Chapter 2

Bill's POV

"But I'm still taking my equipment with me," I cut Karen off.

Then I turned, opened the office door, and walked out.

Behind me came the sound of her slamming her hand hard on the desk.

"Just you try!"

Fine. I would. I wasn't going to leave a single thing of mine behind.

…

The moment I walked out of Karen's office, I clearly noticed a difference in the way my colleagues looked at me. Before, they'd at least nod or say hello, but now, they went out of their way to avoid me.

I crouched down next to my desk and continued packing my equipment into boxes when I noticed movement near the break room.

Three colleagues were gathered around Reed. I couldn't make out what he was saying, but phrases such as "company property", "taking advantage", and "shameless" drifted over every so often.

He was likely doing this on purpose. His voice was just loud enough for everyone nearby to hear, but not so loud that I'd have an excuse to confront him directly. It was a level of malice that was perfectly calculated.

I drew a deep breath. I couldn't lose my temper. The moment I did, I'd be playing right into his hands.

But it would be a lie to say it didn't hurt.

When Reed first joined the company, he didn't know anything. I was the one who taught him all the camera settings.

Looking back now, I couldn't believe I'd been so blind.

Once I'd finished packing most of my things, I went to the restroom. When I came back, I saw Reed crouched beside my box with one hand buried inside, digging through my things.

"What do you think you're doing?" I demanded.

"I'm inventorying company property," he replied without the slightest shame. "You're leaving. If something goes missing, who are we supposed to hold accountable?"

I looked at the mess he made of my boxes. The camera I'd wrapped so carefully had been thrown carelessly onto the floor, with dust coating the lenses.

Anger surged through me. Did he really think I was a pushover?

I picked up my phone, started recording, and aimed the camera at Reed.

"What are you doing?" he asked, his voice instantly turning anxious.

"Recording," I answered. "You're rummaging through my personal belongings without my permission. I'm preserving evidence."

Through the lens, Reed's face turned visibly red.

"Y-You! Put the phone down!"

I didn't move, instead keeping the camera trained on him.

"Every piece of equipment here was bought with my own money. They have nothing to do with the company. You went through my personal belongings without my consent. That's an invasion of privacy."

Reed gritted his teeth and lunged to snatch my phone.

"Delete that!"

I sidestepped him. "Snatching my phone? That's another offense."

He froze, his outstretched hand suspended in midair, unsure whether to continue or pull back.

"Fine!" he snapped, glaring at me as he withdrew his hand. "Just you wait!"

Not long after, a notification popped up in the company group chat from Reed.

"@Everyone Emergency! A certain departing employee is stealing company camera equipment worth over 100,000 dollars. I personally witnessed him stuffing company property into his own boxes. HR and security, please come to handle the situation immediately. Everyone else, keep an eye on your personal belongings lest they get stolen too!"

I laughed out of sheer anger. He wanted to muddy the waters and label me a thief. Regardless of the truth, everyone would look at me through those lenses forever now.

He reaped the benefits while I got mud slung at me.

Calmly, I typed back, "Screenshot taken. My attorney will be in touch."

Reed replied almost instantly.

"Who do you think you're threatening? You steal company property and still think you're in the right?"

Bernie Evers from Accounting wrote, "Everybody calm down. Let's wait for the company to investigate."

A private message from Kris Gallner in HR popped up. "Bill, stop posting in the group chat. Ms. Halfpenny has already found out."

Before the argument in the chat could even die down, Karen came storming over in a rage.

"What's the meaning of this, Bill Kramer?" she hissed, her jaw clenched. "Just because I haven't said anything in the group chat doesn't mean I don't see it."

I was just about to explain when she continued, roaring, "Do you think everything I said to you just now in my office was all just crap?"