Memories Drifted Like Paper Boats by Zyra Cole 75

Chapter 75 

“I’ve already packed up my stuff. If the company tanks, I’m just gonna bail. Wonder if we’ll even get our last paycheck,” another person sighed. 

“Didn’t Design Harmony just get a new CEO? Never even caught a glimpse of her, someone else complained. 

“The PR team’s busy? Are they just trying to keep the news about Aubree’s suicide under wraps? But I didn’t see any media hanging around the hospital, Edwina wondered. 

Edwina, not one to strike up conversations, finally spoke up. “Hey, is something going on with the company?” 

The group turned to her like she was from another planet. “You seriously don’t know?” 

Edwina shook her head. “I’m just a new intern in the design department. I wasn’t here yesterday.” 

“An intern? Man, that’s even worse. You might not even get anything out of this internship,” one of them said. 

They dropped their voices, gossiping, “It’s Aubree Maxwell, CEO. There’s a rumor she was hooking up with a pretty boy. They even got caught on camera heading into a hotel together. 

“Her reputation in the industry was already trashed. She’s got a husband and a kid, but still did something like this. 

“Now that everything’s blown up, there’s no way to fix it. She ended up taking her life in her office.” 

The elevator doors slid open, and everyone started filing out. 

“Intern, aren’t you getting off? Where are you headed?” someone asked, eyeing her curiously. The only floor above was Aubree’s office. 

“I need to grab a file,” Edwina said, making up an excuse on the spot. She let the doors close behind her and made her way straight to CEO’s office. 

Edwina wondered, ‘Cheating with a pretty boy? 

‘Is it the man I saw waiting outside the hospital room? I think his name is Wade Ortega. I don’t think Aubree would ever catch feelings for a kid like that, let alone get mixed up in a scandal like this.’ 

Edwina booted up Aubree’s computer. Even though it was password–protected, she cracked it in no time. She logged into Aubree’s WhatsApp and started scrolling through her chats with Wade. 

If they really had something shady going on, it would definitely show up here. 

There were plenty of messages back and forth, but most of the time, it was Wade doing all the talking, with Aubree only replying every now and then. 

Wade had just graduated from Grindel University’s design program. He came from a poor family and had been bullied at school for years. 

Aubree noticed him because of his submitted design work, which carried a kind of carved–out, hopeless 

sorrow. 

4:4 

Chapter 75 

“I’ve already packed up my stuff. If the company tanks, I’m just gonna bail. Wonder if we’ll even get our last paycheck,” another person sighed. 

“Didn’t Design Harmony just get a new CEO? Never even caught a glimpse of her, someone else complained. 

“The PR team’s busy? Are they just trying to keep the news about Aubree’s suicide under wraps? But I didn’t see any media hanging around the hospital, Edwina wondered. 

Edwina, not one to strike up conversations, finally spoke up. “Hey, is something going on with the company?” 

The group turned to her like she was from another planet. “You seriously don’t know?” 

Edwina shook her head. “I’m just a new intern in the design department. I wasn’t here yesterday.” 

“An intern? Man, that’s even worse. You might not even get anything out of this internship,” one of them said. 

They dropped their voices, gossiping, “It’s Aubree Maxwell, CEO. There’s a rumor she was hooking up with a pretty boy. They even got caught on camera heading into a hotel together. 

“Her reputation in the industry was already trashed. She’s got a husband and a kid, but still did something like this. 

“Now that everything’s blown up, there’s no way to fix it. She ended up taking her life in her office.” 

The elevator doors slid open, and everyone started filing out. 

“Intern, aren’t you getting off? Where are you headed?” someone asked, eyeing her curiously. The only floor above was Aubree’s office. 

“I need to grab a file,” Edwina said, making up an excuse on the spot. She let the doors close behind her and made her way straight to CEO’s office. 

Edwina wondered, ‘Cheating with a pretty boy? 

