?Chapter 123:


    Around the room, the other team members shifted awkwardly. Docie’sment hadn’t gone unnoticed, and now people were speaking up.


    “Docie,e on—Ms. Gilbert has secured major projects since she got here. Just this morning, we finalized a deal with the Haywood Group. You can’t deny she’s earned her spot.”


    “Yeah, I’ll admit I had doubts at first too. But after everything she’s pulled off… I think Neb’s in good hands.”


    Support rippled across the room. Docie’s smile was tight. She couldn’t understand it.


    Why were they backing Ste so quickly? She’d been here for what—barely a month? Docie had worked hard for years. And now they were praising someone who just parachuted in?


    Still, she wasn’t stupid. Pushing any further would only make her look petty.


    And she needed these people on her side.


    Docie took a breath, then offered a practiced smile. “I was out of line. My apologies. Since we’re now colleagues, I hope we can support each other moving forward.”


    Ste nodded, her voice steady. “Of course, Ms. Myers.” They shook hands.


    After the meeting, the team returned to their workstations. Docie headed back to the technical department, where she still had considerable clout.


    Most staff turned to her for guidance on tough projects—she was the go-to forplex code issues.


    Ste came downstairs and passed by the tech floor just as a cluster of developers were crowded around a screen, locked in discussion.


    “Docie, you’re the only one who really understands this segment. Can you take a look? We’ve already got the system up on the desktop.”


    Docie stepped forward automatically—then paused when she saw Ste approaching.


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    She stepped back with a faint smirk. “This one’s tricky. I’m not sure I can help,” she said, shrugging. “But since Ms. Gilbert handled simr tech in her previous role, I’m sure she knows what to do.” Her tone dripped with amusement.


    She had always been in charge of technical issues before Ste’s arrival. The bug was advanced, and she knew it. There was no easy fix here. No way Ste could solve it on the spot. Not without losing face. If they were all going to act like Ste was the savior of Neb—fine. Let her prove it.


    Ste heard this and raised her eyebrows slightly, not missing the hint of malice in Docie’s eyes.


    She walked up to the group and nced at the documents spread across the desk.


    The issue wasplex. But not impossible.


    Still, she didn’t move toward the keyboard. She wasn’t here to code. She was here to lead. If she jumped into every fire herself, what was the point of having a tech team?


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