Chapter 17

The tension in the room was suffocating as Drew’s eyes fixed on John, I could feel the weight of the situation shift. The silence that followed his question seemed to hang in the air, thick with anticipation. John was trying to recover, but there was no denying the shock in his eyes.

Drew didn’t waste another second. “Both of you, my office, now! The rest of you, you are dismissed.” he said, his voice sharp and commanding.

John stiffened, clearly taken aback by Drew’s directness, but he didn’t dare argue. I gathered my things, the uncomfortable weight of the moment still settling heavily on my chest. Drew’s presence was a stark contrast to the chaos John had caused just moments ago.

We walked in silence, the tension palpable. When we reached Drew’s office, he motioned for us to take a seat. John hesitated before sitting down across from Drew’s desk, while I took a seat on the opposite side. Drew stood behind his desk for a moment, his gaze shifting between the two of us.

“You both know that I’m not going to tolerate this kind of behavior in my company, right?” Drew’s voice was calm, but it had a bite to it. “This isn’t the first time I’ve had to step in between the two of you, and I won’t let it happen again.”

I nodded, swallowing my nerves. My heart was still racing from the confrontation, but Drew’s voice had a steadying effect on me. John, on the other hand, looked anything but calm. His posture was tense, his arms crossed over his chest, but I could see the way his jaw clenched as he avoided Drew’s gaze.

“You’re both professionals,” Drew continued, his tone sharpening. “Or at least, I thought you were. Lila, I know you’ve been here a short time, and you’re still proving yourself, but I expect better from someone who is working on a contract. You’re here because I trust your judgment and your ability.

John, you’ve been here far longer, and yet your conduct is…” Drew paused, as if choosing his words carefully. “...unacceptable.”

John bristled at the criticism but said nothing. I wanted to speak up, to defend myself against John’s constant undermining, but I knew this wasn’t the time or the place.

Drew’s gaze shifted to John, and the intensity in his stare grew more focused. “Now, John. You and I need to have a conversation about something that’s been brought to my attention.”

John looked up at Drew, his expression unreadable.

“I received some very interesting information yesterday,” Drew said, his voice low but piercing. “Something about a certain email that was sent under Lila's name, but the IP address attached to it tells a very different story.”

John’s eyes flickered with a momentary panic, but it was quickly masked by his usual arrogance. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, Drew.” His voice was calm, but the nervous edge was clear.

Drew didn’t flinch. “The email that contained the leaked launch details wasn’t sent from Lila, John. It was sent from a personal device, and the IP address linked to it points straight back to you.”

The silence that followed was thick, suffocating, and I could feel the weight of it in my chest. John shifted in his seat, his gaze darting to the door and then back to Drew. I could see the color drain from his face as the realization dawned on him, he had been caught.

“You were trying to sabotage the launch,” Drew said, his voice still controlled but filled with a quiet fury. “You sent that email to undermine the project and put the blame on Lila.”

John’s face twisted into a grimace, his jaw clenching tightly. For a split second, I thought he might explode in anger, but he stayed silent, the weight of Drew’s words sinking in.

Drew leaned forward, his eyes narrowing as he studied John’s reaction. “Let’s be clear, John. I don’t tolerate disloyalty in my company. What you did was not only unprofessional, it was a direct betrayal of the trust I placed in you. I’ll be dealing with this, but for now, know that I’m not going to let this slide.”

John shifted uncomfortably in his seat, his usual bravado completely gone. I couldn’t help but notice how small he looked now, sitting across from Drew. The cocky, aggressive attitude he had earlier was nowhere to be found.

“You’re lucky this is just a matter of internal sabotage and not something worse,” Drew continued, his voice cold and unwavering. “But don’t think for a second that I won’t make sure you’re held accountable for this.”

John opened his mouth to speak, but Drew held up a hand, cutting him off. “I don’t want to hear any excuses, John. Not now. Not ever.”

John’s face turned a darker shade of red as he fought to regain his composure, but his voice wavered when he spoke. “I didn’t... I didn’t think it would come to this.”

Drew’s eyes never left him, the weight of his stare feeling like an unspoken threat. “You didn’t think? Well, John, you’ve thought long enough. Now it’s time for consequences.”

There was a long pause before Drew stood up, pushing his chair back with a sharp screech. “I’ll be in touch with HR,” he said, his tone dismissive. “For now, you’re dismissed.”

John’s face darkened, but he didn’t dare argue. Slowly, he stood up, his shoulders slumped, and walked toward the door. The weight of the moment hung between us like a cloud, and as the door clicked shut behind him, Drew turned his full attention back to me.

I hadn’t realized I was holding my breath until the tension in the room seemed to lift. Drew’s gaze softened slightly, and for a brief moment, it was just the two of us in the room again, the chaos from earlier settling into an uneasy quiet.

“Thank you,” I finally said, my voice quiet but steady. “For clearing my name, I appreciate it.”

Drew gave me a small nod, his expression unreadable. “Now, let’s get back to work.”

I left his office with a swirl of emotions. Relief. Shock. Exhaustion. And still... the heavy weight of everything else lingering in my chest.

I kept my head down as I returned to my desk, eyes fixed on the screen but not seeing anything. Eventually, the hours slipped by and the workday ended.

The sun was low, spilling orange across the pavement as I stepped outside the building. I just wanted to get home, tear off my heels, and curl under a blanket with silence.

But just as I stepped out of the building he was there.

Max.

Leaning against a black sedan, arms crossed over his chest, his face unreadable beneath the dimming sky. My steps faltered the second I saw him.

He straightened when he noticed me.

"Lila."

I didn't answer immediately. I didn’t have the energy. I just walked slowly past him but he soon caught up with me and stopped me in my tracks.

"I know you don’t want to see me," he said, voice softer than I remembered, "but please. Just a few minutes. That’s all I’m asking."

I looked at him. Really looked. There was weariness behind his eyes, but also something else, regret?

"What is there to say, Max?" I asked. My voice wasn’t harsh, just tired.

"Everything I should’ve said before. I messed up, Lila. I know that now. I never meant for it to come out the way it did."

I folded my arms. My heart clenched, but I kept my voice steady. "You asked me to open up to you and I did but what did I get in return, disdain and shame from you. You made me feel like I was nothing Max. And honestly I don't think I trust you enough to open up to you again.”

I could see the anguish on his face as I said those words. You could tell that he was hurting and was willing to make things right but I just had to tell him how I felt about the whole thing.

“Lila, I know what I did was wrong and I want to make amends, just…”

Max was still talking when suddenly a voice from behind interrupted

"Is there a reason you’re always lurking around my company?"

The voice was calm, almost casual but it sliced through the moment like a blade.

I turned.

Drew.

He stood just a few feet away, sleeves rolled up, jaw set, eyes locked on Max like he’d been waiting for this exact moment.

Max’s hands dropped from his pockets. I felt the tension shift in the air, thick and sudden.

Drew stepped closer.

“Don’t you have a job?”

The silence that followed felt like the calm before a storm.

And in that split second, I knew…

Something was about to explode.