Rebirth on a Cliff: No Drone, No Mercy

"You're still carrying around this crappy old thing?" Melissa sneered disdainfully at the charm, dangling it in the air. "You won't even save a dog. What's the point of having this? God isn't going to protect someone as cruel as you."

"Give it back!" I scrambled to my feet and lunged toward her.

Startled, Melissa stepped back, but she still hurled the charm with all her strength. It flew through the air and dropped straight into the blazing campfire.

"No!" My mind went blank. I reached into the flames without thinking. The fire singed my hair, and the back of my hand seared in pain.

By the time I pulled the charm out, half of it was already charred. The word "peace" that my dad carved on the back was now blurred.

I clutched the scorched wood against my chest, tears streaming down my face.

"Oh, come on. It's just a piece of wood. Is it really worth crying over?" Melissa folded her arms and laughed. "If you'd just agreed to search for Max earlier, this wouldn't have happened. See, this is all your own fault."

I slowly lifted my head. The fire roared, and inside me, flames burned just as fiercely.

"Melissa." My voice was hoarse. "You'd better pray your dog comes back alive. If not, I'll make sure you pay for this."

Melissa flinched, but quickly straightened her posture. "Who are you threatening? Mr. Woodruff, look at her. She refuses to help, and now she's trying to intimidate me!"

Mr. Woodruff frowned and waved his hand dismissively. "That's enough, Lauren. Haven't you embarrassed yourself enough? If you won't search for the dog, then stop getting in the way.

"When we're back at the office, I'll dock your entire month's performance bonus. Now, pack up your junk and leave the campsite."

I stared at them, then suddenly laughed. "Fine. I'll go."

I kept the burned charm carefully, ignoring my dirty backpack scattered on the ground.

"Wait!" Melissa called after me.

She pulled a document and a pen from her bag. "You can leave, but you have to sign this first."

It was a handwritten disclaimer that read, "Lauren Brooks deliberately destroyed the search equipment, causing Max's disappearance. Therefore, Lauren Brooks agrees to bear full responsibility for compensation."

I laughed in exasperation. "Have you lost your mind? I'm not signing that. What are you going to do about it?"

Melissa smirked and gave Greg a look. Greg immediately stepped forward with several male colleagues and surrounded me.

Melissa leaned close and whispered in my ear, "If you don't sign today, I'll strip you naked and throw you into the woods. Let the wild boars have a taste of you."

I looked at the men circling around me. Some avoided my gaze, others watched with amusement.

We were in the middle of the jungle, where there were no surveillance cameras.

I forced myself to stay calm. My hand reached into my pocket, pressing the switch on my voice recorder. It was the one I usually used for meetings.

"Melissa, this is extortion," I said with deliberate slowness. "I kicked my own drone into the lake. Your dog ran off on its own. Why should I be responsible?"

Melissa laughed like I had just told a joke. "Extortion? Go ahead and report me! You've got no evidence. Your phone's in Mr. Woodruff's pocket. Who's going to prove that I forced you?"

She leaned in smugly, jabbing her finger into my shoulder.