Douglas Gilbert stood at the threshold in a tailored charcoal suit, his handsome face arranged into just the right amount of apologetic concern.
His gaze drifted between us before settling on me.
A flicker of satisfaction passed through his eyes. Barely perceptible.
Nauseating.
"Get out."
I pointed toward the door.
Cheryl's expression shifted instantly.
"Drew! What kind of way is that to talk to someone?"
She strode over to Douglas and looped her arm through his as if it were second nature.
"Douglas is here to deliver the quarterly report. And this is my office. Who gave you the right to tell him to leave?"
She turned to Douglas, her voice softening. "Ignore Drew. He clearly woke up on the wrong side of the bed today."
Douglas put on an apologetic expression. "I'm sorry, Mr. Dickerson. I didn't realize you two were in the middle of something."
"I'll go."
He made as if to turn, but Cheryl held his arm firmly in place.
"You're not going anywhere." Cheryl shot me a cold glance. "The one who should leave is the person making a scene over nothing."
Douglas lowered his head. The corner of his mouth twitched upward, so faintly it was almost invisible.
The expression vanished in an instant, but I caught it.
Because I knew his games all too well.
Humble on the surface. Calculating underneath.
Ever since he'd joined the company six months ago, he had played the role of the gentle, considerate, reasonable man in front of Cheryl.
And whenever the opportunity arose, he found ways to undermine me, sometimes openly, sometimes behind my back.
"Ms. Delgado, Mr. Dickerson, please don't do this." Douglas's voice was soft, conciliatory. "Mr. Dickerson is probably just in a bad mood. I'll come back later."
The words said one thing. His feet said another. He didn't move an inch.
And just like that, Cheryl's heart went out to him.
She took Douglas by the arm, led him into the office, and sat him down on the sofa.
"Douglas, you're too kind for your own good."
"Drew is clearly the one in the wrong, and you're still making excuses for him."
"You sit right here. You're not the one who needs to leave." She turned on me, her expression ice-cold. "Drew, apologize to Douglas. Now."
I let out a dry laugh.
"Apologize? To him?"
I pointed straight at Douglas.
"Do either of you have any idea what he's been doing behind your backs? That hundred-million-dollar bid we lost last month? That was because of him—"