Chapter 8 Our eyes met , and Leo froze for a moment . I let out a small , bitter laugh . " What a coincidence . " Everyone has a limit to their tolerance for pain , and once you reach it , the pain seems to vanish . Faced with the absurdity of this moment , I realized I could feel nothing but calm . A flash of discomfort crossed Melody's face , quickly masked as she gave a gentle smile . " Sorry , Laura . I was only joking just now . You don't mind , do you ? " I looked directly at Leo , my voice quiet . " I don't think it was a joke . After all , he didn't even come with me to my prenatal checkup because he was here with you . " Only then did Leo seem to remember that today was my checkup . His chest tightened with guilt as he rushed to explain , " I'm sorry , I didn't check my phone … " As he stepped closer , I instinctively took a step back . " It's fine , " I said , and even smiled again . " You two can carry on . " With that , I turned and walked away , my pace quickening with each step . Suddenly , a hand grabbed my arm , forcing me to stop and look back . Leo's gaze softened as he took in the redness around my eyes . His voice was gentler than before . " I'm sorry , I was just too busy to check the time , and Melody had a fever . She's alone here with no one to rely on , so I couldn't leave her … " In that moment , Leo's apology cut deeper than any of his cold words ever had . Melody was his friend , but wasn't I his wife ? Wasn't I carrying his child ?. The December chill seeped through me , draining the last bit of warmth from my body . My voice came out low and hoarse . " No need to apologize . Go keep her company . " Leo was taken aback . I managed a smile , one tinged with an indescribable bitterness . " Leo , have you ever heard Lis of three , the one who isn't loved is the true third party ? " Chapter " In your eyes , am I nothing more than a third party ? " My question was sincere , but Leo's brow furrowed tightly . He denied it instinctively . " Stop talking nonsense . There's nothing between us anymore . " I almost laughed . I was exhausted from laughing in just these few minutes . If anyone was spouting nonsense , it was him . I shook my head and spoke slowly , each word clear . " You told me to think carefully about divorce before making a decision . Well , I've thought it through . " " After the Christmas , let's get a divorce . " We could each retain some dignity , and this would grant my love for him a final grace period . With that , I walked away , disappearing into the crowd . Leo watched my determined figure retreating against the flow of people , feeling an inexplicable emptiness in his heart . Yet for some reason , he couldn't make himself take a single step toward me . The sky was dark and heavy the next morning . Early on , I received a notice for a board meeting . As I entered the conference room , I paused , my gaze sweeping across the directors who were already seated . Leo was at the head of the table , with Melody by his side . Everyone wore a serious expression , as if they had been awaiting my arrival . A sense of foreboding washed over me . After I took my seat , a board / member immediately spoke up . " Laura , there has been a report accusing you of taking kickbacks during last year's Forest Light Hotel project . Do you have anything to say ? " My mind went blank for a few seconds before I responded in disbelief . " Kickbacks ? Really ? " . Chapter 8 Suppressing my initial shock , I replied coolly , " I don't know who made the accusation . audited when it closed , and I handed over all However , the finances for that it were the reports to Melody afterward . " I paused , scanning the room . " I have always worked diligently . Even if I have no great achievements , I've put in hard work . Yet here we are , with such a grand setup to accuse me without any evidence . " At that moment , Melody spoke up . " Actually , I never received the Forest Light Hotel documents . Laura , you didn't hand them over to me . " I looked at Melody's calm expression and immediately understood . This woman had orchestrated the entire setup . I let out a cold laugh . " Melody , be careful with your words . Are you prepared to take responsibility for what you're saying ? " Melody's expression faltered briefly before she replied in a soft , hurt tone , " Laura , I'm just a newcomer . There's no need to be so aggressive toward me . " My vulnerable demeanor only made me appear more unreasonably hostile . Not wanting to argue pointlessly , I turned directly to Leo . " Mr. Reed , I have never made a mistake with my files . Since the documents vanished after I handed them over to Melody , shouldn't she bear the responsibility ? " Melody's face turned pale . All eyes turned to Leo , who sat at the head of the table , his expression unreadable . After a long pause , he finally spoke , his voice cold . " Laura , you're suspended pending investigation . Don't come to the office for the time being . " Chapter 9 Title: ReelTalk EP11-From Memory Lane to Fast Lanes Author: CrushReel Genre: Romance Status: ongoing Embark on an exhilarating journey alongside Luke Charles Stafford as he navigates from the heartland of the Midwest to the glitzy realm of Hollywood in "ReelTalk EP11-From Memory Lane to Fast Lanes" by CrushReel. This ongoing romantic tale delves into the intertwined lives of characters amidst contrasting backdrops, promising a narrative rich in depth and emotion. Within this captivating episode, Luke's transition from a quaint Midwestern setting to the bustling streets of Hollywood unveils layers of personal growth and unforeseen encounters. 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