Chapter 184

When Anastasia got to the design department, she saw Narissa strutting out of the manager’s office looking smug as hell.

Spotting Anastasia, Narissa lifted her chin. “Anastasia, Vincent wants to see you in his office.”

Anastasia raised an eyebrow but didn’t rush over. Instead, she went to her desk first to drop off her bag.

Sharlene popped her head up from the neighboring cubicle. “Ana, you weren’t here earlier, but Narissa came in crying her eyes out, then went straight to the manager.”

“I couldn’t hear everything she said, but I caught your name being mentioned.”

“I’m worried they’re plotting something against you.”

Anastasia told Sharlene, “It’s fine. I haven’t done anything wrong, so I’m not worried.”

Sharlene made a little prayer gesture. “Knock on wood, crossing my fingers, whatever–you better come out of this okay.”

Anastasia looked at Sharlene with amusement as she sprinkled some water from her coffee mug in Anastasia’s direction, claiming it would ward off bad luck.

“Since when are you so superstitious?” Anastasia laughed.

Sharlene winked. “Hey, don’t knock it–science and spirituality meet at the edges, you know?”

Anastasia smiled and headed to the manager’s office.

She knocked. “Vincent?”

“Come in.”

Once inside, Vincent handed Anastasia a file. “Ana, there’s a project here I need you to take over.”

Anastasia didn’t immediately agree. She took the file and started reading through it.

Wait, isn’t this the project Narissa was working on?

Orlando Group was a powerhouse with incredibly high standards for their partners.

Rhodes Global’s jewelry design team was solid, but if even Narissa couldn’t handle it, this project probably wasn’t the golden opportunity everyone thought it was–more like a poisoned chalice.

When Anastasia didn’t respond right away, Vincent figured she was scared. “Ana, this is about Rhodes Global’s reputation. You need to do everything you can to land this deal.”

Anastasia said, “Vincent, if I remember correctly, wasn’t this project assigned to Narissa?”

Vincent’s eyes flickered slightly.

Yeah, that was right.

Originally, Narissa had been in charge of this project. She’d assumed that since Griffin Orlando and Cassian were childhood friends, the contract was basically in the bag, so she’d thrown together a rushed presentation.

Instead, Griffin had torn her apart, saying if this was the level of work Rhodes Global produced, he saw no point in working together.

Narissa had even tried to seduce Griffin, but while he had a reputation as a playboy, he wasn’t desperate. Someone like Narissa throwing herself at him so obviously was a total turn-off.

When Narissa ran out of options, she begged Griffin for another chance, then maliciously suggested that another colleague had actually been responsible for the project–she was just the liaison.

So this thankless, impossible project had landed squarely on Anastasia’s desk.

“So, Ana, are you taking it or not?”