The Ex-Wife They Begged To Keep - Chapter 29: Chapter 29

Early the next morning, after finishing her morning routine, Serena changed into a professional outfit. She stood in front of the mirror, carefully smoothing out the fabric.
She made her slightly tousled hair into a low bun, revealing the elegant curve of her neck. After applying a light touch of makeup, she grabbed her bag and stepped out the door.
On the way to the office, her mind wandered restlessly. The events of the night before kept replaying in her head. Stacey's unexpected behavior left her puzzled and unsettled.
At the office, Stacey's voice rang out suddenly, snapping Serena out of her thoughts. "Seri, why don't we handle this design project with me together?"
Serena looked up, surprised. Before she could respond, Erika abruptly stood up from her seat. "Ms. Mosher, I don't think that's appropriate. Serena is a newcomer, and you want to let her work on such a major project?"
Stacey gave Erika a dispassionate glance and said, "Seri's design abilities are obvious to everyone. I believe she's more than capable."
Erika shot Serena a venomous glare and muttered under her breath, "What ability? All she's good at is wrapping men around her finger."
Serena pretended not to hear that and simply nodded at Stacey. "Alright, Ms. Mosher. I'll do my best."
Being ignored by Serena, Erika sneered, "Some people are really committed. Working overtime like it's for the good of the company. Who knows, maybe it's just another excuse to drink with some guy?"
Serena shot back, "My personal life has nothing to do with you. Though with how much you obsess over my whereabouts, people might think you're into me."
"Oh, please!" Erika snapped. "I just can't stand women who lack self-respect."
"And what right do you have to judge me? Watch your mouth, Erika. I won't hesitate to slap you again if I have to." With that, Serena turned and walked back to her desk to refocus on her work.
As the sun dipped low in the sky, the office gradually emptied out. Serena rubbed her tired eyes but showed no intention of leaving. The draft still wasn't up to her expectations.
"It's still not right," she muttered, frustration creeping in as she ran a hand through her hair. Eventually, she saved the file, shut her laptop, and stood up. "Maybe think it over at home."
She grabbed her bag and exited the office.
As soon as Serena left, Erika sneaked over to Serena's desk. Her eyes lit up with greed the moment she saw the design on Serena's screen. She took several photos of the draft before slipping away.
At the design presentation meeting the next day, Serena stood before the screen, presenting her work. Everyone gave her a thumbs-up upon seeing her draft.
A clerk exclaimed, "This is incredible. It's absolutely perfect."
Even a manager said, "The composition and the color choices are flawless."
"Serena, this design is going to be a huge success," someone else praised.
A man added, "It's so fresh and striking. Really impressive."
Just then, Erika suddenly pointed at the screen, stammering in protest, "W-Wait, this is my design."
She pulled a stack of papers from her folder and held them high. "Look, everyone. Serena, how could you steal my work? How shameless can you be?"
The entire room erupted in confusion and disbelief as they looked between the screen and Erika's so-called original.
Someone whispered in surprise, "No way. Did Serena really plagiarize?"
Another man replied, "She never seemed like that type. Her past designs were all amazing."
A manager said while shaking his head, "What a shame. I really thought she had potential."
Hearing Erika's accusation, Serena let out a cold snort in her heart and retorted, "Erika, how could you prove I plagiarized you? Clearly, you stole my design."
"You're lying. That's my original work. You're trying to frame me," shouted Erika.
Serena smiled, "Oh? Is that so?" She calmly turned to her computer and opened a new file.
"This is the second version of my design, the one I updated last night. It's a more refined version of the original. Looks like when you stole my work, you didn't get to see the latest one."
On the screen, the second version of the design revealed a more sophisticated touch. The lines were smoother and more delicate, and the entire piece exuded a vibrant sense of life. The refinements were evident.
Erika's face turned ghostly pale. She hadn't expected Serena to have kept a backup card. She stammered, "No... That's not possible."
Stacey watched Erika's performance with growing disgust. She had always been aware of Erika's character flaws, but she didn't think she'd be this foolish.
Stacey said coldly, "Erika, do you have anything else to say for yourself?"
Realizing she had no way out, Erika turned to Stacey and pleaded, "Ms. Mosher, I was wrong. Please give me one more chance. I swear, I'll never lie again."
Erika had spent so much time buttering up Stacey in the past. Though Stacey disliked her flattery, she'd usually let it slide.
"This is your first major offense. Consider this a warning," Stacey said after a pause. "But if it happens again, you're fired."
Serena wasn't satisfied with the result. She protested, "Ms. Mosher, I don't think a warning is enough. Last time, Erika deliberately deleted my project files and tried to frame me. It was only thanks to the security footage that I cleared my name.
"And now she's escalated to stealing my designs. What's next? If you let her off so easily, what kind of message does that send? A warning is far from enough."
Stacey's brows knit together. She knew Serena had a point but was reluctant to let the matter blow up further. "What do you want, then?"
"I request that Erika be fired," said Serena firmly.
Erika gripped the design papers tightly, trying to explain, "Ms. Mosher, I... I just... I wasn't thinking. I didn't mean to actually steal her drafts..."
She reached out to tug at Stacey's sleeve, but Stacey subtly stepped aside, avoiding the contact. Erika glanced up, trying to read Stacey's expression.
Stacey was silent for a moment. She looked at Erika's panic-stricken face, then at Serena's calm but firm stance. A trace of hesitation flickered in her eyes.
Finally, Stacey announced, "Enough. What Erika did was clearly wrong, but she has a decent performance record with the team. Let's give her one last chance."
Serena's heart sank with disappointment upon hearing Stacey's decision, but she kept her tone even. "Ms. Mosher, if that's your decision, I'll respect it. But I have one condition."
She turned to Erika and continued, "Since you made the mistake, you need to take responsibility. I expect a formal apology."
Erika's face drained of color. Her eyes darted back and forth as she thought, 'Apologize to Serena? That's worse than being fired. Who does she think she is?'
But under the weight of so many eyes watching, Erika had no choice. Forcing herself to nod, she muttered, "I... I was wrong. Serena, I'm sorry. I acted impulsively. I promise it won't happen again."
Serena smiled faintly, her tone tinged with mockery. "I hope you really mean that. Just make sure it's not for show. After all, people's tolerance isn't permission for you to cross their boundaries again and again."
She turned to Stacey, her voice steady. "Ms. Mosher, I hope our team can operate with clearer boundaries. As designers, the effort and respect we put into our work should never be taken lightly."