Chapter 2

I’d just reached the lobby when I spotted Victor waiting for me, looking entirely pleased with himself.

“Director Parker. Oh, sorry. I suppose it’s just Emily now.”

He stepped in front of me, his eyes gleaming with calculation and spite.

“Don’t rush off. Your farewell party hasn’t started yet.”

I stared at his revolting face.

“Get out of my way.”

His expression stiffened, then his grin widened.

“Still got that temper, huh?”

He pulled a sheet of paper from his pocket and waved it in front of me.

“To set the record straight and address the concerns of our shareholders and business partners…”

“The company will be holding an online press conference to explain your bribery incident.”

“What did you say?”

I thought I’d misheard him.

He shoved the paper into my hand.

It stated, in plain language, that Emily Parker, the employee involved, would publicly admit wrongdoing and apologize.

My fingers trembled as I pulled out my phone.

The company’s news page had posted a bold headline:

“Upcoming Public Statement Regarding Allegations of Commercial Bribery Involving Sales Director Emily Parker.”

The comments were already on fire.

“Even sales directors at public companies pull this crap? Does this industry have any standards?”

“One bad apple ruins the bunch. Blacklist her!”

“Thank you for handling this transparently. Make an example of her!”

Not a single person questioned whether the video was authentic.

They believed what they saw. They believed whatever version of the truth the company fed them.

An icy chill sank into my bones.

This was the career I’d worked myself half to death to protect.

“I refuse.”

My voice was cold.

Victor seemed to have expected that.

“You don’t get a choice, Emily.”

He stepped closer and lowered his voice, every word a threat.

“This came directly from Richard.”

“For the sake of our stock price and our investors, someone has to give the public an explanation.”

Richard? The same man who’d stood at our annual company gala and called me the pillar of our future?

Nausea rose in my throat again.

Victor took out his phone, dialed a number, and switched on the speaker.

“Hello? Emily…”

Richard’s voice.

I said nothing.

After a few seconds of silence, he continued.

“Well… Victor’s explained everything, hasn’t he?”

“The company’s under enormous pressure. You’ve seen the stock price. If we don’t stabilize things, we could be in serious trouble.”

“So just… take this one for the team. Help us get through this performance.”

I almost laughed.

He made it sound so easy.

“Once this blows over, I promise you’ll receive every cent of your quarterly bonus and commissions.”

“Take some time off. Come back whenever you’re ready. Your director position will still be here.”

More empty promises.

I gave a cold laugh.

“Don’t bother.”

“Richard.”

“I quit.”

The other end went dead silent.

“Emily! Don’t be impulsive! Over something this small—”

“Small?”

I cut him off.

“My reputation is a small thing to you. So is my career.”

“And my dignity? Apparently, that’s just another little thing you can sacrifice whenever you like.”

“I’m done here.”

I hung up.

For the first time, Victor’s expression changed.

He hadn’t expected me to actually walk away.

That clearly wasn’t part of his plan.

If I left, how would his useless cousin get anyone to respect him?

Who on my team—the people who’d spent years in the trenches with me—would listen to that idiot?

Victor’s face darkened.

“Think carefully, Emily.”

“Even if you’re quitting, you’re finishing that press conference first!”

“It’s company procedure!”

“If you think you can ignore the rules and just walk away, I have plenty of ways to make sure you never work in sales again!”

He stared at me and enunciated every word.

“I guarantee no company will hire a sales director who’s been publicly exposed and blacklisted for commercial bribery.”

My hands clenched around the edges of my cardboard box.

I thought of the mortgage at home. My daughter’s expensive tuition. The mountain of debt my husband’s failed business had left us with.

I couldn’t afford to lose my livelihood.

I gritted my teeth and forced out one word.

“Fine.”