Chapter 217

Demi nodded. “Oh, yeah. My brain’s basically an amusement park—full of rides and pretty lights.” She laughed and squeezed my arm tighter. “And guess what? You’re in there too.” This girl could charm anyone.

We reached the site of the accident. Hayden climbed up to assess the damage, scribbling in his notebook. “We lost two sets of lights. Each set had twenty-two bulbs, in thirteen different colors,” he said, scanning the broken lights before glancing at the distant crane. He then turned to Demi. “Call your superior; we need to determine responsibility and assess the damages.”

Demi blinked. “Oh, right!” She quickly called Wayne.

Wayne arrived shortly. Spotting me, he froze, clearly surprised. Then he smirked. “Rea, early inspection?” His tone was edged—he knew I wasn't in charge.

I knew he was teasing, so I smiled slightly. “Nope, just here to see Hayden.” I caught a flicker of something in Wayne’s eyes, but he quickly focused on Hayden. “The contractor already admitted fault.”

That was his attempt to dismiss the matter. I glanced at Hayden, but his expression remained professional. “If they’ve admitted fault, they’ll cover the damages. I’ll handle the replacements and send you the invoice.”

Hayden wasn’t playing along. Wayne, usually easygoing, looked irritated. “This is my responsibility. I should have managed things better.” He was trying to pressure Hayden.

But Hayden held firm. “Then the invoice is yours.”

Wayne’s face darkened. I bit my lip to stifle a laugh. Hayden was completely improvising, ignoring the usual corporate protocols. They stood, a step apart, locked in a silent standoff.

Demi felt the tension. She nudged me, nervously clutching my sleeve. I remained silent. Taking sides would only cause harm, and I suspected this confrontation involved me; silence seemed safest. “What invoice?” Jace’s voice cut through the silence as he approached.

Chapter 217 (continued)

What had been a two-person standoff became a three-way confrontation. The tension intensified, and Demi squeezed my arm, whispering, “Keira…” her voice shaky.

Before she could continue, Jace addressed her. “Ms. Young, please explain.”

Demi stiffened, clinging to my arm. “Umm…”

“Just tell the truth,” I urged gently.

She glanced at me nervously, then stepped forward, giving a shaky but straightforward account of the incident.

Afterward, Jace turned to Hayden. “You don’t need to handle this. I’ll speak with your boss.”

Hayden didn’t yield; his tone was firm. “Right now, I’m in charge. If I say there’s compensation, then there will be.”

Jace’s eyes narrowed; a mocking smile touched his lips. “And if I say I’m in charge? Mr. Hart, are you planning to quit?”

It was a trap. Jace was using Hayden’s pride against him. Hayden, a straightforward, no-nonsense man, was ill-equipped for this manipulative game, especially against Jace, who was far more calculating, or Wayne, who possessed a similar ruthlessness.

Watching them gang up on Hayden after his long hours and dedication to the project sickened me. Jace seemed intent on setting him up to fail. It wasn’t just unfair—it was bullying. I could remain silent no longer and stepped forward to speak.