What She Overheard in Her Own Marriage novel Chapter 185

"Excuse me, I have actual work to do. I need to get going." Laura always tried to keep Kaia's advice in mind: work hard, stay humble, and avoid clashing with the Aethelstan team. She had only snapped back just now because Wendy's attitude had been so infuriating.

"You're not leaving until you explain yourself. You don't get to drag Ms. Lawrence's name through the mud like that. This is a huge deal." Wendy aggressively stepped forward, physically blocking Laura's path.

The other assistants glared at her, forming a wall to keep Laura from walking away.

"You..." Laura was fuming. What was this, a shakedown?

"Go ahead, say what you're dying to say. Don't hold it in, it's bad for your health," Wendy taunted. She knew Laura was harboring a ton of resentment over Kaia's recent demotion. Today, she was determined to use this coward to show everyone that Laura was just as pathetic as her boss.

Laura steadied her breathing and looked them dead in the eye. "Dr. Chavez is a private person who cares about her projects and her data. She's not like some people, desperate for the spotlight, climbing over each other just to get in front of a camera, thinking a little PR fluff makes them royalty. Oh, please. Your team over here at Aethelstan has been shamelessly begging Dr. Chavez for baseline data for your last few projects. What else do you want to hear? I've got a hundred receipts in my head. If you want me to list them all out, I gladly will."

*Smack!*

Hearing this, Wendy lost her mind. Blinded by rage, she swung her hand and slapped Laura hard across the face.

Laura stumbled back, stunned for a second before pure fury took over. She pointed straight at the magazine on the table and yelled, "What Trailblazer? More like the Queen of Leftovers! Noelle just scooped up what Dr. Chavez tossed aside. She scored a little vanity press, and you lapdogs are acting like she cured cancer. Give me a break!"

"Shut your mouth..."

"Hit me again! Go ahead! Even if you beat me to death, I'll say the exact same thing!" Laura took a step forward, refusing to back down.

Right at that moment, a calm but intensely authoritative voice cut through the lobby. "Laura. That's enough."

Everyone spun around to see Kaia standing near the entrance of the lobby, holding a file folder. No one knew how long she had been watching.

Laura's mouth clamped shut instantly. Terrified, she quickly lowered her head and scurried over to stand beside Kaia, her face flushed a deep, embarrassed red.

Wendy and her group held their breath. They looked at Kaia, intimidated by the quiet, commanding presence she radiated, and quickly scurried away with their tails between their legs.

Kaia walked over to the coffee table, gave the magazine a brief glance, and then turned to the beet-red Laura. "From now on, unless it's strictly about work, do not engage in petty arguments."

Laura looked up into Kaia's clear, calm eyes, suddenly overwhelmed with shame for her outburst. "I'm so sorry, Dr. Chavez," she whispered. "Did I just cause trouble for you?"

Kaia sighed. "Go double-check the technical integration plan with Prestige Medical Center. I need it for tomorrow morning, so get on it."

Laura's eyes welled up with tears, and she nodded quickly. "Right away."

"I'm really sorry, Dr. Chavez. I'll remember what you said. No more drama," Laura promised, before turning and sprinting out of the lobby.

Kaia had come over for a meeting. Concordia Health and Aethelstan had several joint projects, making it impossible for her to avoid the Aethelstan offices entirely. She remained entirely focused on the work at hand.

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