I Quit Being a Stepmother (Cypress Gem) novel Chapter 500

Chapter 500

Kate’s head snapped toward Carter, surprised that he was actually speaking up for her.

Then again, she thought that it made sense. Carter despised Lauren with a passion, so there was no way they could ever be on the same side.

“Mr. Jamison, I’m just…” Kate sighed, putting on her signature pitiful, bullied expression.

Lauren was about to let loose and call Carter an idiot when he switched gears. “You’re assuming that she has a heart or a brain to begin with. If you ask me, all she’s got is her thick skin. It’s impenetrable, like a fortress wall.

“If we lived in the olden days, we wouldn’t need to have fortified city walls to keep invaders out. We could just send her to deal with them, and she’d be enough to fend off an entire army.”

Kate’s jaw dropped. Carter hadn’t used a single swear word on her, yet the humiliation stung like hell.

Lauren’s anger, which had bubbled to the surface, immediately cooled. She burst into applause, finding Carter slightly less insufferable for the first time in forever. But only just a tiny bit!

Kate’s head buzzed with numbness. She shut her eyes, telling herself that she was deaf so she could block out their voices.

However, the flight was still pure torture for her. She kept glancing at her watch, wishing the plane would just land already.

Lauren’s voice drifted into her ears again. “Someone’s in a hurry. Why don’t you just jump off the plane?”

Kate squeezed her eyes shut again. She willed herself not to listen to Lauren’s nonsense.

She managed to stick it out until the plane landed safely, and she couldn’t get off fast enough. But even after disembarking, she had to line up and wait for all her colleagues to gather so they could head out together.

Up ahead, Rhea appeared. George stood by her side, his tall and broad figure unmissable. He thoughtfully adjusted her coat and said something to her. Kate figured that it was probably some sweet nothings.

The sight made the female employees swoon with envy.

“Look at how happy they are! That’s what real, mutual love looks like. They’re not like a certain someone who thinks they can force their way into another person’s heart, utterly convinced that they’re the perfect match for that person. They have no idea that the other person just wants to steer clear of them!” Lauren said, cupping her face.

Kate’s ears burned with rage, but she clenched her jaw and stayed silent, standing there without saying a single word.

Then, as if a thought struck her, she turned to Carter. “Mr. Jamison, it’s time you let happy now, and I just hope you find someone who’s right for you.”

“Lauren.”

“Yes, Ms. Guthrie?” Lauren hurried over to Heidi.

Heidi said, “That’s enough. Keep going, and someone might think you’re being a bully.”

Her words shut down the colleagues who were about to call Lauren out. It would be better to stay out of other people’s drama, especially when they didn’t know the full story. They didn’t want to get dragged into the fray.

At the hotel, the project team and the translation team were supposed to be on different floors.

But when Kate got her room key, she realized that she’d been put on a completely different floor, and she was alone.

Wasn’t this blatant isolation? Were they actually trying to bully her in the workplace?

She pulled out her phone and launched the company group chat.