“It’s Mr. Webster.” Hadley sighed, tucking the phone away. “He is pressing me to get to training. You’re feeling alright now, aren’t you? Shall we head out?”
“Absolutely!” Eric gathered his things, and they set off for the training venue. “I’m off! See you later!” As they arrived, Hadley hopped out of the car, waving briskly.
“Take it easy! Watch your step!” Eric called after her, his voice laced with concern.
But Hadley didn’t glance back, hurrying toward the entrance where Elvin was waiting.
“You’re finally here!” Elvin exclaimed, his brow knitted with worry. “It’s a mess—Lisa is positively fuming!”
“What?” Hadley’s heart raced. “What do I do?”
“Get in there and apologize, sincerely,” Elvin urged. “No matter what she says, own up to it.”
“Got it,” Hadley nodded, steeling herself for the encounter.
From the car, Eric prepared to drive off but couldn’t ignore the anxious exchange between Hadley and Elvin. A nagging feeling told him something was amiss.
Inside the grand conference room, voices carried through the open door. “Hadley!” Lisa’s sharp tone cut through the air, punctuated by a resounding thud on the table. She sat at the head, her eyes blazing as she fixed Hadley with a stern glare. “It’s only been a few days, and you’re already skipping training?”
“I’m truly sorry, Ms. Beckett,” Hadley said, her hands clasped and her head bowed in genuine contrition. “An urgent matter came up at home…”
“I’m not here for excuses!” Lisa snapped, raising a hand to silence Hadley. “If something came up, you should’ve followed proper protocol. Did you even try to inform me?”
In truth, Hadley had intended to do just that. The previous night, after seeing Eric off, she had tried to request leave from Lisa. But reaching her proved impossible. Lisa cherished her private time and rarely kept her phone on after work hours. With no other choice, Hadley had turned to Elvin, explaining she had an important matter involving Eric. Elvin, partly under Eric’s employ, had approved her absence without pressing for details.
He had already tried to clarify this to Lisa, but she wasn’t having it.
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Elvin stood off to the side, offering an awkward smile as he attempted to smooth things over. “It’s partly my fault, Ms. Beckett. Hadley couldn’t reach you, so I stepped in…”
“Hadley!” Lisa cut him off, her focus unwavering. “You’re not some celebrated star yet. Just a newcomer with a bit of buzz. Is this how you approach my project?”
“I’m so sorry, I messed up,” Hadley murmured, her voice heavy with regret.
Lisa’s lips curled into a scornful smirk. “With that attitude, how can I trust you with a leading role? Luckily, we haven’t even started filming. Perhaps it’s best we find someone else now.”
“No, please!” Elvin gasped, panic flickering in his eyes. “Ms. Beckett, let’s not be hasty!”
Hadley’s heart pounded at the gravity of the situation. “Ms. Beckett…” she began, her voice trembling.
Outside the door, Eric stood still, his patience wearing thin. He couldn’t bear to see Hadley endure such distress, especially knowing she had skipped training to be by his side at the hospital. He took a determined step forward, ready to intervene, when Phillips caught his arm.
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