Chapter 74

Lauren's POV

“Wait… so what are you saying now?” I asked, my voice carrying more disbelief than I intended. My mind struggled to process what the manager had just said, as though the words had been spoken in a foreign language I didn’t quite understand.

“Exactly what you heard,” the manager replied, her tone calm yet firm, as though this was a simple matter of business. “You’re being transferred to Italy to work for one of Hale Industries’ branches.”

For a moment, all I could do was stare at her, then let my gaze shift toward the men seated across from her, their expressions unreadable, their silence almost oppressive. It felt like they had delivered a verdict, one that they expected me to accept without question.

Italy.

Did she really expect me to leave everything behind, to cross an ocean just for a job I had barely started? My chest tightened at the thought, my pulse racing as a wave of resistance surged through me.

“Ma’am, wit