Just as we were talking, the conference room doors opened. Alex and Oliver stepped out together, and I immediately rushed over. "How did it go?"


    Oliver gave me a serious look. "Serena, how did youe up with this n?" Seeing his grave expression, I instinctively assumed we had failed. My mood sank. "Ugh, I was just brainstorming. Guess my wild ideas aren''t suited for business, after all."


    "Who told you that?" Oliver suddenly interjected.


    I was stunned.


    "We won the bid!" A smile finally broke across his face.


    "Really?" Patricia and I jumped up in excitement. "Did we get it?"


    "Calm down for a second," Oliver said, his tone turning serious again. "Yes, we won the bid, but that doesn''t mean we can just brush the other issue under the rug. Thepany will reward the three of you ordingly, not a cent less. But when ites to ountability, we won''t go easy either."


    Patricia and I exchanged nces. I could see a mix of relief and worry in her eyes.


    Alex started walking ahead, and we followed behind him. I took the chance to lower my voice and ask, "Patricia, what''s wrong?"


    "I... I''m just a little worried," she murmured. "If it wasn''t you and it wasn''t me, then that only leaves..." She trailed off, looking troubled. "I mean, he can be insufferable, but we''ve been working together for so long."


    She had always been sentimental like this. I chuckled softly and patted her shoulder. "If he really did this, then he has to face the consequences. We''re all adults."


    "He leaked the proposal without considering the repercussions. That was his ownpse in judgment. Think about it. If our work was wasted after all the effort we put in because of him, we would have nothing to show for it. And worse, thepany would have suffered massive losses. That''s not something we can just let slide."


    She took a deep breath. "You''re right. He doesn''t deserve any sympathy."


    Back at the office, the bid results were officially announced. Patricia, Samson, and


    I were each called in separately for questioning.


    The person handling my session was Bailey from the assistants'' office. We used to be in the same department, and as soon as she walked in, she grinned. "Serena, seeing me here should tell you that I''m just here to go through the motions."


    I smiled back. "Bailey, how have you been?"


    We chatted for a bit before wrapping up, and I returned to the office only to find


    out that everyone in the department had been questioned.


    "Unbelievable." Catherine was the first to voice her dissatisfaction. "How irresponsible do you have to be to fose such critical data? How does something like that even happen?"


    I let out a coldugh. "By your logic, if I walked over and pped you right now,


    would that be your fault too?"


    "You" Catherine red at me.


    "I''ll take responsibility for losing the data, but the person who stole it is definitely in this office."


    Data theft was a serious offense, enough tond someone in real trouble Naturally, no one wanted to


    be used. Catherine Waal


    paledo


    "W-Who are you using?"


    I had no interest in arguing with her. Just then, my phone rang. I had a package to


    pick up. I grabbed my coat and headed downstairs.


    On my way back, I overheard people whispering in the office.


    "She was the one keeping the data. What does this have to do with us? And


    seriously, who prepares a backup n for a project like this?"


    "Exactly," Catherine chimed in. "Samson, I can''t believe you had to put up with her through all this."