Chapter 16
Nora's POV
"Nora," she said brightly, as if we were old friends catching up. "I heard you've been doing excellent work lately. Robert was just telling me how impressed he was."
I kept my tone neutral. "Thanks."
Sarah's smile didn't waver, but her eyes were sharp. "You know, it's funny. You always were good at the grunt work—organizing data, writing reports, that sort of thing." She tilted her head slightly. "But this is the big leagues. The regional office doesn't just need worker bees. We need people who can handle high-stakes projects. People with experience."
I met her gaze evenly. "I'm a fast learner."
"I'm sure you are." Her smile turned condescending. "But let's be realistic, Nora. You're a temporary contract worker from a struggling branch. When it comes to major projects, they're going to choose people with seniority. People they can trust."
I didn't flinch. "Is there a point to this, Sarah?"
Her expression hardened, just for a second, before she smoothed it back into politeness. "Just a friendly heads-up. Don't get your hopes up for assignments above your pay grade." She tapped the folder in her hand. "Some of us have been groomed for this kind of work. You're still... finding your footing."
Before I could respond, Robert's voice rang out. "Everyone to the conference room. We have an important announcement."
She gave me one last pointed look, then turned and walked away, her heels clicking against the floor like a countdown timer.
I exhaled slowly, my jaw aching from how hard I'd been clenching it.
Benjamin leaned over from the next desk, his voice low. "God, she's such a bitch."
"Yeah," I muttered. "I hope she trips on her way into the conference room."
---
The conference room was already packed when Benjamin and I arrived. I could see Director Jeremy Wright seated at the head of the long table, flanked by his deputy and several department heads I'd only seen a few times. The training cohort had been relegated to the observation seats at the back, and we sat there like schoolchildren awaiting the principal's verdict.
Benjamin leaned close, his voice barely above a whisper. "Is it just me, or does this feel like someone's about to get fired?"
Before I could answer, a stern-faced staffer beside us shot him a look that clearly said shut up.
I scanned the room, noting the unusual attendance. Even administrators who rarely left their offices had shown up in person. The air hummed with tension and anticipation—that feeling when a crowd knows something big is coming but can't yet name what it is.
The door swung open with a sharp click of heels. Sarah walked in, late as usual, though her posture remained impeccable despite the delay. She swept the room with her gaze, pausing just long enough on me to convey her disdain before claiming a seat near the front—close to the center of power, as always.
Jeremy cleared his throat, and the murmur of conversation died instantly.
"Thank you all for coming on such short notice," he began, his tone clipped and businesslike. "I'll get straight to the point. The Federal Audit Office wants to select a caseworker to accompany them on an investigation in the Blackwood District."
Jeremy continued, his hands folded neatly on the table. "The investigation begins tomorrow morning at nine o'clock sharp. The selection has been made."
My heart gave an uncomfortable, heavy thud.
Jeremy paused, letting the weight of his words settle. Then his eyes swept across the room and landed squarely on me.
"After careful consideration and consultation with federal leadership, we have decided to assign Nora Grey as the accompanying caseworker."
For a moment, the entire world tilted sideways.
I stared at Jeremy, my brain struggling desperately to process what he'd just said. Around me, I could feel the shift in the room—eyes turning toward me, whispers beginning to accumulate like static electricity before lightning strikes.
Sarah's face went rigid. The polite smile she'd been wearing froze into something brittle and sharp. Her gaze swung toward me with the force of a slap.
Benjamin let out a small, involuntary sound of excitement beside me, then quickly stifled it when the staffer shot him another warning glare.
I couldn't move. Couldn't speak.
Jeremy's voice cut through the rising buzz of conversation. "I understand some of you may have questions about this decision. Let me be clear: this assignment was not made lightly."
He tapped a button on the laptop in front of him, and the projector screen behind him flickered to life. A detailed personnel file appeared—mine.
"Nora Grey. Senior Field Caseworker, DSW Blackwood Branch. Contract employee. Eighteen months of service."
The next slide showed a breakdown of my caseload. "Total cases processed: 212. Complex cases handled independently: 115. Compliance reports submitted: 37, of which 18 were rejected by local administration but retained full evidentiary documentation."
Jeremy's tone remained steady. "Ms. Grey has more in-depth knowledge of the Blackwood District's operational realities than anyone in this office."
He clicked to the next slide—a map of the Blackwood District with red markers indicating my regular service areas.
"Inspector General Sterling specifically requested a caseworker who understands ground-level conditions, someone who has worked directly with affected populations rather than relying on administrative summaries." His gaze swept the room again, landing briefly on Sarah. "This is not a public relations assignment. This is a field investigation operation."
Sarah's jaw tightened, and I could see the exact moment she understood what Jeremy was really saying: Your job is to make us look good on paper. Hers is to tell the truth in the dirt.
The conference room had gone completely silent now.
Jeremy closed his laptop with a decisive click. "If anyone wishes to file a formal objection to this decision, you may submit it in writing to my office or directly to the Federal Audit Office. However, I would remind you that Inspector General Sterling reviewed multiple personnel files before making his selection. This decision reflects professional competence, not favoritism."
He stood, signaling the end of the meeting. "That's all. Ms. Grey, please see me in my office in ten minutes."