He heard the click of her mouse. And then again. And again. And somehow each time it sounded louder, more explosive.
"Ten years," she said to no one.
Finn turned fully toward her, abandoning any pretense of working. Something was very wrong.
"Ten years of working twice as hard for half the recognition." Her voice grew louder with each word. "Of smiling through every condescending comment. Of proving over and over that I deserve to be here."
She was pacing now, gripping a pen so tightly the plasticstarted to bend. Finn had never seen her like this. Not during twelve-hour workdays, not during failed experiments, not even when the board had compressed their timeline.
"I've sacrificed everything," she continued, fury radiating from every word. She wasn't talking to him. She might have forgotten he was even there. This was Elena arguing with someone who wasn't in the room, maybe multiple someones. The pen creaked ominously in her grip. "They want to destroy me?" she demanded, her voice rising with each word. "They want to throw me away like I'm nothing?"
The pen in her hand gave one last whimper. Finn watched, mesmerized, as Elena's fury built toward its inevitable climax. The board had been toying with her life for months, but something had finally broken her composure.
It was terrifying and magnificent and oddly moving, like watching a force of nature manifest in human form. Then she stood abruptly, throwing the mangled pen down with such force that it bounced off her desk and skittered across the floor.
"Voy a destruir a ese maldito hijo de puta. Le voy a hacer mierda a ese cabrón!"
Finn didn't know what any of those words meant, but somehow he knew exactly what she said.
Also, he may have been a little turned on.
The realization was inconvenient and probably inappropriate given the circumstances, but undeniable. There was something breathtaking about Elena fully unleashed. But he was left with a question: what had caused Elena to blow up like that?
The silence that followed Elena's Spanish tirade was deafening. Then the lab door opened with its usual soft whoosh.
Paul Thompson took one step inside and froze. His gaze landed on Elena, who had moved back to her desk. Paul’s face carried the expression of a boy who was about to tell his momabout the football he accidentally threw through the neighbor’s window.
He was holding a cafeteria tray that carried a single cup of black coffee surrounded by what appeared to be every coffee-related item from the break room. Every variant of the sugar packets. Artificial sweeteners in yellow, blue, and pink. Three types of creamer. A small container of milk.
The tray trembled as Paul slowly approached Elena's desk. Coffee sloshed dangerously close to the rim. Whatever Paul had done, it must have been catastrophic. "Elena," Paul said, setting the tray down like it contained live explosives. "I... I brought you coffee."
Elena's eyes narrowed to slits, studying him with the intensity of a panther.
Paul swallowed audibly. "I don't know how you take it, so I brought... everything." He gestured at his collection of condiments. "There's probably something there you like?"
Elena said nothing, just continued staring at him with that terrifying intensity.
Paul cleared his throat. "About the posting?—"
Posting?Finn's attention sharpened.
"—the lead researcher position." Paul's voice carried an edge of disgust.
"David's behavior is completely out of line. Using his board position to settle personal grievances? It's unprofessional at best, actionable at worst."
Lead researcher? Elena's position?The pieces started clicking together in Finn's mind.
Paul continued, "I want you to know I've filed a formal complaint with HR. This whole situation is unethical."
Elena moved, reaching for the coffee.
"To be honest, it's fucking ridiculous,"Paul said, the profanity startling coming from him. "He's already made your job hard enough with this accelerated deadline, and then he has the gall to post your position before you're even gone?"
The last piece slammed into place. David Turner was systematically destroying Elena's career.
Paul shook his head in shame. "I just want you to know I've got your back."
Elena reached for the coffee with deliberate slowness. She added milk and a packet of sugar. The silence stretched as she took a sip, then set the cup down with careful precision. "I’ll figure something out. I’m not going down this easy," she announced, her voice steady but quiet. "This was nice of you, Paul. Thank you."
