Chapter 3

I walked down the storm-lashed street under a black umbrella.

The wind whipped the standing water off the pavement and flung it hard against my pant legs.

Right then my phone buzzed. It was Mr. Finch, the HR director at the new company.

"Nora, we've checked all your onboarding details on our end. Everything's in order."

"How's the handover going with your old company?"

I looked down at the ER note in my hand, my voice easy. "It all went smoothly, Mr. Finch."

"I've already cut off all my core access."

Mr. Finch laughed warmly. "Good. A senior manager like you is exactly what our team needs."

I hung up. I'd just stepped out through the hospital doors when my phone buzzed again.

A message from Narelle Fox, with a photo of the office floor covered in muddy water.

Attached was a voice message transcribed to text, dripping with self-pity.

"Nora, those black rain boots are so ugly, and they rub my feet raw."

"Can I really not just borrow your clogs to switch into? I'll only wear them at my desk, I swear I won't walk around."

I stared at the message, and a wave of pure irritation rose in me.

What exactly was her obsession with my clogs?

Or had she planned all along to lose the baby today, so she needed an excuse to pin it on someone else?

I typed back directly.

"Admin records show you already picked up your rain boots today."

"Please wear them in strict accordance with company safety regulations."

"If you refuse to wear them for personal reasons and any accident results, the responsibility is your own."

Five minutes later, Narelle posted an update to her social feed.

In the picture, she was still wearing those soaked soft-leather flats.

The caption read: "Some senior colleagues have hearts colder than the rain in a typhoon. Do new hires just deserve to be left out in the cold?"

Edgar Mason liked it almost right away.

Then two coworkers, the type who always tried to smooth things over, sent me private messages.

"Nora, you're really being too hard today."

"Narelle's in tears. Lending her a pair of shoes wouldn't cost you a thing."

"We all have to keep working together. Don't sour the relationship this much."

I looked at all this self-righteous advice, and a smile tugged at the corner of my mouth.

I switched back to the company group chat, my fingers flying across the screen, and sent one last message.

"Attention, everyone."

"There's serious water leaking in the hallways and lobby. The floors are extremely slippery."

"Don't take any chances. Safety first."

Once it sent, I turned on Do Not Disturb for the group.

Then I dropped the phone into my bag and took a cab home.

Back home, I took a hot shower and changed into dry, comfortable loungewear.

Outside, the rain hammered against the glass in a steady clatter.

The wind howled, tearing at the crowns of the trees along the road.

I brewed a steaming cup of black tea and settled back into the soft couch.

Quietly, I watched the second hand on the wall tick forward, notch by notch.

The time crept toward five thirty.

In my last life, this was the exact moment Narelle rushed for the time clock and slammed hard onto the floor.

I lifted my cup and took a sip of the warm black tea.

This time, I wanted to see just how she planned to keep this little show going.