Chapter 14 FOURTEEN
Chapter Fourteen
Lena’s POV
Tessa’s office is a fortress of intimidation—glass desk gleaming under harsh lights, awards lining the walls like trophies from corporate wars, the faint scent of her jasmine perfume mixing with the sterile air-conditioning.
My heart’s still racing from the conference room blowup, adrenaline buzzing in my veins as Sienna and I trail behind her like naughty schoolkids dragged to the principal. My ankle throbs with every step, a constant reminder of how this week’s been one disaster after another, but I bite it back. No weakness. Not here. Tessa slams the door behind us with a finality that echoes, then rounds on us, her silver-blonde bob not moving an inch.
“Sit,” she snaps, pointing to the two chairs in front of her desk like they’re electric. Sienna slides in gracefully, crossing her legs with that practiced poise, but I plop down harder, my hands gripping the armrests. Tessa doesn’t sit. She looms, arms crossed, eyes narrowing first on Sienna, then locking on me like laser beams. “What the hell was that? Screaming in a conference room? This is Lancaster Industries, not a reality TV set. You’re professionals—or supposed to be. Particularly you, Miss Sawyer.”
The reprimand hits like a gut punch, aimed square at me. “Me?” I burst, leaning forward, my voice pitching up despite myself. “Tessa, I got to the project first. This was my role, my pitch. Sienna’s the one who—”
“Enough!” Tessa’s hand bangs on the desk, the sound cracking through the room like thunder. Papers jump, and a pen rolls off the edge. Her face flushes under the perfect makeup, eyes blazing. “Everything has been set in stone. Sebastian’s decision is final, and you will make things work however you can. Clash ideas in meetings, not like cats in a bag. Collaborate, compromise, or fake it till you deliver. I don’t care how, but you will.”
I open my mouth, frustration boiling over—Sebastian again, always his shadow dictating my life—but the words tumble out before I can stop them. “You can obviously never understand because you don’t know a thing about marketing. It must be nice to sit behind that desk and just give orders like you know what’s actually happening in the marketing department. Barking from afar while the real work gets messy.”
The room goes dead silent. Tessa’s eyes widen, her lips parting in shock, then snapping shut into a thin line. “Excuse me? How dare you?” Her voice is low and dangerous, each word laced with ice. She steps closer, leaning over the desk, her knuckles white where they grip the edge. “You insolent little—do you have any idea who I am? I’ve been running divisions while you were still in college doodling logos.”
“Oh my goodness, Lena,” Sienna chimes in, her voice dripping with fake horror, hand pressed to her chest like she’s in a drama. “How could you speak to Mrs. Hale in such a manner? That’s so disrespectful. Tessa, I’m appalled on your behalf. Lena’s always been like this—impulsive, thinking she’s above the rules. Remember yesterday in the hallway? She practically dragged me like a caveman. And now this? It’s unprofessional, borderline insubordinate. If I were you, I’d document everything. Who knows what she’ll say next?”
Tessa’s face darkens further, veins pulsing at her temples as Sienna piles on, each word fuel to the fire. “You’re right, Sienna. This kind of attitude has no place here. Miss Sawyer, you’ve been a disruption since day one—confrontations, now backtalk?”
I glare at Sienna, my blood simmering. She’s loving this, twisting the knife with that innocent-wide-eyed act. “Are you serious right now? You’re the one who started the screaming match!”
“Shut up!” Tessa roars, slamming her hand down again, this time hard enough to rattle the framed photo on her desk—some award ceremony, her smiling with executives. “Both of you! I’ve had it with the infantile bickering. And as for you, Miss Sawyer, you’ve already crossed a line. One more outburst, one more toe out of place, and I’ll escalate this straight to Sebastian. Probation means you’re on thin ice—don’t make me crack it.” She points at the door, her finger trembling with rage. “Dismissed. Both of you. Get out and figure your shit out before the next meeting.”
I stand, legs shaky, the room spinning a little from the verbal lashing. Sienna rises smoothly, smoothing her skirt, but I catch the triumphant glint in her eye. We file out, the door clicking shut behind us like a jail cell. The hallway’s quieter up here on the exec floor, with muffled voices from distant offices and the hum of the AC. My cheeks burn, humiliation mixing with the frustration.
I know I was mean to Tessa—snapping about her not understanding marketing was low, a cheap shot born from exhaustion and anger. She’s a gatekeeper, not a creator, but she didn’t deserve that. Not really. I’m just… frustrated. Trapped in this web of Sebastian’s decisions, Sienna’s barbs, and my own crumbling control.
As we reach the elevator bank, Sienna slows, turning to me with that infuriating smirk. “We’re even now, aren’t we?” She tilts her head, voice sweet but venomous. “Let me see you get out of Tessa’s wrath. She looked very mad back there. A piece of advice—if I were you, I’d pack my bags and not wait until I’m kicked out of the company. Probation’s a slippery slope, Lena. One wrong move, and poof. Gone.”
I ball my fist at my side, nails digging into my palm, the pain grounding me as rage floods hot and red. My face must be crimson, heat radiating off my skin. I watch Sienna go, her heels clicking away toward the stairs, that sway in her hips like she’s won the war. My knuckles crack, the sound echoing in the quiet hall.