chapter78

Josef had honestly thought that whole tray of coffee was about to end up all over Lydia. He was stunned by how quickly she moved.

"I'm so sorry! Are you okay?" The girl steadied the tray, then bent over and apologized, panic all over her face.

Lydia had dodged most of it, but some of the hot coffee still splashed onto her hand, leaving angry red marks on her pale skin. The girl saw what happened and looked even more flustered, her eyes going watery with guilt. "I'm really sorry, that was totally my fault. I can pay for your medical bills, please let me.

Lydia shook her head, gentle but firm. "I'm fine. But you why aren't you at your station during work hours?"

A quick glance at the girl's badge showed her name and title. Design Assistant, Jenny.

Jenny hesitated, stumbling over her words. "I... I just started here. It's only been two months, and I'm still an intern. I'm not that great at the job yet, so I help out with coffee and little things to keep everyone going."

Lydia nodded, thoughtful. "Alright. You can go back in."

Jenny's eyes lingered on Lydia's reddened fingers, her guilt only deepening. "I'm really sorry. I swear I didn't mean to. Let me pay for your medical bills. Whatever it costs, I'll cover it."

"That's not necessary." "But-"

Josef cut in. "Ms. Norwood is very busy. You should get back to work."

Lydia and Josef walked off, but Jenny just stood there, coffee tray in hand, still in shock. Ms. Norwood? Did that mean she's the new president? But she looked so young. And she was so pretty, with such a kind heart. Was that really their new boss? She must be seriously impressive.

The guilt gnawed at Jenny. Mr. Norwood had been burned because of her, yet hadn't blamed her or accepted any offer to pay for it. Jenny felt like she needed to do something to make up for it, or she'd never be able to let it go.

In the elevator, Josef glanced at Lydia. "Mr. Norwood, your hand... is it alright?"

It's nothing, Lydia replied. I already ran it under cold water. It's fine.

Josef was honestly in awe. Lydia was so young, but she carried herself with real poise and a calm confidence. Now he understood why headquarters had sent her. Maybe, just maybe, she was exactly what the company needed to turn things around.

The production department was a whole different world compared to the design floor. Everyone was in uniform, heads down, busy at their stations. Peter, the production director, must have gotten a heads-up, because he was waiting at the door with a big grin the second Lydia walked in.

"Ms. Norwood, you're really something special. Young and talented. With you leading Greenward Power, we're sure to stand out in the industry. Our competitors won't know what hit them."

Lydia just smiled at the over-the-top praise. "Let's go inside and take a look."

She could tell right away Peter was the type who talked a big game but probably wasn't as clever as he thought.

The materials they used in production were excellent, all supplied by headquarters, easily the best in the business. But the styles were outdated, out of step with current trends, and the workmanship left a lot to be desired.

After she finished her inspection, Lydia headed to the finance department. The finance director was waiting for her too. She could see the hint of condescension in his eyes, even though he acted respectful enough. Lydia didn't waste time on small talk. "Bring me the financial statements for the past six months."

She scanned through the reports, her eyes narrowing as she read. The numbers didn't lie. The company was losing money.

She looked up at the finance director, Colt. "So the company lost twenty-three million in the first half of the year?"