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Novel Catalog
Chapter 22
Noel sighed, brushing a strand of hair out of her face as she leaned back in her office chair. “Not yet, still got some things to tie up,” she replied, her voice a bit distracted as she glanced at the pile of unfinished design drafts on her desk.
Mandy’s voice came through the phone, light and cheerful. “Well, when you do leave, do you want to grab dinner? I was thinking we could go to that new restaurant downtown. I heard it’s pretty good.”
Noel hesitated. She could certainly use a break, but something about the thought of spending time with Mandy, who was always so upbeat and optimistic, felt like a fleeting escape from the growing pressure at Starstream. “Sure, why not? I could use a distraction.”
“Great! I’ll make a reservation for us. I’ll see you later then!” Mandy chirped before hanging up.
Noel put her phone down and stared out of the window for a moment, lost in thought. Her mind kept wandering back to the position she had just been handed, and the weight of it was starting to sink in. As CEO, she was supposed to be the leader, the one who called the shots, but she was feeling anything but in control.
The reality of managing Starstream was far from the glamorous image she had once imagined. And Cordy’s sudden promotion of her seemed like a twisted game. She had expected Cordy to throw obstacles her way, but this… This was different. Cordy wasn’t just letting her take charge—she was setting her up for failure.
Noel’s fingers drummed against the desk as she thought about the designs. It had been weeks since Cordy had given her a chance to present them, and still, nothing had come close to impressing her. She had to find a way to turn things around quickly—she couldn’t afford to let Cordy win.
Just then, her phone buzzed again. Another message from Kyle. Noel’s heart skipped a beat, but she quickly opened it, hoping for something that might make her feel better.
“I know things have been rocky between us, but I want to remind you that I’m here for you. Whatever happens with the company, we’re in this together.”
She stared at the message, her lips tight with frustration. Did he think that just because he was still in her life, everything would be fine? Her relationship with Kyle was complicated, and he didn’t get it—he didn’t understand how suffocating it all felt.
Her hand hovered over the phone for a moment before she typed back, “Thanks, but right now I need to focus. We can talk later.”
With that, she locked her phone and stood up, grabbing her jacket. If she was going to make it through this, she needed to take control of the narrative—on her own terms. And maybe, just maybe, she could use the dinner with Mandy to figure out her next move.