Love's Bitter Edge (Eva and Leonard)
Chapter 514 Collective Interests

Mr. Finnley seemed to relish putting me down and was always resorting to crude tactics. While I didn't have concrete evidence, I was almost certain he was behind this. He'd been at the bar last night, courtesy of the "CEO sister's" invitation. If I succeeded in securing the Gray Realty project, his position would truly be on shaky ground. He let out a dismissive snort. "I can't care less about your private life. But when it starts affecting the department and the company's image, that's where I draw the line." Before I could respond, Astrid tugged on my sleeve and handed me her phone.

Another post on the company's internal forum featured the incriminating photo of Zack and me supposedly "kissing". This time, the anonymous poster accused me of leading a messy personal life, hinting at involvement with multiple men. They also painted me as antisocial, claiming I avoided department gatherings to hang out with my "lovers". Alongside their claims, they posted a photo of the design team at the bar last night-everyone was there except Astrid and me. Of course, Astrid's status as an intern meant most didn't notice her absence, leaving me as the sole target.

It was a classic smear campaign. Spreading juicy gossip was the easiest way to ruin a woman's reputation anywhere in the world. Clearly, Mr. Finnley had perfected the art and used it like a pro.

I smirked inwardly, more amused than impressed. In a corporate environment back home, such petty tricks wouldn't even make the cut. If Mr. Finnley could climb to a supervisor position back at home, I'd consider it a personal loss.

"So, how are you going to explain this one? Why is it always you who ends up causing problems?" Mr. Finnley's voice was laced with faux indignation.

Before I could respond, Annie muttered just loud enough to be heard, "What a lame move."

"What did you say, Annie?" Mr. Finnley raised his voice, clearly displeased.

Annie rolled her eyes. "I'm not deaf, you know. You don't have to shout. I said it's a lame move. I've used the same trick before, so try to get more creative next time." Her bluntness left the office in an awkward silence, with colleagues exchanging uneasy glances.

Astrid quickly chimed in, her tone

sharp, "Exactly. Anyone can see Rinatta's being framed here." She

turned to Mr. Finnley. "As the supervisor, aren't you supposed to protect your team and contain situations like this? If the project fails, what happens to everyone's bonuses?"

She raised her voice slightly, ensuring the whole office heard. "This project alone means at least tens of thousands in bonuses for the team, right?"

As soon as money was mentioned, the mood shifted. Eyes lit up as people began talking at once.

"Tens of thousands? Sounds about right. Is that a year-end bonus or quarterly?"

"If we land this, there might even be a bigger bonus at the end of the year! We have to secure this deal with Gray Realty."

"Can't we get that post deleted? Doesn't management have the authority? It's too distracting and hurts morale."

Suddenly, the tide had turned. Everyone seemed eager to focus on securing the project as the potential payout was far more compelling than office politics. Except for Mackenzie, whose sour expression revealed her displeasure. "Honestly, it's just a few thousand bucks. Look at you all, scrambling like it's a fortune."

Astrid didn't let her comment slide.

"Then don't take it. I won't either. We're just interns, right? That way, the rest of the team can have a bigger share. How noble of you."

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"Why should I miss out?" Mackenzie shot back, her jaw clenched.

Astrid shrugged nonchalantly. "Because you're the heiress of a prestigious family, of course."

That last jab hit its mark, breaking Mackenzie's composure entirely. She stormed out of the office, slamming the door behind her.

Astrid stuck out her tongue at me playfully, clearly enjoying the scene.

I could only shake my head in exasperation, While a few thousand

dollars didn't mean much to someone

Hike Astrid, it was a

swnovel

different story for someone

pretending to be a wealthy heiress.