Chapter 3

Before I could reply, HR sent me a message telling me to come to the conference room.

The moment I walked in, I saw the HR manager and the Assistant CEO sitting across from me, both having grim expressions plastered on their faces.

"Ms. Jones, public relations flagged some negative public sentiment about you this morning." The manager then pushed a tablet toward me. On the screen was the trending topic, #ViciousEx#.

The manager continued, "After careful consideration, senior management has decided to suspend you for now. Once this storm passes, we will..."

"On what grounds?" I stood up. "This is slander! I've already reported this to the police!"

The vice CEO rubbed his brow wearily. "The company understands your situation, but you are the brand director. You represent the company's image. Now that public opinion has escalated, it has already affected our product's reputation and sales. We have to consider the bigger picture, and we hope you can understand and cooperate."

"Your idea of understanding and cooperation is declaring me guilty before you even figure out what happened?" I asked as I stared at him.

The HR manager quickly smiled and tried to defuse the situation. "Ms. Jones, don't make it sound so bad. The paid leave is only a temporary measure. Once the truth comes out, the company will definitely clear your name."

I walked out of the office with my few personal belongings, and whispers rose behind me.

"I never expected Ms. Jones to be so wild in private!"

"You really can't judge people by appearances. She always looked so detached. No wonder she became a director after only one year here!"

"I heard her fiancé is a lawyer, too. To make a lawyer take responsibility for her mess… She's really quite impressive!"

I stopped. Then, I turned around and stared straight into their evasive eyes. "I was set up!"

All I got in return was open snickering and mockery.

"Rachel is an actress. Why would she frame you for no reason?"

"Where there's smoke, there's fire. If there was nothing wrong with you, how could anyone set you up?"

With that kind of victim-blaming logic, every defense sounded weak and useless. And this was only the beginning of cyberbullying.

Rachel's extreme fans splashed red paint all over my front door, covering it with words like "witch", "homewrecker", and "die". They also dumped piles of trash and rotting animal carcasses outside, and the stench spread through the entire hallway.

Even my parents back in my hometown were harassed. Strangers kept calling them out, viciously insulting them and saying I was "selling myself outside" and had "disgraced the whole family".

My father's blood pressure spiked from anger, and he was rushed to the emergency room for observation overnight. My mother held back her fear and tears, still trying to sound calm over the phone.

"Zoey, everything is fine at home. Your dad is just a little tired. He'll be alright after resting for a day or two... You're out there alone, so be careful and stay safe. Don't worry about us…"

Listening to my mother force herself to stay calm on the other end of the phone and looking at my ruined front door, I felt helplessness and rage nearly swallow me whole.

The legal process needed time. Before then, what else could I do to protect myself and my family?

Just as I was thinking of a plan, my phone suddenly rang.

A familiar voice came from the other end, carrying a faint, complicated emotion. "Zoey, it's me, Marcus. Can we... meet and talk?"