Chapter 832: Clara’s Plot
“But I don’t want to get up yet! We got home too late last night. I just need to sleep a little longer. And I don’t have any work to do. I can get up whenever I want.”
Susan frowned. “Are you trying to show off?”
Since returning to work, she hadn’t slept soundly. Every morning was a struggle. She longed for the luxury of sleeping in.
Hannah smiled. “Hey, just a reminder—you’re going to be late for work.”
Susan realized she was dawdling. She didn’t want Manuel’s displeasure, and she had a project to negotiate with their commercial partner. She needed to get to the office early to prepare.
“Okay, I have to go. But I’ll celebrate with you another day to make up for missing your birthday.”
“I have a birthday every year. It doesn’t matter. Focus on your job.”
“No, every birthday matters! I’ll call you later. Gotta go!”
“Okay.”
Susan hung up. Hannah, roused from sleep, found it hard to go back to sleep. She washed up and went downstairs. Only Max was there.
He looked surprised. “Ms. Cooper, I thought you’d sleep longer.”
“Susan woke me with a call. I’m a bit hungry. I think I’ll sleep again after breakfast.”
“Breakfast will be ready soon,” Max replied respectfully.
“Thank you.”
“My pleasure.” Max left.
Hannah waited at the table. Soon, Max served a varied breakfast. While eating, she asked, “Max, is he leaving?” As she spoke, Oscar appeared in the lobby. Her smile vanished.
His presence usually marked her waking hours. His absence meant he was leaving. She assumed he’d gone to the Capital. Oscar noticed her change of expression but calmly joined her for breakfast.
“I leave the day after tomorrow,” he said.
Hannah nodded. His comings and goings were inconsequential to her. Silence fell between them. Sometimes, they felt like strangers.
Susan hurried to work, usually arriving on time. Today, however, an accident and morning rush hour created a traffic jam. Her phone rang.
“Tammy?” she answered.
“Ms. Phillips, where are you? The chairman wants us at WST for the negotiation in ten minutes.”
“I’m stuck in traffic. Why is he changing the schedule?”
“WST’s president has another commitment. They asked the chairman to move the negotiation up by half an hour.”
“They change schedules at will?”
“Stop complaining. Where are you?” Tammy’s voice was anxious.
Susan looked ahead. “I won’t make it in ten minutes.”
“No way!” Tammy knew Manuel would be furious if Susan were absent.
“I’ll drive to WST. That might work, but I need you to prepare something at the office for me.”
The traffic jam, she thought, wouldn’t last long.
“Okay.” Tammy agreed quickly.
“Bring my laptop. There’s a presentation file for the project in a folder named ‘WST, D division.’ Check the save time; I made edits last night at 9:00 PM.”
“Okay.”
“If it’s correct, bring it to the negotiation. If Manuel asks, say I’m on my way. No lengthy explanations. The worst he can do is reprimand me, and I’m used to that.”
Tammy was impressed by her resilience. She turned on the laptop to check the file. A knock came at the door.
Clara entered. “Tammy, Ms. Phillips hasn’t arrived? Mr. Johnson says it’s time to go.”
“Ms. Phillips is going to WST herself. I’ll bring her files.”
“Make sure you have everything,” Clara said.
“Of course.” Tammy nodded.
“Let me double-check,” Clara said, approaching Susan’s laptop.
Finding nothing amiss, Tammy relayed Susan’s instructions.
“Here’s the final version.”
“Okay. Let’s go,” Clara nodded.
Tammy was about to leave with the laptop when Clara said, “Give me the laptop. The chairman and I are sharing a car, and he might want to see the file. What’s the password?”
Tammy gave her the password and the laptop. Clara smirked, anticipating Susan’s failure and Manuel’s reaction.
After Clara left, Tammy waited for the car designated for Susan. When Manuel and Clara emerged, she signaled the driver. Meanwhile, Susan was driving to WST.
It was an important international project, allowing no mistakes. Fortunately, the traffic cleared. She arrived before Manuel.
Susan took a deep breath, composing herself. She waited for Manuel at the gate.