Bound by the Past, Locked by the Heart novel Chapter 57

Once Iris settled in, the entire atmosphere of the department shifted overnight.

She was incredibly manipulative, masking it perfectly behind an approachable, charming facade.

On her first day, she treated the whole department to lattes and pastries. On her second, she handed out custom-made notebooks.

In just a few days, everyone was already affectionately calling her "Iris."

Meanwhile, Willa, the actual Editor-in-Chief, was completely sidelined.

Projects that used to require her approval were now being routed straight to Iris. Even the junior editors Willa managed had started bypassing her to report directly to their new boss.

Willa didn't put up a fight.

She knew it was pointless, so she simply kept her head down and focused on her work.

She treated the cold shoulders and office gossip as if they didn't exist.

Until one morning, just as Willa walked into her office, her junior editor Laura knocked on the door and slipped inside.

She stood awkwardly by the entrance, her face flushed with discomfort. "Ms. Vance... um... Ms. Underwood asked me to come grab all the files for the local heritage feature you were working on."

Willa just stared at her, saying nothing.

Under that piercing gaze, Laura wilted. She lowered her head and repeated herself nervously.

"Um... Ms. Underwood told me to..."

"I heard you," Willa cut her off, her tone dropping a few degrees. "Go back and tell her that there is no way I am handing this project over right now."

Laura looked like she was about to burst into tears, entirely caught in the middle.

Willa's tone softened slightly. "Just go back to your desk. I'll go talk to her myself in a minute."

Looking as if she had just been granted a royal pardon, Laura nodded furiously and darted out of the room.

Willa sat back in her chair and took a deep breath.

That local heritage feature was the very first project she had pitched and developed entirely on her own since joining the company.

She had hit the pavement, visiting every single shop owner personally. They had agreed to the interviews because they trusted her, because they knew she genuinely cared about preserving their dying crafts.

Iris wanted it?

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