Chapter 994:

“Funny,” she muttered under her breath. “Why am I even thinking about all this?”

Mabel mused that falling in love had softened her, making her more sentimental than ever before. Elyse had strictly forbidden her from smoking, yet here she was, lighting up because of Elyse.

Elyse was a real menace, she had to admit! Just the thought of her made Mabel’s blood boil. She took a deep drag from her cigarette and blew the smoke out forcefully, muttering bitterly, “Elyse, you cursed jinx. May winter swallow you whole.”

She flicked the cigarette to the ground, grinding it under the heel of her black boots. From her handbag, she pulled out a badge and looped it around her neck, striding confidently through the main entrance.

Inside, she sauntered toward Elyse. The concert was just two days away, and Elyse, clutching her violin, was waiting for the instructor to assign her spot on stage. Mabel leaned against the wall, arms folded, her gaze fixed on Elyse. The sight of Elyse’s earnest dedication turned Mabel’s stomach.

She stood there for an entire hour. Finally, when Elyse’s positioning was done, she moved to the seating area below the stage for a break. Sensing her moment, Mabel started toward her.

But just as she was about to make her move, a firm hand clamped down on her shoulder.

Mabel stiffened and tilted her head.

“Slacking off, are we? The concert’s days away, and you’re just lounging here? Have you finished cleaning? Moved everything? Which department are you even from? Want to lose your job?” barked a tall, middle-aged man, his eyes blazing with irritation.

Mabel turned to face him and, with as much sincerity as she could muster, replied, “I’m sorry, sir. My mistake. I’ll get right to it.”

The man snatched up Mabel’s badge for a closer look, making her heart race. “Maintenance, huh? You’re not paid to stand around. Get back to work or you’re out.” Thankfully, the man didn’t seem to notice the badge was fake. Grabbing Mabel by the arm, he led her to the restroom.

“Clean this place up, and do it right. Or else,” he growled, standing by the door to supervise Mabel. Mabel’s eyebrow twitched. Was he seriously going to stand there and watch her scrub toilets?

Her anger simmered beneath the surface, but she kept it in check. She couldn’t afford to lose her cool—not with her task on the line. Trouble was the last thing she needed right now.