Chapter 5
Everyone gathered around, showering me with so many compliments that I felt embarrassed. I quickly offered to treat everyone to afternoon tea, sparking another round of cheers–except for Greyson and Molly, standing ignored in the corner.
Greyson’s face was ashen; he knew that my position as supervisor was now unshakeable, and his chances were gone. And after causing such a mess, he knew I’d never trust him again. Molly, meanwhile, glared bitterly, silently vowing to ruin my reputation someday.
The manager came over and asked, “So, about that missing file–what happened?”
I looked directly at Greyson and Molly. “Well, you’d have to ask Greyson and Molly about that.” It was time to settle the score.
Hearing me imply it was their doing, Molly’s face paled, though she tried to act tough. “Don’t make baseless accusations–do you even have proof?” she retorted, clinging to her denial.
Greyson adjusted his glasses and added, “Yes, I forgot to send the backup file to everyone, but what does this have to do with Molly?” Clearly, he was trying to cover for her. Unfortunately for him, he’d overlooked one key detail.
I walked up to Molly, who shrank back, hiding behind Greyson and looking to him for support.
“You don’t have the clearance level to view that file. How did you know it was missing first?”
–
Everyone thought back and realized it didn’t add was indeed the first to point out the missing file. The evidence was nearly undeniable.
Molly’s face turned ghostly white. In her eagerness to expose my supposed mistake, she’d forgotten this critical detail, Now, she was at a loss for words, tugging on Greyson’s sleeve, only for him to brush her off nonchalantly.
Without leaving room for further speculation, I plugged a USB drive into the computer and
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Chapter 5
began playing a recording at full volume. It was fifteen minutes of Molly’s gossip sessions in the restroom, spreading rumors about me being involved with a rich benefactor and other illicit affairs. As the recording continued, everyone grew visibly angry, with those she’d gossiped about throwing her glares. Molly’s true nature as a gossip was on full display.
Molly shrieked like a madwoman, trying to lunge forward to stop the playback, but someone held her back. The more she heard, the more hysterical she became, unable to bear the disgusted looks directed at her.
When the recording ended, I stood and said to her, “I’ve always known you were spreading rumors about me. I placed a recorder near you to collect evidence.”
She lunged at me, but the manager stepped in, furious. “When did I ever have a woman on the side? We’re colleagues–none of us ever wronged you. You really love stirring up trouble, don’t you?”
In the recording, Molly had mentioned that the manager’s divorce must have been due to infidelity, claiming she’d “seen it with her own eyes.” Flustered, she tried to argue, saying it was all fake, that the recording was fabricated. But no one believed her; even her friends were distancing themselves.
Seeing no one on her side, she pointed at me and shouted, “She really did sleep her way to the top! I saw her with my own eyes, getting into some old bald man’s car in the parking lot!”
9
Everyone’s gaze shifted to me, and I calmly replied, “You realize adults are responsible for their words. Are you certain of what you saw?”
With a wicked grin, she pulled out her phone, showing a photo of me in the passenger seat of a car with a bald man.
Molly dragged Greyson over to show him the photo for confirmation. He looked closely, seeing it was indeed me, and then gave me a complex look. If I really had relied on a “sponsor” to secure my position, it would all make sense. And with this, he assumed, my career here would end.
He spoke with a stern expression, “The photo seems real. Aurora, care to explain this?”
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Chapter 5
I merely smiled in silence, realizing Greyson was eager to use Molly’s “evidence” to push me out. The manager, who knew the truth, recognized their hostility toward me and decided to
observe how I’d handle it.
The onlookers eagerly watched the drama unfold. Almost everyone knew about the rumor of a past relationship between Greyson and me. If we were still together, this would have been a scandalous betrayal on his part.
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