The Contract Bride of Mr. Reid-Chapter 154: The mole

"What?" Olivia’s forehead furrowed into a deep frown, disbelief etching itself onto her face. "No...this is not true. Those are the final drafts, and I am sure about it."

"Stop lying, Olivia," Ivy fretted. "Willow herself confirmed that the final drafts are safe."

Confusion clouded Olivia’s mind. She had distinctly seen ’The Final Drafts’ written on the confidential file. How could the designs have been changed so abruptly?

"I know you are tired of being a peon." Ivy’s voice hardened. "I’ll make it easy for you." She straightened her back, her arms crossing defensively over her chest. "You are fired."

The words hit Olivia like a punch to the gut. "What?" she gasped, shock rippling through her. "No, you can’t fire me. I’ve helped you so much."

"You are nothing but a trouble for me. Now get your ass out of my office."

Anger ignited within Olivia, transforming her expression into one of defiance. "You can’t dismiss me like this," she retorted. "I know all your scheming and secrets. If you fire me, I’ll expose you."

Ivy’s blood boiled. "How dare you!" she snarled. "Now a nobody like you is threatening me? It seems I’ve been too soft on you." She crossed the distance between them and grabbed Olivia’s throat with surprising strength, their faces inches apart. "If you dare to say a word against me, you and your family will vanish. Get lost!"

With a forceful shove, Ivy sent Olivia sprawling onto the floor.

Humiliation and anger twisted inside her, but she knew better than to challenge Ivy further. Tears of rage and frustration welled up in her eyes as she scrambled to her feet and fled from the office.

As she hurried away, Olivia wiped her tears with trembling hands ruthlessly. "You’ve made a grave mistake," she muttered under her breath, her resolve hardening. "You’ll pay for this."

On the other hand, Willow had called an emergency meeting with her team members. The team gathered around, tension thick in the air as they waited for her to speak.

"I have an important announcement," Willow began, her gaze sweeping across the room. "The launch will proceed as planned, despite the recent setback." A murmur of surprise rippled through the team, but Willow quickly quelled it. "And it’s all thanks to Bella."

A collective gasp rippled through the room as everyone’s eyes turned to Bella.

"Bella has generously offered her own designs for this project, ensuring we stay on schedule," Willow explained, her words aimed at dispelling the animosity and doubt that had festered among the team members.

"But those designs are for her show," one team member protested with astonishment.

Bella’s response was swift and resolute. "I am not participating in any show. The project is more important."

Her sincerity was palpable, and the doubt that had clouded their minds began to dissipate. Gratitude replaced it, a warm current flowing through the room.

"You are a savior, Bella," another one said.

"Yes..." the others echoed, their faces lit with relief.

Willow nodded, her gaze sweeping across the room. "Bella saved us this time." Her voice turned serious. "But this won’t happen every time. Someone has leaked the designs to our rival, and we must find out who did it."

Determination etched itself on the faces of her team members. "We will find out, Ma’am," they vowed in unison.

Willow studied them carefully. She had worked with these people for years; they were her loyal companions. Their unwavering determination reassured her of their loyalty. The betrayal, then, had to come from outside their inner circle.

Someone within the company, perhaps from the design department or even Joshua’s office, was the culprit. Whoever it was, she would uncover their identity.

Willow squared her shoulders. "We have to be very careful," she warned. "We can’t trust anyone in this department – from the top executives to the lowest peons. Keep your eyes open and lock your drawers when you leave your desk. I won’t allow another mistake to happen. Do you understand?"

A chorus of "Yes, Ma’am" filled the room.

"The meeting is over," Willow concluded, dismissing them with a nod. The team dispersed one by one.

Bella returned to her desk, her thoughts still lingering on the intense meeting that had just taken place. As she sat down, her phone buzzed with a new message. It was from Olivia.

Unlocking the screen, she read the message with curiosity. ’Meet me at Yum Joint café on a downtown street. I’ve something to tell you about the design leaks.’

Bella’s eyes narrowed as she reread the message. What could Olivia possibly know about the leaks? Was this just another one of her schemes? A thousand questions raced through her mind. Olivia had tried to undermine her several times before—could she really be trusted now?

Bella’s instincts screamed caution. The memory of Olivia’s previous attempts to frame her was still fresh, and the idea of walking into a trap unsettled her. But curiosity tugged at her, gnawing away at her resolve. What if Olivia really did have information that could help uncover the truth? Could she afford to ignore it?

She hesitated, her fingers hovering over the screen. It felt like a gamble—one that could either lead her to the truth or drag her deeper into trouble. But the curiosity was too strong, and despite her better judgment, she felt the pull to meet Olivia.

Her fingers moved swiftly as she typed out her response: ’Okay. Let’s meet after work.’

As she hit send, a frown etched deeper on her face. "What are you planning this time, Olivia?" she mumbled.

~~~~~~~~~ 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝐰𝚎𝕓𝐧𝚘𝘃𝗲𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝕞

Theodore was in the middle of reviewing some documents when Tristan entered his office, his face serious.

Tristan handed him a folder, saying, "These are the designs Miss Young has launched."

Theodore’s brows furrowed as he opened the folder. The familiar designs stared back at him, each one a carbon copy of the work Willow and her team had been meticulously crafting for weeks. A wave of anger surged through him as he flipped through the pages.

"The news caused quite a stir in Brico’s design department," Tristan continued. "Miss Willow had to call an urgent meeting. The launch is scheduled for next week, and with this setback, it’s going to be incredibly challenging to come up with new designs in such a short time. The project could suffer greatly."

Theodore slammed the folder shut, his fist coming down hard on the table. "How did this happen?" he growled.

"There must be a mole in the team—someone working for Miss Young. It’s the only explanation."

Theodore mulled over Tristan’s words, but his thoughts kept circling back to Willow’s team. Each member had been with her for years, their loyalty unquestionable. The idea of betrayal from within was hard to swallow. But the evidence was undeniable—someone had leaked the designs, and the consequences were severe.

"Find out who is behind this," Theodore ordered, his tone brooking no argument. "And prepare to take legal action against Miss Young. I want her out of the design world for good."