Chapter 5
It felt like my stomach was on fire, but I took a deep breath and forced myself to stay calm.
This was outright slander. Julie and Lisa were throwing baseless accusations at me, smearing my reputation with their lies.
Anyone with less resolve might’ve broken down by now, sobbing as they packed up their desk and walked out the door.
And seriously, who says you have to wear designer clothes to be wealthy? My dad—who spends his days in flip-flops and a tank top—is a low-key real estate mogul. If he ever found out someone had dismissed him as a nobody, he’d probably be so mad he’d cough up blood.
But I wasn’t going to let them get away with this.
Turning to Lisa, I let out a cold laugh.
“What’s wrong, Lisa? Did Julie’s words replace whatever critical thinking skills you had? Whatever she says, you just blindly agree?”
Everyone in the office knew Julie had a distant relative in corporate, which meant most people gave her a wide berth or went out of their way to stay on her good side. But Lisa was HR—her blatant bias was downright embarrassing.
“You’re supposed to be HR,” I said, my tone dripping with sarcasm. “Aren’t you supposed to think independently? Or are you just here to parrot Julie’s every word?”
“And let’s be real for a second—whether I stay or leave isn’t up to either of you. That decision rests with Mr. Reed, not you two.”
Lisa’s face turned beet red, and she stammered as she tried to come up with a response.
Julie, meanwhile, looked like she was seconds away from exploding. Her eyes burned with anger, and her brow was so tightly furrowed I thought it might stay that way forever.
“Emma,” she hissed, her voice dripping with venom, “after everything I’ve done to mentor you, this is how you repay me?”
“I’m your direct supervisor. If I say you’re out, you’re out!”
I couldn’t help but laugh at the absurdity of it all.
Mentor me? What a joke.
I’d spent half a year as her unpaid chauffeur, bending over backward to accommodate her ridiculous demands. And now, instead of gratitude, she was paying me back with lies and insults.
Before I could respond, the sound of a door opening cut through the tension.
Mr. Reed, our department director, stepped out of his office. His expression was stern as he scanned the room.
“What’s going on here?” he asked, his voice sharp. “This is an office, not a playground. If you’re not working, then what are you doing?”
He turned his focus to Julie. “Come to my office. Now.”
Julie shot me a venomous glare before following him inside, her heels clicking sharply against the floor.
God only knows what kind of story she was about to spin in there.
As I watched her disappear into the office, one of my coworkers—a former classmate—passed by with a water bottle in hand. She gave me a quick thumbs-up, clearly amused by the scene.
I scratched my head awkwardly, letting out a dry laugh. Sure, maybe my approach wasn’t the most professional, but at some point, you’ve got to stand up for yourself.
Still, I knew that things couldn’t go back to normal. Staying on Julie’s team after this would be a nightmare.
As I mulled over my options, my phone buzzed.
The caller ID showed it was Mr. Mitchell, one of my dad’s longtime business partners.
I stepped into the stairwell to answer the call.
“Emma,” Mr. Mitchell began, “just wanted to let you know—Julie’s been on my case again. She’s pushing me to deposit more money into your branch and trying to sell me a bunch of insurance policies.”
I rolled my eyes. Julie was relentless, squeezing every client for all they were worth without any regard for their circumstances.
An idea suddenly clicked in my mind.
“I’m so sorry about that, Mr. Mitchell,” I said, my voice apologetic.
He chuckled. “It’s not your fault, but honestly, it’s the end of the year, and I’ve got tight cash flow. I don’t think I can swing it.”
“That’s okay,” I said, my tone light. “Go ahead and have your accountant withdraw the funds. Just do what works best for you.”