Chapter 18

The guy heard Alexander and clammed up, not daring to say another word.

The man snapped, "Alright, hurry up and ask. We're about to clock out; don't waste my time."

Zoey's face darkened, her tone sharper. "You know Lawrence pretty well, don't you?"

She figured since Lawrence ran his own supermarket and made this guy the team leader, they must have some personal connection.

The man answered, "We're just boss and employee."

Alexander saw the guy's impatience and leaned in with a grin. "You know, your body language says a lot. You act indifferent, but deep down, you must really hate Lawrence. Spill it."

He seemed to read the guy like a book.

The guy got more agitated but hid it well. "You're wrong. Why would I hate him? I've never said anything like that."

Alexander was about to retort, but Zoey jumped in first. "A guy like him, being a useless team leader at his age, is still so full of himself. He thinks we're beneath him, only caring about his image. What can we get from him? Let's not waste our time."

She stood up and mocked him, "Wow, team leader of a supermarket, huh? Impressive."

Alexander couldn't help but mentally give Zoey a thumbs up.

The guy suddenly stood up, fuming. "What are you saying?"

He raised his voice, catching the attention of a janitor passing by.

The janitor peeked in and asked, "Everything okay?"

The guy nodded, signaling the janitor to leave.

Once the door closed, he realized he'd lost his cool and glared at Zoey. "You know what? You asked the right person! Why did I say I wasn't close to Lawrence? Because it's embarrassing to know him! He's a freak, bringing women's wigs and clothes every day. Is that normal? We're all guys here; we get that everyone has their quirks. If he brought a blow-up doll, fine, but those things? I can't stand it!"

He started ranting about Lawrence, and Alexander quickly took notes.

Zoey and Alexander were in sync.

She calmly asked, "How many times have you seen this?"

The guy, still annoyed by Lawrence's behavior, replied with emotion, "Too many times! It's just the two of us in the office every day; I see everything he does. I have to pretend not to notice because I work for him. But yeah, he's definitely a pervert. So I'm not surprised you're asking about him."

Alexander asked, "Besides you, is Lawrence close to anyone else?"

The guy scoffed, "I don't know, and let me make it clear again, he's not close to me! He's so cheap he brings his own lunch from home. It's gross, like he's some kind of housewife."

Alexander pressed on, "When does he usually leave here?"

The guy replied, "He's the boss, so he leaves right after work. He won't stay a second longer, leaving all the dirty work to us!"

His words dripped with disdain for Lawrence.

Alexander and Zoey asked a few more questions, but it was clear they weren't getting much more, so they wrapped it up.

Alexander said, "Thanks for your cooperation."

The guy puffed up, "You should, only I can give you this info. No one else deals with him!" He turned to see them out, then paused. "By the way, what did Lawrence do?"

Alexander replied politely, "Sorry, we can't disclose that."

The guy huffed, "So you use me and then toss me aside? Fine!"

Alexander felt a surge of irritation.

Zoey, not wanting to waste more time, glanced at Alexander. "Are we done here?"

Alexander nodded, "Yeah."

"Then let's go." Zoey and Alexander were both interns, but she acted like she was in charge.

Alexander didn't mind the details.

As they stepped out, Zoey's voice cut through the air. "For the first time, I get why emotional intelligence matters. If a teenager talked like this, I'd get it. But you're in your thirties and still act like this? No wonder you're just a team leader. From the half-hour I've spent with you, I see why you haven't gotten further."

Alexander was so mad he pointed at Zoey. "Say that again!"

"Didn't I make myself clear? Is it that you don't like hearing the truth, or you can't face it?" Zoey didn't hold back, making Alexander feel a bit satisfied.

Zoey added, "And if you insult me again, I can arrest you for insulting a police officer!"

Hearing this, the guy's arrogance deflated. "I gave you all the info I had, and this is how you treat me?"

Zoey blinked innocently. "What did I do? I didn't curse or hit you. I just told you the truth. Why are you so hostile? Maybe you should look at yourself."

Alexander paused, wanting to hear more.

Zoey's tone was calm, even smiling, as she scolded the guy.

His face darkened with anger.

He glared at Zoey, "I'm gonna teach you a lesson today!"

"What do you think you're doing?" Alexander reacted quickly, intercepting the guy's hand mid-air, his tall frame shielding Zoey.