Chapter 4

I stood there, watching their retreating backs, and sighed heavily.

Mr. Miller, a familiar contact, handed me a hangover tea, saying meaningfully,

“Someone of your talent, why endure such baseless accusations? StarCorp Group always has an open door for you.”

For some reason, my mind flashed back to Liam Davies at twenty.

Young and flamboyant, he faced a failing company without fear.

His eyes were determined as he pointed to the tallest skyscraper in New York and said,

“Harper, I will definitely bring Davies Corp back to prominence.”

But now he had achieved it, yet he had also become a stranger to me.

He couldn't tell right from wrong, and he was no longer qualified to be my business partner.

I pulled out my phone and sent my dad a text:

[Cancel the partnership with Davies Corp next week. I'll announce it myself at the press conference.]

The signing ceremony with StarCorp Group was held in the company's conference room, with media cameras pointed at the stage.

I meticulously checked the process and contract details, ensuring everything was flawless.

This was my last project at Davies Corp, and I had to end it properly.

Liam Davies and Chloe Miller appeared together.

Chloe was dressed especially elaborately today, in an expensive designer outfit, practically screaming "I'm the lady of the house."

The signing ceremony proceeded smoothly until the final step, which required projecting the final contract for signature onto a large screen.

Chloe eagerly volunteered to run the presentation.

But the next second, a series of indecent photos appeared on the screen!

The woman in the photos had my exact face, naked and entangled with different men in lascivious poses.

The conference room was enveloped in a pin-drop silence, followed by an outbreak of gasps.

Chloe whimpered in feigned panic, “Oh, I accidentally pressed the wrong button, Ms. Hayes, I'm so sorry.”

“I had no idea your computer had so many private photos stored on it!”

She seemed to be apologizing, but in reality, she was defaming me, confirming that these photos were indeed mine!

And to top it off, she even displayed a forged medical report.

The report clearly showed my name, with a diagnosis of an unmentionable STD!

Chloe gasped dramatically, “Ms. Hayes, I'd heard your private life was extremely promiscuous, but I never imagined it was true. You wouldn't infect the entire business community, would you?”

She actually used such despicable tactics to ruin my reputation!

I was overwhelmed with a crushing sense of humiliation.

Liam's face was pale with fury as he told a staff member to shut off the screen.

But the whispers and contemptuous stares from the attendees pierced me like knives.

“I can't believe Harper is so open behind closed doors; her figure is really good.”

“No wonder she climbed the ranks so fast; turns out she had special methods.”

“Mr. Davies and the company's reputation are completely ruined. She really is a slut who slept her way to the top.”

The signing ceremony ended abruptly. I straightened my spine and walked back to my office amidst the murmurs.

I didn't have many personal items, mostly files and work notebooks.

I calmly packed them into a box; there was nothing left to cling to here.

The office door was pushed open.

Chloe swaggered in, her chin held high in triumph.

“So you're packing up to clear out already? Enjoying the taste of public disgrace?”

Her finger traced the prized trophy on my desk.

It was the Emerging Entrepreneur Award Liam and I had won together when we pulled the company back from the brink of bankruptcy.

He had insisted my name be engraved on it, saying I deserved half the credit.

Chloe picked up the crystal trophy, a nasty grin on her face,

“Still keeping this old junk? You're not actually hoping to make Liam feel sentimental, are you?”

With that, she made to smash it on the floor!

My eyes widened, and I instinctively stepped forward to stop her,

“Put that down! Liam and I are just colleagues…”