Chapter 54 Clue


    Chapter 54 Clue


    I got out of the cab and headed straight for the café.


    By the time I got there, Casey''s eyes were already swollen from crying. She stammered her way through the exnation. Turned out, after winning the bid today, a colleague secretly told Casey she was about to get reced


    Her boss nned to let his cousin take over once things got rolling, so Casey wouldn''t get any of the bonus payouts


    "We''re talking at least two hundred thousand dors! Two hundred thousand dors!" Casey sobbed, her voice hoarse Casey added, "He sweet-talked me into joining back then, and now he''s setting me up to fall


    I patted her back gently while asking, "Did they get the confidential designs too?"


    Everything from the design team was supposed to be locked down. Even though she trusted me a lot, Casey had personally double-checked everything herself yesterday.


    If someone wasn''t part of the core design team, there was no way they''d get


    ess.


    Hearing this, Casey mmed the table with a clenched fist. She said, "Someone messed with myputer. Most of the designs were copied, but I held back the core files."


    I nodded. ''As long as they don''t have everything, we''ve got a shot.


    Casey''s phone rang just then, and when she saw the caller ID, her face darkened. She put it on speaker without a word. "Casey, heard you''re not feeling well and took a sick day? Take your time, don''t rush back. I know it''s hard to talk right now too."


    "Don''t worry about the project. My cousin just got back from abroad, he''s in design too. Let him fill in for a few days"


    "Get some rest. Don''t let work wear you down."


    The contact wasbeled "BOSS," and I immediately knew it was that asshole she keptining about.


    Casey gave a soft nasal "Mm" and ended the call.


    We looked at each other and instantly got the message.


    The project had just won the bid, and the designs were already done. All that was left was someone to oversee it. Now that his cousin had stepped in, Casey was officially pushed out. By the time she returned, her spot would be gone.


    Casey mmed the table again. "I''m not giving him the designs."


    I nodded silently and thought, ''Since they reassigned her, she has no reason to stay responsible for that project.


    ''But things aren''t going to end just like that. I have toe up with a way to make sure she doesn''t take the fallter.


    The boss had already spoken-Casey wasn''t going back anytime soon. With both of us technically on leave now, we decided to just head home.


    We originally nned to grab a huge dinner and vent a little, but then Jude called.


    Jude said, "My uncle''s grandson has a birthday today. They want us all to have dinner together."


    The second I thought of that noisy little brat, I instinctively wanted to say no.


    But Jude must''ve known what I was gonna say, because he said directly, "Don''t worry, I already got the gift. And Grandpa wants us both to go."


    Since Jude mentioned Ewan, I knew I couldn''t say no. Then I looked at Casey with a bit of guilt.


    Casey nudged me. "Go on. I could take a nap anyway. Don''t worry."


    Once I made sure Casey would stay in, I headed out. I didn''t expect to see Jude waiting downstairs.


    "Figured you''d try to ditch, so I came myself," Jude said.


    This time Jude didn''t bring a driver-he drove himself.


    Therefore, I didn''t make a fuss about it and just got into the passenger seat.


    Jude seemed happy about that, even sounded more rxed, though there was a little teasing in his tone. "Why''d youe back so soon? Weren''t you at the office?"


    I replied, "Casey got screwed over at work. I har to back


    Jude let out a soft snort. "You really look out fo


    Sessfully unlocked!


    he hip back in school."


    ''He used to say that all the time in college, I thought.


    Back then, I didn''t have many friends. After getting together with Jude, I had even less time to build friendships.


    If it weren''t for Casey, I probably wouldn''t have made it through chemo alone. Chapter 54 Clue


    But I didn''t want to get into that with Jude now, so I changed the subject. "What''s the deal with Design Department Three?"


    I honestly didn''t see the point. I managed Department One and Department Two- top-tier people, some of the best in the


    field.


    Adding a third team with questionable skills seemed unnecessary.


    Jude replied, "I was talking to Aiden the other day. He said we should start taking


    on smaller projects too, since we''re expanding the branch offices.


    "Makes sense when you think about it. I know you don''t rate these rookies, so I didn''t assign them to you."


    "Aiden said that?" I raised an eyebrow.


    Jude nodded.


    Aiden was Bodhi''s son-the birthday boy''s dad. Jude didn''t get along with most of his family, but he and Aiden were alright.


    Still, I never liked Aiden. Something about him always felt sneaky and calcting. Suddenly, something clicked in my head-but just as quickly, it slipped away.


    I remembered Vivian might''ve been involved in Casey''s situation, so I asked, "What did Vivian major in?"


    I vaguely recalled someone saying her degree wasn''t even rted to the work she was doing.


    "History? Tourism? I can''t remember. Why are you asking?" Jude said.


    Just then, the car in front of us braked hard. Jude mmed on the brakes and muttered a curse under his breath, not


    paying much attention to my question.


    I turned to look out the window, still feeling like something wasn''t quite right.


    By the time we reached the Carson estate, it felt like all the scattered pieces in my


    head were finally starting toe together.


    口


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