Chapter 79
Get 10
I stopped moving as he instructed, but my grip on Ashton tightened instinctively.
My head rested against his chest, and I could hear the steady rhythm of his heartbeat. It was only then that I realized how close we were, but my fear overrode any embarrassment.
Clinging to him was the only way I could steady myself, convincing my mind that it was just the elevator swaying–not me.
Eventually, the elevator stopped shaking, but I didn’t loosen my hold on Ashton until he said, “Is that your new colleague down there?”
His words snapped me back to reality. I quickly let go of him and turned to see what he was talking about.
What I saw made my blood boil. Without thinking, I pressed the button to descend.
When the elevator doors opened, Selene greeted me with her practiced, saccharine smile. “Ms. Hart,” she said sweetly.
I didn’t bother returning her pleasantries. “What are you doing here?” I demanded, my tone sharp.
I wasn’t trying to be rude, but her presence here was inappropriate, especially given her condition. She was pregnant, for heaven’s sake, and this site was far from safe–unfinished, uninspected, and closed to the public. If something happened to her, the consequences would be catastrophic.
And if that wasn’t enough, her unborn child was already fatherless. That baby deserved protection, not reckless behavior.
Her response, however, left me utterly dumbfounded.
“I’m here for work,” she said, her tone calm and unbothered.
I blinked, certain I’d misheard her. “Excuse me?”
“Mr. Logan asked me to oversee the safety checks,” she repeated, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
I nearly exploded on the spot. “Logan must have lost his mind! Are you seriously telling me that he assigned you to handle safety inspections?”
My raised voice drew the attention of nearby workers. Selene wasn’t alone–she had arrived with the project manager, and both Maya and Miles were already present before her arrival.
Selene’s face twisted into an expression of mock hurt, and she replied in a soft voice, “Ms. Hart, why are you reacting this way?”
I
“Why?” I shot back, my voice rising. “Because you’re pregnant! You shouldn’t even be here, let alone involved in safety inspections!”
As I spoke, I pulled out my phone and called Logan.
It rang for what felt like an eternity, and I started to suspect he was ignoring me on purpose. Just as was about to hang up, he finally answered.
“Ms. Hart, what’s the matter?” His tone was casual, almost indifferent.
“Why did you send Selene here?” I asked, keeping my voice as steady as possible.
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“She’s there for work. Didn’t she tell you? Logan replied, as if it were the most obvious thing in the
world
I glanced at Selene, still looking as though butter wouldn’t melt in her mouth, and asked Logan, “Do you think it’s appropriate for her to be here in her condition? Who’s going to take responsibility if something happens to her?”
“That would be you, of course,” Logan said nonchalantly.
I was so shocked I couldn’t even respond at first.
Before I could recover, Logan continued, “Elaine, you’re the project lead for the amusement park. That means you’re responsible for ensuring its completion, its safety, and the well–being of everyone on- site. This is your job. Do you understand?”
His tone was calm, but the underlying message was clear: this was deliberate.
One Mercer wasn’t enough–now he’d sent Selene as well to impose further control over me.
My grip tightened around the phone. I glanced at Selene’s pitiful smile and let out a bitter laugh. “If someone is determined to throw themselves into danger, I can’t be held responsible for that.”
Selene’s expression faltered, but before she could respond, Logan snapped, “Elaine, don’t be so heartless!”
I rolled my eyes. “Heartless? Logan, the only thing cruel here is my words. There’s someone else who’s far more vicious. If you’re so concerned, why don’t you remove her from the site? Or…” I looked at Miles and continued, “Shall I assign someone to watch over her 24/7?”
Logan seemed taken aback. “If you’re volunteering to oversee her safety, then I’d feel much better about this.”
I scoffed. “Don’t count on it. I’m not as free as you seem to think.” Without giving him a chance to respond, I hung up.
Selene finally spoke, her voice soft and laced with self–pity. “Ms. Hart, there’s no need to be so adversarial. I can take care of myself.”
I smirked. “Sure, you seem perfectly capable. But what happens if the unexpected occurs?”
Maya, standing nearby, pressed her lips together to keep from laughing at my remark.
“Logan also instructed me to assign someone to protect you. While I don’t think round–the–clock surveillance is necessary, I do think some supervision is appropriate,” I said, my tone icy.
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I turned to Miles. “Mr. Mercer, since you and Ms. Vaughn are both new to the team, why don’t you accompany her as she familiarizes herself with the site? That way, you can also ensure her safety.”
Miles looked startled, clearly not expecting me to involve him. “Elaine, are you serious?”
“Yes, Mr. Mercer,” I said firmly. “You may be my superior in the corporate hierarchy, but on this project, I’m in charge. And here, I make the decisions.”
This authority had been granted to me by Logan himself. I hadn’t planned to use it, but now, with the project nearing completion, I decided it was time to exercise it.
Miles was at a loss for words.
Selene’s expression darkened as she muttered, “I don’t need a babysitter. I can ensure my own safety.”
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“Of course you can,” I replied smoothly. “But I’m not willing to take that risk. And don’t worry, Mr.
Mercer isn’t your full–time bodyguard–he’ll just assist you alongside his other duties. There’s no need to overthink it”
With that, the matter was settled.
Selene looked to Miles for help, but he simply sighed and said, “Alright. I’ll follow your orders.”
Defeated, Selene had no choice but to leave with Miles. As they walked away, I overheard her whining, “Miles, how could you agree to this? She’s clearly making things difficult for us on purpose!”
Miles’s response was calm. “You’re overthinking it. She’s just prioritizing safety and doesn’t want you to get hurt.”
I couldn’t help but laugh quietly at his reply.
Still, a pang of guilt hit me. Perhaps I shouldn’t have taken out my frustration with Logan and Selene on Miles. But then again, he had chosen to be here.
Maya approached me, her face full of admiration. “Elaine, that was incredible!”
“Get back to work,” I said, feigning irritation. “Or should I assign *you* as Selene’s caretaker instead?”
Her eyes widened in horror. “No, thank you! I’m going now!” She scurried off.
As the others dispersed, the weight of everything hit me. I had been strong and authoritative just moments ago, but now, all I felt was hurt. Logan hadn’t just sent Selene to disrupt my work–he’d sent her to humiliate me.
Did he think I hadn’t suffered enough?
Suddenly, my vision went dark as a large hand covered my eyes.
I was about to push it away when Ashton’s voice broke through. “You handled that well.”
He removed his hand, revealing a lollipop in front of me.
I looked at him, confused.
“A reward,” he said simply.
