then she looked at Livia.
“You're quiet.”
“Am I?”
“Yes.”
Livia started the car.
“I'm just tired.”
Elsie studied her.
“You've been tired before.”
“I had a long day.”
“So did I.”
Livia smiled faintly.
“Then we're both tired.”
Elsie didn't respond.
Something felt different.
Livia was usually incapable of being quiet for more than five minutes.
Today, she seemed distracted.
They drove for several minutes.
Then Elsie noticed something.
A faint bruise around Livia's wrist.
Her expression changed.
“Livia.”
“Hmm?”
“What happened to your wrist?”
Livia immediately pulled her sleeve down.
“Nothing.”
Elsie stared at her.
“That doesn't look like nothing.”
“I bumped into something.”
“Where?”
“At work.”
“Against what?”
Livia hesitated.
“Just something.”
Elsie turned toward her.
“Livia.”
“Elsie, it's fine.”
“No.”
Livia sighed.
Elsie remained quiet for a moment.
Then she asked softly,
“Tell me.”
Livia's hands tightened slightly around the steering wheel.
“My new boss has been bothering me.”
Elsie's expression became serious.
“What do you mean?”
“He keeps making inappropriate comments.”
Livia swallowed.
“And he doesn't respect my boundaries.”
Elsie said nothing.
Livia continued.
“Today, when I tried to leave, he grabbed my wrist.”
Elsie's eyes widened.
“He did what?”
“He didn't seriously hurt me.”
“That isn't the point.”
“I know.”
Elsie's voice remained calm, but the anger underneath it was obvious.
“You need to report him.”
Livia glanced at her.
“It's not that simple.”
“It is.”
“Elsie—”
“No.”
Elsie shook her head.
“You shouldn't have to tolerate someone behaving like that just because he's your boss.”
Livia remained silent.
“You should document what happened and report it through the proper workplace process. If necessary, get help from the relevant authorities.”
Livia looked at her.
“You're really serious.”
“Of course I am.”
A pause.
Elsie added,
“I may lose arguments with printers and trip over perfectly stationary carpets, but I know when something is wrong.”
Livia couldn't help laughing.
“That was oddly inspiring.”
“Good.”
“You're very serious today.”
“I can be serious.”
“Sometimes.”
Elsie nodded.
“Exactly.”
Livia smiled.
“Thank you.”
Elsie reached over and gently squeezed her shoulder.
“Just promise me you won't ignore it.”
“I promise.”
“Good.”
For a few moments, neither spoke.
Then Livia glanced at Elsie.
“So you're going back to Veyr Group tomorrow?”
Elsie groaned.
“Yes.”
“Excited?”
“Maybe.”
“Scared?”
“Not exactly.”
“Then what?”
Elsie sighed.
“I just have a feeling my shoes are going to betray me again.”
Livia laughed.
“Your shoes?”
“They've already shown suspicious behavior.”
Livia shook her head.
“Only you could turn a corporate project into a battle against footwear.”
Elsie smiled.
“It's a talent.”
The car continued through the bright streets of Newhaven.
For a little while, there were no mysteries.
No rumors.
No shadows.
Just two friends talking about work, difficult people, suspicious shoes, and the strange little problems of ordinary life.
But tomorrow, Elsie would return to Veyr Group.
And neither of them knew that the seemingly ordinary assignment would place Elsie even closer to the world she had unknowingly stepped into.
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