Chapter 29
D
O
Harlan shot me a disapproving glance. “Charlene, don’t be so rude. You’re scaring Tamara.”
I was baffled. “Did I raise my voice? Or am I holding a knife and threatening her? How am I scaring her?”
Tamara, in a soft, pitiful voice, said, “It’s okay, Harlan. I’m not scared.”
Then, she cautiously looked at me and said, “Charlene, it’s my own fault. After the argument with you, I wasn’t paying attention when I went outside, and that’s when I—”
I looked at her calmly. “Argument? Is that how you told Harlan?”
She lowered her head and didn’t answer.
I glanced at her injuries and felt a surge of irritation.
Her arm wasn’t in a cast, which meant it wasn’t a serious fracture.
There was no IV drip, and no blood had seeped through, ruling out any major wound.
Considering the road conditions outside the company, her injury was probably just a minor abrasion.
I found it absurd and turned to Harlan. “Harlan, don’t you think this excuse is too weak? I still have a pile of work to do, and you rushed to threaten me just for an injury that doesn’t even require surgery?”
Harlan didn’t respond, but I could tell he didn’t care about my work. In his mind, Tamara’s feelings were far more important.
I felt a cold wave of disappointment wash over me. I touched my head, which still throbbed with a dull pain, and my anger flared.
Tamara’s tone was full of sadness. “But, but the fact is, that’s how it happened-
I sneered. “Then tell me, after our argument, why did you run onto the road? You know it’s against the rules to leave the office without reason, don’t you?”
Tamara bit her lip. “I just wanted to clear my head—”
I didn’t want to hear her excuses. “After you apologized so loudly in the office, someone criticized me, and you backed her up. Am I not allowed to fire back a few words? That’s your idea of an argument?”
Tamara’s face immediately flushed bright red. Then, she tugged at Harlan’s sleeve, crying even louder. “I didn’t mean it, Harlan. I didn’t think it through. I was just a little upset-”
Harlan looked at me with a furrowed brow. “Charlene, you’re going too far.”
I looked at him calmly, sneering. “You made me do this. You called me here for a small injury, not caring if it’s convenient for me to move.”
Harlan paused, then muttered, “I didn’t realize your injury was that serious.”
Didn’t realize?
What a lie.
I’d been in a wheelchair all day.
Suddenly, Tamara broke down, crying uncontrollably. “It’s all my fault, okay? Charlene, I apologize!”
I didn’t expect her to suddenly snap like that. Watching her tears, I felt incredulous.
Wasn’t I the one being wronged here?
But of course, Harlan bought into her act. His previously hesitant expression quickly turned sharp. “Enough! Charlene, when are you going to control your temper? I called you here, not for you to scold Tamara.”
1 chuckled. “Well, I hope you can be just as magnanimous when someone wrongs you in the future and forgive whomever wrongs you without clarification.
Harlan’s face darkened, and after a moment, he sneered. “Charlene, do you think that because you’re with Ivan, you have some kind of support
now?”
Was he really thinking that I was talking to him like this because I had some support?
What kind of logic was that?
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11:43 AM
Chapter 29
+23
I was fed up. I turned my wheelchair and started to leave. “Mr. Shannon, I came here to work, not to be a punching bag. You asked me to come, and I did. Now that we’re done, I’ll go.”
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