Chapter 103: I’ll make the report.

Words : 1215 Updated : Sep 17th, 2025

Chapter 103: I’ll make the report. Anne gave her a sharp, incredulous look, barely suppressing a bitter laugh. "Since when do you care about me? You have always hated me, and don’t worry—I feel the same way about you. So do us both a favor: stay out of my face." Lorie’s mouth twitched. She gripped the edge of the file in her hands tightly, seething. "How can you say that?" she said, trying to sound hurt. "No matter what happened between us, we are still family. We grew up together. Doesn’t that mean anything to you?" Anne let out a dry, humorless chuckle. Her gaze turned icy. "Oh, I remember all of it. Every insult, every lie, every time you pushed me down just to feel superior. I haven’t forgotten a thing." The intensity in Anne’s eyes cut straight through Lorie’s fake sympathy, making her stiffen. That fiery glare—cold, unrelenting—sent a ripple of unease through her. For the first time, Lorie couldn’t think of a single word to throw back. Her throat tightened as she swallowed her pride, her earlier confidence visibly shaken. But she quickly gathered herself, forcing a weak smile to mask her discomfort. "Anne, I know you are mad at me—and you have every reason to be. I was immature, I admit it. I did things in the past that hurt you, and I regret them now. I really want to fix things between us." Anne’s brows drew together. She leaned back slightly, arms folded, eyeing Lorie with guarded suspicion. This sudden transformation, this sugar-coated apology from someone who had spent most of her life tearing her down, didn’t sit right. Something was off. "Oh, please," Anne said impatiently, rolling her eyes. "Spare me the drama. Just say what you want and leave." Lorie tried to play along, pretending to be flattered. "You really are sharp. You know me too well." She placed the file on Anne’s desk with a sheepish smile. "The boss gave me this report to prepare. He was pretty clear—no errors, no excuses. But I’ve just taken the role of his secretary, still figuring things out. There is a lot I am still learning. I’m worried I’ll mess it up." Her voice softened further as she gave Anne a look of fake vulnerability. "Could you please help me with it? You are great at this stuff, and you’ve always known how to handle work like this. I really don’t want to get in trouble." Though the words tasted bitter on her tongue, Lorie forced herself to look earnest. Anne used to help her no matter how unfairly she had been treated. Lorie was counting on that same Anne now, hoping kindness would once again outweigh the resentment. Anne glanced at the file, a bitter smile curling at the corner of her lips. "You want me to make this report?" she asked coolly. "But I’m not the secretary here. If something goes wrong, we’ll both take the fall. Why not just own up to your limitations and talk to the boss? I’m sure he’ll help you out." Lorie stiffened. That option wasn’t on the table. After the scolding she had received from Augustine earlier, another mistake could be the final straw. She couldn’t risk him seeing her as incompetent again—not when she had done so much to secure this position. "I trust you, Anne," Lorie said, trying to sound earnest. "You’ve worked under Mr. Beaumont before. You know exactly how reports should be done. If you make it, there won’t be any mistakes. Just help me this once. Please. It’s important." Anne exhaled slowly, weighing her options. She thought the report might be important for Augustine. As his face crossed her mind, she made a decision. ’I’ll make the report.’ Anne wasn’t doing this for Lorie. But if the report was for Augustine, and if its quality could impact his work, she didn’t want him facing more chaos because of someone else’s incompetence. "Fine," she said. "But this is the last time. Don’t think you can come crawling back again, asking me to help you." She waved her hand in dismissal. "Now go. You are interrupting my work." "Thank you, Anne," Lorie replied through clenched teeth. Her voice held no warmth, no real gratitude—just veiled annoyance. "Can you do it now? I need to submit it within the hour." Anne didn’t even look up. "I’ll send it when I’m done. Now leave." "Okay, okay," Lorie muttered and turned on her heel. As she walked away, she paused briefly, glancing over her shoulder at Anne, her expression twisting into a sneer. ’So full of herself. I wouldn’t even speak to her if I didn’t need something.’ With an irritated huff, she stormed off. An hour later... Lorie waited impatiently for Anne, her leg bouncing. "That damn Anne," she hissed under her breath. Her frustration was bubbling over. "I told her I needed it within the hour. She is deliberately stalling to get me in trouble. I regret asking her in the first place." Just as she was about to fire off a bitter message, a chime from her laptop interrupted her train of thought. An email notification popped up on her screen. It was from Anne. Eyes lighting up, Lorie quickly opened the message. Attached was the completed report—polished, professional, and neatly formatted. Relief washed over her, and an involuntary grin broke across her face. "She actually did it." But her innocent smile slowly shifted into a wicked smirk. "I knew it. Anne hasn’t changed a bit. All it takes is a little fake sweetness, and she’ll help—just like old times." She leaned back in her chair, crossing her arms with a smug expression. "Now I’ll hand this in, take all the credit, and the boss will finally notice me. Compliment me." She giggled, filled with self-assured ambition. "Anne, you poor fool. Keep working hard in the background while I shine in the spotlight. Soon, you’ll be out of this place—while I’ll be right where I belong." Lorie took a printout of the report, neatly tucked into a file, and headed confidently toward Augustine’s office, her heart beating with anticipation. ’This time, he’ll definitely be impressed,’ she told herself. Just as she reached the office, the door swung open unexpectedly. Augustine stepped out, looking sharp and focused, with Gustave walking right behind him. Caught slightly off guard, Lorie quickly composed herself and flashed a bright smile. "Sir, I’ve revised the report. Would you like to take a look now?" She held the file out with hopeful eyes. "Later," Augustine said flatly, not even sparing her a second glance. He brushed past her without pause, already heading toward the elevators. "Uh... wait—" she started, but he was gone, the elevator doors closing behind him before she could finish. Lorie stood frozen for a moment. Her smile crumbled into a scowl. The joy and excitement she had felt a while ago vanished. She stomped her foot in frustration. She had swallowed her pride, begged Anne for help—all for a chance to win his attention. And yet, she was dismissed like she didn’t exist. Her lips curled downward in a pout. "Why are you always so cold to me? Is it that hard to look at me... just once?"

Chapter 103: I’ll make the report.

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