Chapter 3

The coworkers around me began whispering among themselves. "Seriously. Mr. Gibson already said he'd pay her. Why won't Evangeline let it go?"

"All this over something so trivial. She had to make a scene at the company dinner of all places."

Another chimed in, "Look how good Mr. Gibson's been to her! He's offering her a 100-thousand-dollar bonus, and she can't even show a little gratitude."

"What an ungrateful wretch!"

"Who does she think she is, demanding money at the company party, no less?"

Their words cut deep. I'd kept a close eye on the project from start to finish, staying up night after night to work on the plans.

I'd even come close to ending up in the hospital after drinking with clients. The project had earned the company far more than my bonus was worth. And now I was supposed to be grateful?

I fixed my gaze on Patrick, enunciating each word. "That 100 thousand dollars was my bonus. I earned it. Can't I even ask for the money I'm owed?"

Then, I stepped forward and held out my hand.

"You said you'd pay me sooner or later. So why not do it now?"

Patrick's expression shifted. After a long pause, he sighed and spoke in a more serious tone. "Evangeline, I really shouldn't be saying this in front of everyone.

"But you've pushed things to this point, so I have no choice but to call you out. Actually… someone reported a while ago that you'd been taking kickbacks from our suppliers."

The instant his words settled, gasps rippled through the crowd.

"No wonder she's so hell-bent on getting paid at the company dinner! She's been taking kickbacks! She's just greedy!"

Someone commented, "Mr. Gibson is such a good boss! He was even trying to cover for her. Yet she turns around and attacks him instead."

"She always seemed so honest and innocent. But look what she was doing behind everyone's backs!"

"Exactly! Someone like her doesn't even deserve a bonus!"

Anthony whipped around to look at me, his eyes wide with shock. "Evangeline… did you really take money from the suppliers?"

I looked at him, my heart sinking a little more with every passing second.

"Anthony, you don't believe me either?"

Something shifted in his expression. In the end, he looked away, unable to meet my eyes.

I turned to Patrick and sneered.

"I took money from suppliers? Which supplier? And who reported me? Say it out loud, right here in front of everyone. I'll confront them face-to-face. Or call the police and let them get to the bottom of it."

Patrick's expression faltered, and he stammered, "I-I only heard it from someone else."

"Who told you that?" I pressed.

"M-Maybe I got it wrong."

I stared at him. "You got it wrong? Or was there never anything to it in the first place?"

Patrick opened his mouth to speak, but not a single word came out.

Anthony, on the other hand, grew agitated and grabbed me by the arm. "Evangeline Fields! That's enough! You've got Mr. Gibson speechless, and you're still going after him? What more do you want?"

Patrick seized the opportunity, sighed, and gave Anthony's shoulder a pat, pretending to sympathize.

"Anthony, you've got a bright future ahead of you. But a girlfriend this unreasonable could hurt your career."

Anthony's face flushed, and he growled, "You hear that? Mr. Gibson's even looking out for me. Can you just stop making a scene?"

I looked at him, my eyes burning with unshed tears.

"Anthony, he dragged my name through the mud, and you did nothing. The whole company turned against me, and you still did nothing. Now, you're taking his side, helping him tear me down?"

Anthony shot back indignantly, "I'm not taking anyone's side. You're the one who's being completely unreasonable!"

Seeing how angry I was, he softened his tone. "What's gotten into you, Evangeline? Did something happen? You weren't like this before."

I couldn't be bothered to argue with Anthony any longer, so I turned to Patrick.

I stared at him, then chuckled as I pulled out my phone. "You don't want to pay me? Fine. I recorded exactly what you told me that day. Now, I'll play it for everyone."