Elara
”I don’t want to be your friend,” Sasha said, her cheek reddened with the impact.
“Who wants to befriend someone like you?
You’re a loser—”
”Shut the fuck up—”
”Why?” She folded her arms, and smirked.
“Are you gonna slap me again?”
”No,” I said calmly as I took out my phone.
“I’m here to give you one chance to fix what you started.”
She rolled her eyes.
“I didn’t start anything.
It was you who did it to yourself.”
I tapped my screen and deliberately held the phone where she could see it.
“I’ve already reported what you did to the police,” I lied.
“Defamation is a criminal offense, but scamming and human trafficking are a lot more heavier.
I’m going to file a formal complaint.”
The confidence on her face faltered.
“You…
you wouldn’t.”
Our other colleagues had gone to their corners after hearing I will call the police.
“I would,” I replied evenly.
“I will tell them it was you who brought me to that club.
I didn’t know it includes selling my own body to the clients.
You lured me there because you wanted the referral bonus.”
She scoffed, trying to recover.
“How can you prove that?”
”Surely, the manager is willing to talk on you rather losing his business,” I said with a smirk and pressed the record button inside my pocket without letting her notice.
Then I looked at her.
“So tell me, Sasha.
Why did you tell everyone I was someone’s mistress?”
”Aren’t you?” She laughed nervously.
“I saw you leaving with a rich guy after work.”
”That’s not what I asked,” I said, looking straight at her face.
“Why did you spread rumors about me being a mistress when it was my first time there and it was actually you who’s been working at the club longer?”
She glared at me and clicked her tongue impatiently.
“Fine.
I exaggerated it.
Happy?
Everyone was already talking, so I gave them something more interesting.”
”So you admit you made it up,” I said between my teeth.”
She shrugged.
“It’s just gossip.
People gossip all the time.”
”And you also told everyone I seduced our manager.”
She snorted.
“Well, he obviously favors you.
If people believe something, that’s hardly my fault.”
I slowly pulled my phone from my pocket.
The recording timer was still running.
“I think the police will enjoy hearing that.”
The color drained from her face.
“You recorded me?”
”I did.”
Her confidence disappeared instantly.
“You can’t use that!”
”I can.
Unless you’d rather solve this another way,” I replied.
“I want you to apologize in front of everyone.
You’ll tell them every rumor you spread was a lie, and you’ll clear my name.”
Her jaw tightened.
“You’re blackmailing me.”
”I’m giving you a choice.”
For several seconds, she simply glared at me.
Finally, she let out an irritated breath.
“Fine.”
Less than ten minutes later, the entire office looked up when Sasha stood from her desk.
She looked as though swallowing nails would have been easier.
“The things I said about Elara weren’t true,” Sasha said loudly.
“She isn’t anyone’s mistress, and she didn’t seduce the manager.
I made assumptions and spread rumors I shouldn’t have.”
Silence filled the office.
Several coworkers exchanged awkward glances.
One woman quietly apologized to me.
Another looked embarrassed for believing the gossip.
Sasha looked ready to explode.
She turned to me and raised an eyebrow.
“Happy now?” she said and went back to her seat.
Unfortunately, judging from the hatred in her eyes, I knew this wasn’t over.
Around lunchtime, my office phone rang.
“Elara, the manager wants to see you.”
My stomach sank.
I already knew what that usually meant.
After taking a slow breath, I walked toward his office and knocked.
“Come in.” The manager smiled the moment I entered.
“Have a seat.”
I remained standing.
“You wanted to see me, sir?”
”I did.” He opened a folder on his desk.
“A new project just came in.
It’s an important partnership with GGG.”
My eyebrows lifted slightly.
Everyone in the industry knew GGG.
Landing even a small contract with them could elevate an entire company’s reputation.
“We’ll be sending two representatives to follow up on the project,” he continued.
“I’ve decided one of them will be you.”
I blinked in surprise.
“I…
appreciate the opportunity,” I said carefully, “but I don’t think I’m the right person.
There are employees with much more experience…” I paused.
“And, I still have several pending assignments.”
”I’ll reassign them.”
I bit my lower and thought another excuse.
“I’ve also been feeling a little under the weather.”
The manager waved his hand.
“You’ll recover.”
Every excuse I offered was dismissed before it had a chance to stand.
Then he leaned back comfortably.
“Oh, I almost forgot.” He slid a document across the desk.
“Anyone assigned to this project will receive a special performance bonus.”
I glanced at the figure and my heart skipped.
It was enough to cover several months of expenses.
Even Damian’s vase.
For a brief moment, I hated myself for hesitating.
The money would solve so many problems.
As long as I never allowed myself to be alone with him…
Maybe I could get through this.
I slowly nodded.
“Okay, I’ll do it.”
The news spread through the office before I even returned to my desk.
The jealousy in the room was impossible to miss.
I ignored the whispers and focused on organizing my files.
Then, a shadow fell across my desk.
I looked up and saw Sasha smiling sweetly at me.
“Congratulations.”
”Thank you,” I said and returned my gaze to my computer.
“The manager picked me as the second representative,” she said and leaned closer.
“So we’ll be competing.”
I met her gaze calmly.
“Competing for what?”
She laughed softly.
“For the contract,” she said.
Then her expression sharpened.
“And maybe for the inventor’s attention.”
I felt immediate disgust.
“I’m only there to do my job.”
”Oh, please.” Sasha folded her arms.
“You can stop pretending—”
”I know exactly why I accepted,” I cut off.
“Can you say the same?”
Her smile disappeared.
She stepped closer until only my desk separated us.
“Don’t celebrate too early, Elara.”
I stood slowly, refusing to let her look down on me.
“I didn’t lose my reputation because of you,” I said quietly.
“And I’m not going to lose this project either.”
Sasha let out a cold laugh.
“We’ll see.”
Watching her leave, I had a feeling the project with GGG wasn’t going to be the opportunity everyone imagined.
It was going to become another battlefield.