Chapter 52 Not Protected
Christina couldn’t help but chuckle at the ironic twist of the situation. The last few days had felt like an emotional rollercoaster, but at least things were looking up now. The crisis had been averted, and not only had her name been cleared, but she also walked away with a pleasant bonus.
As she left Gina’s office and made her way to her desk, the energy in the bullpen seemed different. The whispers and sideways glances had shifted from judgment to something else. The atmosphere had lightened, but it still felt like her colleagues were treating her with cautious respect, as if they were waiting for her to confirm what had happened.
Anna and Pearl were the first to approach her, a mix of relief and something akin to apprehension in their eyes.
“You almost dragged us down, you know,” Anna said, though her tone was far less biting than it had been before. “I’m glad to see you didn’t do anything wrong. So… did Ms. Tanner give you a warning?”
Christina grinned, a little smug now that she had come out of the situation on top. “Nope. In fact, my share of the profits has increased by two percent.” She raised an eyebrow, knowing the news would land like a small bomb.
Anna’s eyes widened. “Wait, what? You mean… two percent more on top of your regular bonus?” Her voice was incredulous.
Pearl’s jaw dropped as well. “Wow. That’s a pretty good consolation prize. I guess all that drama wasn’t for nothing, huh?”
Christina shrugged, trying to play it cool. “I mean, I’m just glad it’s over. A little bonus is nice, but I didn’t go through all that just for the extra money. Just happy it’s resolved.”
Her colleagues exchanged glances, and for a moment, it seemed like they were seeing her in a new light.
“Well, I’m just glad it all worked out,” Anna said with a forced smile. “I guess we were wrong to doubt you.”
Christina raised an eyebrow at the slight sarcasm but didn’t bother to respond. They’d apologized in their own way—she wasn’t about to push for any more than that. It was clear the situation had taught them a lesson about jumping to conclusions. And as much as she hated the drama, she knew it had only solidified her standing at the company, even if it was through an unfortunate series of events.
As the day wore on, the office resumed its normal routine, but Christina couldn’t shake the feeling that things had changed. There were fewer whispers, and more eyes watching her with a new kind of cautious respect. Whether they truly believed in her now or just wanted to avoid future drama was unclear, but at least they weren’t treating her like the office pariah anymore.
Still, Christina was determined not to let it go to her head. This was just a temporary bump in the road, and she had more important things on her mind. Like Nathaniel.
Her phone buzzed as she headed back to her desk, and she smiled when she saw his name. Nathaniel: How’s your day going?
She quickly typed back: It’s been a bit of a rollercoaster, but I’m good now. How about you?
His response was almost immediate: Good. Can’t wait to see you tonight. Let’s go out for dinner, my treat.
Christina’s heart fluttered. It felt like everything was finally falling into place. She could put the past few days behind her, enjoy her success, and move forward with a clear mind.
But first, she had to wrap up things at work. She sat at her desk, drafting a few quick replies to her emails, but her mind kept drifting back to Nathaniel. She wasn’t sure if they would ever get the chance to truly define their relationship, but for now, it felt like things were finally going in the right direction. And after everything she had just gone through, that was all she needed.
She took a deep breath and looked at her phone one last time, a soft smile tugging at the corners of her lips.
Christina: Sounds perfect. I’ll be ready.
The day was still far from over, but it felt like the storm had passed, and now she could finally enjoy the calm.