Chapter 16: Chapter 16: Not Avoiding Anything

*Lena*

As soon as I walked into the office, I knew something was wrong. This was becoming a recurring situation.

The usual morning chatter was replaced with hushed whispers, and people huddled around their desks, staring intently at their screens. I felt a knot tighten in my stomach as I made my way toward my desk, trying to catch snippets of conversation.

“Can you believe it? Mike really went there,” someone muttered.

“I always thought Eason was too good to be true,” another voice said, laced with doubt.

The knot in my stomach twisted even tighter. Something happened involving Eason. My pace quickened. By the time I reached my desk, my hands were trembling. I opened my laptop and the headline that popped up on the news feed made my blood run cold.

"Eason Elrod Accused of Sabotage by Teammate Mike Adams—Allegations of Foul Play Surface."