Swapping a Broken Heart for a New Start novel Chapter 802

Harper Thompson’s mind finally caught up with what had just happened, but her nerves were so frayed that she dropped her phone in shock.

At that very moment, a stern, no-nonsense voice boomed from the phone’s speakers.

“Ms. Thompson, this is the Research Institute’s internal review committee.

Half a month ago, your team became the subject of controversy due to a data error, which forced us to intervene.

After extensive data recovery and thorough investigation, the evidence is clear: the person who tampered with the data was not Camila, but you.

Camila is innocent. Because of your personal vendetta, you sabotaged a colleague, delayed the entire team’s progress, and even caused innocent people to get hurt.

Following a decision by senior management, you are hereby terminated. The Institute will never rehire you. Ms. Thompson, report immediately to complete your exit paperwork. This is official notification.”

The call ended with a cold, final click.

Harper stood frozen, her face drained of color.

“No… no, this can’t be happening. You can’t fire me! I can explain—”

Shaking, she scrambled to pick up her phone, desperate to plead her case.

But all she heard was the dull, steady beep of a disconnected line.

Once the Institute issued a termination, there was no room for negotiation.

She couldn’t lose this job.

Only now did true fear settle in. This position was her entire career, everything she’d worked for after years of relentless effort. It was her leverage, her ticket into the upper echelons of society.

Without it, what reason would Benjamin Torres have to stay with her? How could she ever dream of marrying into the Torres family?

What was she supposed to do now?

Panic overtook her. Almost without thinking, Harper dropped to her knees in front of Lavinia Roberts. “Ms. Roberts, please! You have to help me—I can’t be fired! Please, I can’t lose this job!”

Lavinia’s face was a storm of anger and contempt after hearing the contents of the call. Harper, this fool, couldn’t even handle a simple task. She’d been told to frame Camila Davis, and she couldn’t even cover her tracks—now she’d gotten herself caught as well. Utter incompetence.

“People like her don’t belong in a place with any integrity.”

“Poetic justice. Thank God the Institute saw through the lies…”

“Security! Get her out, now!”

The room was thick with hostility—more than Harper had ever faced in her life.

It felt as if she’d been stripped bare and tossed into a crowd, waiting for judgment. All she felt was shame, humiliation, and a bone-deep terror.

Her only hope now was Lavinia Roberts.

Lavinia was the only one who could save her.

Clinging to that last thread, Harper turned her pleading gaze to Lavinia, desperate for her to speak up—after all, everything she’d done had been under Lavinia’s instructions…

“Ms. Roberts…”