HARPER
"Fired?" I mumbled out the word, quite not believing my ears. I looked at Owen with wide eyes.
My brows furrowed and I shook my head. "I…I don't understand this,"
Owen breathed out in irritation, and his lips twisted downward as he regarded me. "Now, I need to question if you really graduated with a first-class honour as you claimed. You must have slept your way through your degree."
My shock quickly gave way to anger at his mocking voice.
"I beg your pardon!" I scowled at him, waving the paper. "What is the meaning of this?"
"You can read. Can't you?" Owen raised a brow, dropping the pen with him. He braced his chin with his hands, staring at me with narrowed eyes.
"You can't possibly be firing me," I inhaled and exhaled, in an attempt to quell my fury. I had worked so hard to get to where I was right now. How could he fire me after three years of hard work?!
I earned my position here even though I was merely reduced to being his assistant! I never complained. Others would kill to be in my shoes. Besides, he was my boyfriend, and working together with him had to be the best thing ever. Or so I had thought.
"I can. I did." Owen stated. He rose to his feet, buttoning his jacket. Then he strode towards me. "I am generous enough to let you stay a minute to recollect your thoughts before leaving."
He moved to walk past me, and I clutched the sleeve of his jacket, halting him. Owen's brows pinched together as he stared at my hand, before looking at me.
"What did I do wrong?"
He shrugged my hand off his jacket and sneered. "You should ask my uncle. Since you are shameless and can do as you want with him, ask him for a job. He should be willing to offer you one."
"Owen," I whispered, my voice breaking.
"Right. That son of a prick is jobless. Penniless and oh, has nothing to offer you. I warned you, Harper." He spat.
"Warned me?" I shot back. "Nothing is going on between us. How many times do I have to say it? And are you in the right position to judge me? I made no fuss about what you did to me at the engagement. My engagement party!"
I gave a short incredulous laugh, my eyes blurred with unshed tears. "How can you fire me for all the contributions I made to the growth of this place?"
Owen bristled. "I made you Harper Wilson. Without me, you'd be nothing. Do you think you'd have gotten into that university if it weren't for my sake? I asked my father to set up a scholarship, and you made it through. You got a full ride because of me. You fucking rode on my wealth. It only made sense for you to give back to the company that made your life less miserable. Stop acting as if you're the best one here."
A sob threatened to spill out of my mouth, and I bit hard on my lower lip to push it back. There was nothing worse than seeing the man you once loved giving you several reasons on how you were useless without him, and justifying the fact that he had cheated on you.
"Why?" I whispered and blinked. I felt the first tear slide down my cheek. "Why did you lie to me, Owen? All our dreams? The plans we made? You lied that—"
"Oh, please, Harper."
The door opened, and Camilla stepped in. "He told you the truth, and you still want him to give more explanation to you? Stop acting so pitiful, Harper. It really doesn't look good on you."
My hands balled into fists, and I seethed.
"What truth? The reason he cheated with my sister? The reason he's firing me? Oh my God, are you in on this, Camilla? Why are you hell bent on making my life so miserable?!" I shouted.
Camilla ignored me. She walked towards Owen, flung her arms around his neck, and went in for a smooch.
"How are you, baby?" Owen asked with concern on his face.
"Happy," Camilla answered with a bright smile. "I can't wait to be your personal assistant…"
My heart dropped. Here I thought he was firing me to get someone better. But he had once again chosen Camilla. And she was happy. Relishing my pain.
"You fired me so that Camilla can take over?!"
They both ignored me as if I hadn't spoken. All the anger I'd been trying to push back suddenly rose to the surface, and I marched towards Camilla, grabbed a fistful of her hair, and tugged.
She yelped. "You slut. Let go of my hair!"
My grip tightened on her hair, and I swerved as she tried to grip mine. "You enjoy seeing me suffer, don't you? Then have a taste of my misery!"
"Owen. Get the bitch off me!" She cried out.
"Let her go, Harper!" Owen ordered.
"Make me!" I said, through gritted teeth.
Owen turned away from me and pressed a button on his desk phone. A soft beep, and Owen spoke angrily. "Someone should come in here and get this bitch out of my office!"
Within a few seconds, the door to his office went wide open, and two burly men strode in, and they ripped my hands off Camilla's hair.
Camilla's hands collided with my cheek. "That's for trying to make me go bald." Then another slap, and I bit hard into my lower lip, drawing blood. I winced as the metallic tang filled my mouth.
Camilla's eyes burned with hatred. "That's for…trying to make me go bald again! Drag her out."
Yes. I was dragged out without hesitation, like I was some filthy animal, while the whole workforce watched. Filming. Laughing. The guards tossed me out of the building, and I stumbled. As they walked back in, I rushed forward, luckily stepping in before the door slammed shut.
I saw Owen in the middle of addressing the staff with Camilla wrapped around him like a snake.
I clapped, letting out a humourless laugh. "Congratulations, Camilla. You just graduated from fiancé-snatcher to full-blown thief. And you, Owen, I'm going to make you pay. For now, both of you can choke on my middle fingers." I flipped them, ignoring the stifled gasps from the workers as I stepped out with the rest of my dignity.