‘Is it the man I saw waiting outside the hospital room? I think his name is Wade Ortega. I don’t think Aubree would ever catch feelings for a kid like that, let alone get mixed up in a scandal like this.’ 

Edwina booted up Aubree’s computer. Even though it was password–protected, she cracked it in no time. She logged into Aubree’s WhatsApp and started scrolling through her chats with Wade. 

If they really had something shady going on, it would definitely show up here. 

There were plenty of messages back and forth, but most of the time, it was Wade doing all the talking, with Aubree only replying every now and then. 

Wade had just graduated from Grindel University’s design program. He came from a poor family and had been bullied at school for years. 

Aubree noticed him because of his submitted design work, which carried a kind of carved–out, hopeless 

sorrow. 

11:34 Fri, Jan 23 

Chapter 75 

677 

Vouchers 

Aubree couldn’t help but feel for him, so she broke the rules and took him under her wing, giving him feedback on his designs whenever she could. 

It was supposed to be a classic warm story, but Edwina just couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off. 

Wade wrote: [Aubree, you don’t have to keep helping me out with money. The café already paid me for my holiday shifts. I got yelled at a lot, but I am happy to get paid.] 

Edwina frowned and thought, ‘Why does this sound like he’s trying to play the victim? Aubree’s CEO, but he keeps talking to her like they’re super close. 

Wade: [Aubree, I’m really sorry for calling you sis in front of everyone at work. I know it probably made things awkward for you. 

[My sister passed away when I was little. Whenever you look out for me, I just can’t help but think of her.] 

He even sent a voice message, his voice thick with tears. 

Edwina’s frown deepened. She thought, ‘Seriously, does every tragedy in the world just happen to him or what? 

‘There’s definitely something off about Wade.‘ 

Edwina scrolled back to the day they first added each other on WhatsApp. It was right after Otis Davidson got fired. 

Edwina sent Kurt a task, asking him to dig into Wade’s family background. No matter what happened to Design Harmony, Edwina wasn’t about to let Aubree spend the rest of her life haunted by this kind of scandal. 

The office door was slammed open. 

Roland, looking cocky as hell, stopped dead in his tracks when he saw Edwina. For a split second, his eyes burned with hatred, but he quickly covered it up with a fake smile. 

“Miss Lennox, what brings you here?” Roland blurted out, his cocky grin faltering for a moment. 

Edwina arched an eyebrow, leaning back in her chair. “Do you mean that I don’t belong here? Does that mean that this space should belong to you?” 

She deliberately mocked him. 

Roland’s expression flickered, but he managed a sycophantic smile. “Come on, Miss Lennox, you’re the boss. I wouldn’t dare think otherwise.” 

“Why are you here?” Edwina shot back. 

Roland said, “Aubree’s out of the picture, and someone has to keep things moving. The board just made it official, I’m the new general manager, taking over her duties. 

“Of course, I have to come to this office that is technically meant for the GM. 

11:34 Fri, Jan 23 

Chapter 75 

“Miss Lennox, honestly, if you could come back and take the reins, it’d be a huge relief for all of us.” 

“Is that so?” Edwina gave him a cool look, stood up, and strode right over to Roland. 

She poked him in the shoulder, her voice dripping with disdain. “Mr. Prichard, about that board appointment… I don’t approve.” 

Those words wiped that phony grin clean off Roland’s face. 

His whole body went rigid, then twisted with anger as he clenched his fists. “Why? Miss Lennox, I’ve busted my ass at Design Harmony for over ten years. 

“When they promoted a woman who’s only been here a few years to GM, I sucked it up. 

“But you’ve only been here a month. What gives you the right to decide my fate?” 

Edwina gave him a cold, almost mocking look, her voice calm and unhurried. “I own the largest stake in this 

company. 

“The largest shareholder has the right to veto at the board meeting. Roland, if I say you’re not getting the GM position, you’re not getting it.” 

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