Larry didn't look at the folder right away. He kept watching her, and it was only after a long beat that his eyes dropped to the pages. He flipped through them with slow, unhurried motions, like he had all the time in the world to decide whether her work mattered.
"You did these changes yourself?" he asked finally.
"Yes," she replied.
He hummed. "And you're sure these figures are accurate?" His voice was dry, and bored, yet one could tell he was looking for the tiniest mistake to point at.
"I triple-checked them."
Larry set the file down, leaning back in his chair again. "You see, Ms. Monroe, this is where you confuse me. You do the work….. good work, sometimes even excellent. But then…" His gaze sharpened, cutting into her. "…you walk in here like you're waiting for everyone to realize you're better than the job."
Celeste's jaw tightened, but she didn't give him the satisfaction of replying.
