Candace felt like she was losing her mind and struggling to believe what she saw. She meticulously compared the two documents over and over again.
To her shock, she found that apart from a few punctuation marks and some incorrect words, the rest were practically identical!
Cheriseâs handwriting was so elegant and neat that it almost seemed printed.
Candace couldn't believe what she was seeing! It was as though Cherise had simply copied and pasted from the original document!
Candace took a deep breath, her gaze locked on Cherise. âThis...this is insane! No way someone could be this good!â
You see, Candace had been Damienâs pick for assistant in the office because of her exceptional memory. Sheâd stood out among everyone else. But now, her outstanding performance paled in comparison to Cheriseâs!
âIt's crazy...| canât wrap my head around this!â Candace exclaimed, disbelief written all over her face. How could Cherise, a dork, be so darn good?
Candace clenched her teeth and declared, âThis doesnât count! She must've cheated! She must have read Lennonâs texts beforehand and memorized it!â
Cherise saw Candaceâs meltdown coming. With a smile, she looked directly at Candace. âIf you think | cheated, how about you provide a document and read it to me, and I'll write?â
Cheriseâs decision to let Candace set her own challenge was a direct snub to her opponent.
The department fell silent, even those from other departments pausing to watch the tense exchange.
âMan, Mrs. Lenoir is no pushover. Just look at how gracefully sheâs handling Candaceâs challenge. There arenât many women in the company who can match her.â
Candace stood before Cherise, face drained of color. Despite Cheriseâs shorter stature, she seemed to loom over Candace at that moment, exuding an aura of dominance.
With great reluctance and a touch of contempt, she uttered, âFine. You win.â
It was clear that Cheriseâs reaction wasnât that of a cheater. Pressing the matter further would only lead to humiliation for Candace.
Candace took a deep breath, stepping back from Cherise and bowing deeply. Candace stepped back and offered a respectful bow. âI concede. | owe you an apology, Mrs. Lenoir. | shouldnât have doubted you or coveted Mr. Lenoir. I'll resign after today. Iâm sorry,â
As Candace turned to leave, whispers filled the room. Cherise called out to her, her brow furrowed. âHey, Candace.â
Candace froze, her back to Cherise. âWhat else can | do for you, Mrs. Lenoir?â
âYou know, Mr. Lenoir didnât move you out of this role because you lack skills. I've honed my memory and literacy over years of study. So, donât doubt yourself; youâre still great.â Cherise interjected, her tone earnest.
Cheriseâs smile persisted as she added, âAnd hey, even if you do leave Lenoir Group someday, donât let it get you down.
Honestly, if | were you, | wouldnât quit. On the contrary, I'll prove to everyone, through my own sweat and toil, that Iâm just as good as anyone else.â
When Cherise finished, a few of Candaceâs coworkers, who were also close friends, rallied around her, grabbing her arm.
âAbsolutely, Candace! Quitting is like admitting defeat. You're not going to do that, right?â
Lennon exhaled sharply, checking his watch. âItâs ten already. Letâs wrap this up! Everyone, back to work!â