Chapter 2

A dry laugh escaped my throat. I hadn't even dropped the hammer yet, and she was already doubling down!

I knew exactly what she was trying to do: drag me down into the mud so I’d look just as dirty as her.

Fine. Let’s see how far she could take this circus.

The next morning, the moment I stepped through the glass doors of the firm, the bustling office fell dead silent.

Colleagues around me either buried their noses in paperwork or suddenly became fascinated by their water tumblers.

Glancing across the open bullpen, I saw Chloe surrounded by a tight cluster of female associates.

She was handing out treats from a beautifully packaged tin of imported artisanal cookies.

Fiona was right beside her, attentively passing her a tissue.

Spotting me, Chloe picked up a steaming cup of coffee and walked straight toward me.

She stopped right in front of my desk and dropped into a dramatic, ninety-degree bow.

"Ms. Vance, I'm so sorry. I know I was wrong. Please... please just let me off the hook..."

Right on cue, whispers erupted behind me.

"Tsk, look at her on her high horse! Bullying an intern like that!"

"What gives her the right to act so arrogant? Does she really think she got those clients on merit? It’s all 'female perks,' obviously."

Looking at her made my skin crawl. Through gritted teeth, I spat out two words: "Get lost."

Just then, my phone rang. It was an unknown number.

Annoyed, I answered it.

A coarse male voice barked through the speaker: "Hey! Is this Nora Vance? If you don't pay back the thirty-five grand you owe FastCash by today, I'm bringing the boys straight to your doorstep! Don't think being some fancy corporate lawyer makes you untouchable!"

What FastCash? When had I ever borrowed thirty-five grand?

"You have the wrong number, you lunatic!" I snapped, hanging up immediately.

Out of the corner of my eye, I caught a fleeting, smug smirk curling on Chloe’s lips.

My screen lit up again. It was a Snap from my dad’s executive assistant.

"Nora, something feels off with this Chloe girl..."

Attached was a screenshot.

It was a WhatsApp group chat named "Justice Sisters," packed with the very female colleagues who disliked me the most.

"Sobbing... Girls, I'm so scared. Ms. Vance made me take out personal loans to pay off her own debt."

"I already took out a few for her, but last time I told her I couldn't do it anymore. She held a grudge and fabricated this whole fake invoice story to frame me."

Someone in the group immediately chimed in.

"I just saw Nora take a phone call! Her face went completely white! She’s definitely being chased by debt collectors!"

"Oh my god! She actually forced an intern to take out high-interest loans to fund her lifestyle?! That is pure evil!"

Fury erupted in my chest like a volcano. I shot out of my chair, snatched my phone, and marched toward Chloe’s cubicle, fully prepared to rip this whole farce wide open.

Before I could reach her, Fiona threw her arms out and blocked my path.

"Nora!" she shouted at the top of her lungs. "Whatever this is, can't you handle it privately? Do you really have to make such a pathetic scene? Chloe already apologized to you!"

Those words lit the fuse. Everyone in the bullpen stood up, watching what looked like an office tyrant violently intimidating a vulnerable underdog while a hero stepped in to defend her.

Right at that moment, a commotion broke out near the elevators. Someone hissed in a panicked whisper: "Managing Partner Vance is back from his business trip!"

Ding! The elevator doors slid open. A thunderous, furious voice echoed down the hall.

"What is everyone standing around for?! Don't any of you have work to do?!"

My dad, Marcus Vance, wheeled his carry-on suitcase through the entrance. His gaze swept over the room like a razor blade before pinning itself directly onto me.

"Nora. My office. Now!"