Chapter 140
Nora's POV
Three days later, one morning, I barely made it through the office door before Vincent materialized at my desk, practically vibrating with gossip.
"Nora, we've got a situation."
I set down my bag, already feeling the weight of what was coming. "What happened?"
"Ruby's piece from last night—the one you flagged? Someone filed a complaint. Said the data was seriously wrong." He leaned closer, lowering his voice. "Bobby just called her into the conference room."
My stomach dropped like a stone. I'd known this was coming the moment Ruby had refused to listen.
Ten minutes later, the conference room door swung open. Ruby stormed out, her face flushed, and Bobby Owens followed with his usual unreadable expression.
Ruby's eyes locked onto mine. She crossed the newsroom floor like a heat-seeking missile.
"Nora." Her voice cut through the ambient chatter. "As the editor on duty, you're supposed to catch these things. This mess? It's on both of us."
I stood slowly, keeping my face neutral.
"Conference room. Now." Team leader Bobby's voice brooked no argument.
---
The projector displayed Ruby's article alongside a red-stamped correction notice.
Bobby clicked to the next slide. "This is a serious breach of journalistic standards. NPR's credibility depends on accuracy. We've already had two regional outlets run with the wrong numbers. Our retraction just went live an hour ago."
He turned to Ruby. "You're suspended from all work for one week. Full month's performance bonus—gone. Written self-assessment due Friday, plus a departmental presentation on verification protocols."
Ruby's hands clenched into fists on the table.
Bobby's gaze swept the room, landing briefly on me. "The reviewing editor also bears responsibility for our quality control process. While final accountability rests with the author, we need tighter oversight mechanisms."
I sat at the far end of the table, hands folded, face composed. I'd planned to explain the phone call after the meeting, privately. To show Bobby I'd done my due diligence.
Ruby shot me a venomous look.
"Meeting adjourned—"
"Wait." Ruby's chair scraped back with a harsh screech as she shot to her feet. "Bobby, I need to say something. Right now. "
Bobby's eyebrows rose fractionally. "Ruby, if you have concerns about the disciplinary action, we can discuss them in private—"
"No." She whirled toward me. "Why am I the only one being punished? Nora reviewed my piece. Why didn't she catch the discrepancy?"
I rose slowly. "Miss Hill, I did review your article. And I—"
"And what? You rubber-stamped it?" Her voice went shrill. "Or did you not bother reading it at all?"
I pulled out my phone. "Actually, I called you yesterday. About those exact numbers."
Ruby wavered, clearly not expecting me to have evidence.
I connected my phone to the conference room's Bluetooth speaker.
The timestamp appeared on screen: Yesterday, 10:47 AM.
My voice came through clearly: "I'm just asking you to verify the source. That's standard procedure—"
Ruby's response crackled through the speaker, dripping with condescension.
After the recording ended, silence blanketed the room.
I pocketed my phone. "I record work calls. Protects everyone involved."
Ruby's face had gone from red to white. Her mouth opened, but nothing came out.
I turned to Bobby. "Mr. Owens, while I did flag the issue, I should have escalated it to you when Miss Hill refused to make corrections. That was a procedural failure on my part." I kept my tone professional, almost apologetic. "I'm willing to submit a written review of my editorial oversight process."
Bobby's expression softened fractionally. "Your self-awareness is appreciated. But the primary responsibility lies with the author. You don't need to submit anything—just make sure to escalate these situations immediately in the future."
"Understood. Thank you for the guidance."
I sat back down, positioning myself as reasonable, conscientious, and just fallible enough to seem human.
Bobby stood. "Ruby, I expect that self-assessment on my desk Friday morning."
---
I gathered my notes and left the conference room.
"Nora Grey, stop right there."
Ruby's heels clicked sharply on the tile as she caught up with me in the hallway corner.
I turned. "Is there something else?"
She stepped closer, invading my personal space. Her perfume was too strong, cloying.
"Don't play innocent with me." Her voice dropped to a hiss. "You think I don't know why you're untouchable here? Why you can do whatever you want without consequences?" She laughed, sharp and brittle. "It's because you've got connections with certain important people. Isn't that right?"
I'd had enough.
"You're right. Let's talk about connections." I crossed my arms. "You've had it out for me since day one. I thought maybe I'd done something to offend you. But now I get it—you've been making things difficult for me because of Sarah Klein's grudge against me."
Ruby's face went rigid.
"Sarah had a problem with me at DSW. Now you're carrying her grudge." I kept my voice level. "You don't care about my work. You just want me gone because of some petty vendetta."
"You don't deserve this position!" Ruby hissed. "People like you—"
"People like me?" I stepped forward. "I got here on my work. Not through connections. Not my family name. Through my ability."
Ruby's finger trembled as she pointed at me. "You think you're so special because you've got Sterling wrapped around your finger—"
"Watch your mouth." My voice dropped to ice. "This is a professional environment. My personal life is none of your damn business."
"Just wait." She was shaking with rage now. "The higher you climb with your little schemes, the harder you'll fall."
I held her gaze. "I suggest you focus on fixing your own work instead of inventing conspiracy theories. Goodbye, Miss Hill."
I walked away, leaving her standing in the hallway.
Behind me, I heard her sharp inhale—fury and helplessness compressed into one sound.
I didn't look back.
---
Bobby's voice cut through the morning newsroom chatter. "Nora, Vincent—my office."
I grabbed my notebook and followed Vincent into the glass-walled conference room. Bobby pulled up a map on his laptop screen.
"Emergency assignment. Rowan County got hammered by flooding last week. City Hall's partnering with two local companies to deliver relief supplies this afternoon." He tapped the screen. "Silverton Community Development Foundation and Northbound Logistics. I need full coverage—departure, distribution, recipient interviews. This is the kind of community engagement piece that puts NPR on the map."
"We're on it," I responded immediately. But the thought that Julian might be furious about this made me flinch a little.
I shook my head, dismissing the thought. I knew my own physical condition—it was just a follow-up report, nothing would go wrong.
Bobby nodded. "City Hall Plaza, ten-fifteen sharp. Don't miss the convoy."
Back at my desk, I texted Vincent: Gear check in 5?
His reply came instantly: Already on it.