Chapter 10
Evelyn watched the sleek Mercedes vanish around the corner. A bitter taste filled her mouth as she stormed back into the office, ready to spin a tale that would ruin her rival’s reputation.
“Guess why Evelyn left so smugly?” Rachel announced, her voice dripping with venom. “She’s some rich geezer’s sugar baby! No wonder she doesn’t care about losing her job.”
The word sugar baby sent a ripple of scandalized whispers through the room. Colleagues swarmed Rachel, hungry for details.
With dramatic flair, Rachel painted the scene. “Out of sheer kindness, I went to return Evelyn’s things—only to catch her sprawled in the lap of some balding, pot-bellied old man in a luxury car! Use your imagination—I won’t spell it out.”
“How old?” someone gasped.
“At least sixty,” Rachel sneered.
“Ew! That’s grandpa territory! Who knew Evelyn was so desperate?”
“Never trust a pretty face,” another chimed in.
Olivia slammed her hands on her desk, furious. “Stop lying, Rachel! Evelyn isn’t like that!”
Rachel smirked. “Oh? Then check the security footage. See for yourself—Evelyn climbed into a Mercedes right outside.”
Olivia clenched her fists. She didn’t have the clearance to access the footage.
Rachel was ruthless. First, she’d forced Evelyn out—now she was smearing her name. Disgusting.
Defeated, Olivia sat back down, fuming. But as she logged into her computer, something odd caught her eye.
“Huh? What’s this folder?”
A coworker gasped. “I’ve got one too!”
“Same here. Let’s open it…”
Silence fell. Then, one by one, heads turned toward Rachel—eyes filled with revulsion.
Rachel bristled. “What’s everyone staring at?”
Olivia stood, triumphant. “So you’re the one slacking off and getting our systems hacked!”
Rachel paled. “That’s slander! Prove it!”
Olivia smirked. “The proof’s right here. You scammed some online gamer for virtual loot, then ghosted him. Turns out, he was a hacker—and he exposed everything.”
She scrolled through damning screenshots—Rachel’s chat logs, surveillance footage of her tampering with files.
“He sent this folder to everyone,” Olivia added.
Rachel lunged for her computer. The evidence was undeniable.
How?!
Frederick Kingsley stormed out, face thunderous. “Rachel Thornton! Pack your things—you’re fired.”
Rachel’s blood ran cold. Had he seen the folder too?
Edward Whitmore rushed out, looking equally grim.
Rachel grabbed his arm. “Uncle, help me—”
Edward shoved her away and walked off. He wanted no part in her disgrace.
Within minutes, Rachel was escorted out—humiliated, jobless, and stripped of her bonus.
Karma was brutal.
Olivia grinned, texting Evelyn the good news.
Meanwhile, the Mercedes glided through the city. Evelyn sat at the far end of the backseat, clutching her belongings. Beside her, Nathaniel—her new husband—hadn’t so much as glanced at her since she entered. He was too absorbed in his phone, expression unreadable.
Her phone buzzed. Olivia’s message detailed Rachel’s downfall and Edward’s reprimand.
Evelyn smirked. Exactly as planned.
After the hacker explained why he’d breached Alpha Enterprises’ system, she’d given him one instruction: Target the guilty party. Leave the innocent alone.
Rachel’s cruelty had earned her this.
Crossing her legs, Evelyn’s bare thighs brushed together. The oversized men’s T-shirt she wore rode up slightly, revealing porcelain skin that gleamed under the sunlight.
Nathaniel’s gaze flickered—irritated.
“Is this how you try to get a man’s attention?”
Evelyn blinked. “Excuse me?”
He set his phone aside. “What are you wearing?”
She glanced down. “Oh. Your shirt. The maid’s clothes got ruined, so I borrowed this.”
Nathaniel pinched the bridge of his nose. “Did I say you could?”
Evelyn rolled her eyes. “Should I have called and asked? It’s just a shirt. Are all old men this petty?”
Besides, she didn’t even have his number.
A vein throbbed in his temple. “What did you just say?”
She flashed a saccharine smile. “I said—do you want your new wife making headlines for streaking the day after the wedding?”
Nathaniel’s jaw tightened. Old man?
“What if I said I don’t care?”
Evelyn gritted her teeth. “Then I’ll strip right now and hand it back.”
His lips twitched. “Go ahead.”
If luck was a deity, Evelyn had clearly pissed it off. Why else would she be stuck with this infuriating man?
After a beat, she shrugged. “Fine. You asked for it.”