“I didn''t have time to request leave," M exined.


    Jacob scoffed. "You''re saying you didn''t even have time to ask for leave? That''s ame excuse.”


    M took a breath and rified calmly, “I was in a rush. The marriage proposal happenedte at night,


    and I flew back for the wedding the next morning.”


    Jacob showed no sympathy. He stated angrily, “I don''t care about your wedding arrangements. You''ll


    be marked absent for a week due to unauthorized leave. Your sry for the month will be cut in half.


    And don''t even think about receiving any bonuses this year."


    M was really mad—her cheeks were puffing out in anger. It wasn''t about the money. She just felt like


    she was being treated unfairly.


    It was Nathan who hurried her home to get married. But, as the boss, he hadn''t approved her leave in


    advance, so she ended up being marked absent.


    The more M thought about it, the madder she got. She turned on her phone, and messages started


    pouring in.


    "Wait, let me ask my husband about this,” M said casually.


    "Why do you need to ask him?" Jacob was confused.


    “I want to see if he had approved my leave.”


    "Do you have to ask your husband for leave approval? Is he the HR manager?" Jacob smirked.


    M held her breath as she dialed Nathan''s number.


    Nathan''s voice came over the line. He sounded a bit excited. “Wanda, you—"


    M interrupted him sharply, "Did you approve my leave when I returned to Phoenicia to get married?"


    “I left it to Fenna. I granted you a month off," Nathan replied seriously. He hadn''t expected M to return


    to work after only a week.


    M shut her eyes and inhaled deeply. Nathan had brought up Fenna once more. Just Nathan


    mentioning Fenna''s name sparked a rush of anger inside her.


    She came to the realization that Fenna had once again made her look foolish. Money wasn''t a problem


    for her, but she was pissed off.


    M abruptly ended the call, powered off her phone, and tossed it onto the desk.


    She nced at Jacob with a wry smile and remarked disinterestedly, “Go ahead, deduct whatever you


    want from my sry, my bonuses, anything. Save yourself the trouble of informing me."


    Jacob prodded at the files scattered across the desk and demanded angrily, “Is this what you''ve been


    upied with recently? What''s all this?"


    M opened the file and found all her research data printed out. Her face flushed red with fury. She


    mmed the file shut and rose from her seat, cradling her stomach. "Why did you touch my


    computer?” Jacob snorted. "You still haven''t told me exactly what you''re researching. Yet, you have the


    nerve to question me about touching yourputer when you''re living off taxpayer money and goofing


    around here?" M took a moment topose herself. She recalled that herputer didn''t retain any


    data.


    It was always transferred to her USB drive when she conducted research, and theputer was


    routinely wiped clean. She was puzzled over how the hydronium research data had leaked from her


    computer. Her anger reached a boiling point, and her fists clenched so tightly they trembled.Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org.


    Unable to contain herself any longer, she muttered a curse at Jacob under her breath and questioned


    sharply, "Who handed you this file? Is she trying to get you to snoop on me?"