Chapter 1
It was pouring rain outside.
Liam, usually so poised and calm, arrived at the office with his suit completely soaked, water dripping from his hair.
He rarely lost his composure like this.
He looked at me, and his first words were:
“I didn’t realize you could be so aggressive, bullying the new girl.”
Chloe, her eyes red, looked like a fragile, innocent lamb. She tugged on Liam’s sleeve.
“Mr. Hemsworth, Skylar didn’t mean to. It’s just… after all this, I don’t feel like I can stay at the company anymore.”
At her words, Liam’s concern deepened, and his tone grew colder.
“Chloe only borrowed company funds to pay for her father’s medical treatment. Did you really have to make such a huge scene? I’ve already sent the police away. This matter is over.”
“Skylar Rhodes, you abused your power to make things difficult for a new employee. There’s no need for you to be the General Manager anymore.”
I hadn’t even said a word, and Liam decisively delivered the news, as if he couldn’t wait another second to protect the woman behind him.
When he made up his mind, no one could change it.
After a long moment, I simply said in a low voice:
“If it’s a loan, then draw up a promissory note for a million dollars.”
Company rules were company rules. As long as I was still here, we had to follow procedure.
Unexpectedly, Chloe’s eyes became even wetter at my words, tears streaming down her cheeks.
“Are you implying I won’t pay it back, Mrs. Hemsworth? Why call the police and demand an IOU to humiliate me? Maybe I wasn’t born with a silver spoon in my mouth like you, but I will definitely repay the loan.”
Before I could reply, Liam sharply snapped:
“Haven’t you made enough of a fuss!?”
“Chloe is just paying for her father’s treatment. Are you going to be so overbearing and force her to, like you, stoop so low as to use her body for money and get into my bed?”
I froze.
Ten years of marriage. Even if the initial spark had faded, I always thought there was still some marital affection between us.
But it turned out he had always thought I was lowly.
Whispers gradually rose around us.
“I heard Mrs. Hemsworth used tricks to get where she is back then… So it was true. How shameless…”
Liam quickly realized he’d said too much. A flicker of hesitation crossed his face.
But in the end, he didn’t stop the gossip. Instead, he took Chloe’s hand.
“Too much has happened today. I’ll take Chloe home.”
His voice softened, perhaps out of concern for appearances.
“You don’t need to handle company matters anymore. Just go home and rest.”
With that, he turned and left without hesitation, leaving me standing there, my face pale.