⸻
The next day, I walk into the office expecting to hear whispers and murmuring following me. But that's not the case—everyone ignores me and goes about their day.
It's weird, but I'm not really complaining.
I walk up the stairs, stepping into a new wing of the company entirely.
Out of habit, I almost walk into the janitors' changing room before realizing—I'm no longer the cleaning lady. I'm now an assistant.
It sounds crazy, honestly. Being promoted from cleaner to the CEO's assistant and the head of the PR department? Anyone who heard this would think I slept with the boss to get the position.
I guess that's why the other workers believed Kara's lies so easily—because it was unheard of.
I step into an empty office directly next to Julian's. The first thing I notice is a mountain of paperwork on my desk. I sigh. I might have been promoted, but in the end it's still work—maybe even more.
I sit down and start browsing through the paperwork. It's full of media threads still dragging the company, claiming the CEO harasses women, with Sarah as the chief advocate. They say he harassed her because she refused to buy his perfume.
Sarah, knowing full well it's false, hasn't said a word to stop it. She's just letting this dumpster fire keep burning.
I sigh as I read some of the printed comments:
"He's disgusting."
"The perfume is shit, I don't blame her for not buying it."
"The entitlement is real."
This is bad.
And the worst part? This isn't the only thread. There are several more.
I can't believe we did this much damage to his company.
I sit back, brainstorming a way out of this mess. Then it hits me—I know how to fix it.
But it's going to take a while. I finish up the work Julian left on my table, send it to him via email, and head to the break room.
I'm nervous, the events of yesterday replaying in my mind, but I refuse to be intimidated out of using the employee space.
I walk in, and the room immediately goes quiet. Only the clacking of my heels can be heard.
Everyone stares at me. No one says a word.
Weird.
I look around and spot Hanna, Chloe, and Cleo at their table. I join them. The hall is still quiet, only low murmurs filling the space.
"What happened? Why is no one saying anything?" I ask.
They look at me like I'm crazy.
"You don't know?" Hanna asks incredulously.
"Know what?" I frown, confused.
"The boss called everyone in early today and immediately started asking what happened yesterday and why you fainted. At first, no one said anything. Then he said if no one talked, he would dock everyone's pay. Without hesitation, everyone started speaking all at once."
My eyes widen.
"He told everyone to shut up, then asked a girl from design to explain. She told him everything. He looked like someone had insulted his mother."
Chloe adds, "He turned to Kara and told her to explain herself. Why she was spreading false rumors. Of course, in true Kara fashion, she refused to apologize and kept insisting you slept with him, urging him to stop pretending."
"You should've seen him," Hanna says, laughing. "He was fuming. I was waiting for cartoon smoke to come out of his ears. Without wasting time, he immediately put her on probation. Said she shouldn't come back until told otherwise."
"Everyone was shocked. Kara was furious. Then he warned us all—if anyone is caught spreading rumors again, they'll be fired on the spot," Chloe finishes.
What?
I sit there in shock.
He really did all that? But why?
No wonder the room feels like a graveyard. And no wonder Kara's missing.
When our break ends, I return to my desk, still thinking about what Chloe and Hanna told me.
I shake off the thoughts and decide to finish my work so I can put my plan into action.
By the time I'm done, office hours are over. I'm not excited about overtime, so I close my computer, pack up, and leave.
The parking lot is nearly empty, but Julian's car is still there. I pass by and catch the metro home.
The moment I step into my room, I slump on the bed and pass out. Thank goodness it's Friday.
I wake around six in the evening, stretch, and shower. Then I change into shorts and a baggy tee.
My stomach growls, so I head to the kitchen.
As I walk downstairs, I hear laughter. One voice I recognize as Cora's. The other—
Julian?!
I rush down, and sure enough, Julian is standing there with Cora, laughing.
What the hell?
They both look at me. Cora smiles, while Julian's smile fades, something flashing in his eyes before he masks it.
Cora runs over, excited—well, at least one of us is.
"Look who I invited for dinner!" she squeals.
Julian. At my dining table.
"I invited him to thank him for your promotion," she explains.
I nod slowly, finally understanding. Suddenly I feel underdressed. If I'd known he was coming, I'd have worn something else.
Dinner starts, and the atmosphere is painfully awkward. The only sound is cutlery against plates.
Finally, Cora sighs. "Why won't either of you say anything? I threw this dinner so we could thank Julian for your promotion, and so you two could get to know each other. But you haven't said a word."
I glance up and find Julian already staring at me.
I clear my throat. "Thank you for the job. It's much appreciated."
"You're welcome," he replies.
Silence again.
"I hope we can get along now that we're working closely," I add stiffly.
He smirks, amused. "Yes, I hope so too."
Silence again.
"Lovely weather we're having," I blurt.
Why am I talking about the weather?
He chuckles. "Yeah, I suppose it is."
Cora shoots us both a look, then abruptly leaves the room.
Julian stands. "I'll be heading out. Seems like a good signal."
"I'll walk you to the door," I say quickly.
Outside, he turns to me. "I'm glad you're doing better. I would've offered you a day off, but I had a feeling you wouldn't take it."
In the moonlight, his dimples stand out when he smiles. I suddenly want to kiss him.
"I'd say I enjoyed dinner... but that'd be a lie," he jokes.
I sigh. "Yeah, it was bad. Cora's never going to forgive us."
"Probably not," he agrees.
Then his tone shifts. "But I meant what I said in the office. I don't forgive you for what you did. But I understand you're going through a lot too. Just give your all in this new position, and we'll be fine."
I nod. "Thank you—for real this time. It takes a lot to set anger aside and do the right thing. I'll give this role my all."
"That's all I ask."
He steps off the porch, then glances back. "See you Monday?"
"See you Monday," I say softly.
He nods and heads to his car.
I close the door behind me.
Maybe working with him won't be so bad after all
Hey guys!
I'm so sorry for not posting in a while — a lot has been going on, and I was also battling a bit of writer's block.
Thank you so much for being patient with me. I really appreciate it. But the wait is finally over, and here's the new chapter!
I'd love to hear what you think — don't forget to vote, share, and comment. Your support and feedback mean the world to me
I love you all, and I'll see you in the next one!