Chapter 11: Lori's Suspicions
Back at Morgan Enterprises, the sleek, bustling headquarters was running like a well-oiled machine—or so it appeared on the surface. But behind the scenes, something was off. Lori Sinclair, the sharp-eyed PR director with a reputation for catching the smallest details, had been noticing discrepancies in the internal reports for weeks. They weren't glaring errors, just subtle irregularities that could easily be dismissed if one wasn't paying close attention. But Lori was always paying attention.
She had spent years managing Mila Morgan's public image, carefully sculpting the narrative around Morgan Enterprises, and she had an instinct for when something didn't feel right. And now, as she sat at her desk, reviewing the most recent reports, that familiar unease twisted in her gut.
Deciding she couldn't sit on it any longer, Lori gathered her thoughts and approached Mila's office early one morning. The glass walls of Mila's corner office reflected the city's morning light, but inside, Mila seemed buried under the weight of a thousand other concerns. Between the tension with Drake, the upcoming merger, and the relentless pressure to stay ahead, she looked more stressed than usual. Lori knew her timing wasn't great, but she couldn't ignore the nagging feeling.
"Got a minute?" Lori asked, stepping inside with a careful knock.
Mila didn't look up from the stack of papers on her desk. "Make it quick," she said, her voice tight, clearly preoccupied with something else.
Lori moved closer, placing a few documents on the edge of Mila's desk. "I've been going over the internal reports, and I'm seeing some irregularities in the way certain deals are being handled. It's small—nothing obvious—but enough to raise a red flag. I don't want to sound paranoid, but... I think there might be a leak."
Mila finally looked up, her eyes narrowing slightly. She sat back in her chair, her expression unreadable. "A leak?" she repeated, her tone incredulous. "Lori, I've got enough to deal with right now. There's no leak. Everything's under control."
Lori had expected this. Mila was stressed and defensive, especially after the tensions with Drake at the polo match. Still, Lori pressed on, her voice steady. "I know it's a bad time, but something doesn't add up here. These small discrepancies—they're not mistakes. It's like someone's deliberately shifting information, and I don't think we can afford to ignore it."
Mila's gaze returned to the papers on her desk. "There's nothing to ignore, Lori," she said firmly, dismissing the concern with a wave of her hand. "Penny's handling everything. I trust her."
At the mention of Penny, Lori's unease deepened. She didn't want to believe it, but Penny had been acting strangely lately—quiet, more distant, as if she were hiding something. Lori had noticed the change, but until now, she hadn't thought much of it. Still, the pieces were starting to come together, and Lori couldn't shake the feeling that Penny might be at the center of whatever was going on.
"Mila, I think we should investigate this, at least to be sure," Lori said, her tone more insistent. "Just because you trust Penny doesn't mean—"
"I appreciate the concern," Mila interrupted, her voice cold and final. "But Penny's been by my side since the beginning. If there's a problem, she would've said something. I'm not going to waste time chasing shadows."
Lori hesitated, biting back the urge to push further. Mila's loyalty to Penny was unshakable, and Lori knew better than to press the issue when Mila was this stressed. But something was wrong—Lori could feel it in her bones. And if Mila couldn't see that yet, Lori would have to figure it out on her own.
Reluctantly, she nodded, stepping back from the desk. "Alright," she said quietly. "But if anything else comes up, I'm bringing it to you."
Mila gave a brief nod, already returning to her work. "Fine. But I'm telling you, there's nothing to worry about."
Lori left the office, the cold feeling of unease growing heavier with each step. As she walked down the hall, her mind raced. Mila was blind to the possibility of betrayal—too trusting of Penny, too focused on Drake and the merger to see what might be happening right under her nose. But Lori wasn't the type to ignore her instincts. Something wasn't adding up, and she was determined to get to the bottom of it, whether Mila wanted to or not.
As she made her way back to her own office, Lori decided she'd start keeping a closer eye on Penny. She'd dig through every report, every detail, until she found what didn't belong. She wouldn't let Mila fall into a trap, even if Mila wasn't ready to see the truth yet.
And if Penny Townsend was up to something, Lori would be the one to expose it.
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