Bittersweet Symphony

Chapter 64 - Dangerous Game

"Hey, Alexandra, is Alister in yet?" I asked.

"No, why?" she snapped.

I knew she'd revert back to her old ways after Alister and I's relationship went public. "Well, I needed to ask him about the delivery dates next week," I lied. "You know how much I value his opinion."

Alexandra rolled her eyes, "Yeah, I know. Alister is always your go-to person for everything."

"Well, he's the only one I can rely on," I replied, trying not to let her comment get to me. "You know how busy I am with my own projects."

"Yeah, well, he's out for the time being. If you need me to look at the schedule for this week, then I'll gladly do so."

"That's fine, Alexandra. Thanks anyway," I said, trying to keep the edge out of my voice. I knew she was just trying to provoke me, but I wouldn't let her win. "I'll just have to find someone else to ask about it."

I turned around and walked away, feeling a mixture of anger and disappointment. It was frustrating how Alexandra seemed to enjoy causing drama and creating tension among us. I knew Alister and I had our differences, but that didn't mean I should have to deal with this kind of nonsense from his mistress.

Determined to find someone else who could help me with the delivery dates, I went to see our head of marketing, Lisa. She had always been supportive of my ideas and projects since the beginning, so I figured she'd be able to point me in the right direction.

"Lisa, I need some help with the delivery dates next week," I explained, trying to keep my composure. "I was hoping you might have some insight into whether everything is on track or if there are any potential problems we should be aware of."

She listened carefully, nodding her head as I spoke. "Of course, I can look into that for you," she said reassuringly. "I'll get back to you as soon as possible with all the information you need."

Grateful for her understanding and support, I thanked Lisa and went back to my desk. As I sat down, I couldn't help but feel a sense of relief wash over me. At least someone in this office still had my back. My phone rang, catching me off guard. I looked at it, afraid it was my parents again.

"Hello?" I answered cautiously.

"Hey, it's Alister," came the familiar voice on the other end. "I just wanted to check in and see how things were going at work. I heard there was some trouble with the delivery dates."

I took a deep breath before responding. "Yes, I'm aware of that. I was actually just talking to Lisa about it. She's going to get back to me soon."

There was a pause on the other end of the line. "I see. Have you gone by Nexus Financials yet?"

I frowned. "No, not yet. Why? Is there something I should know?"

Alister hesitated. "Well, I was just going through some of the files this morning and I noticed some discrepancies in their reports. It might be worth taking a closer look at before we make any final decisions."

I sat up straighter in my chair. "What kind of discrepancies?"

"Well," he began, "it looks like they might have overestimated their profits for the past quarter. It's possible that the numbers don't add up."

I felt a chill run down my spine. "Are you fucking serious?"

"I'm afraid so," Alister replied. "It's something you should look into. Just to be safe."

I thanked him and hung up the phone, feeling a mixture of shock and disbelief. My parents haven't been telling me much over the past couple of months. It's almost the new year and they're still acting like I'm just a child. If they've been lying about anything dealing with Solarescent, there's a possibility they know exactly what they're doing. I know there's no way they don't.