Chapter 3

"If you're here to talk me into partnering with him, I've already made it crystal clear to Jared. That's not happening."

The smile on Stephanie's face stalled out. Her voice went soft and high.

"Chloe, don't be so absolute about it — Jared and I really do want to work with you. He thinks so highly of you. How can you not trust him?"

I didn't give her anything gentle back.

"I've already been through his motivational-speaker routine."

"Besides. Say I did partner with him. What's it to you? Do you plan to knock out our competition during the review?"

Stephanie's small face went pale. Her eyes filled.

"Enough, Chloe."

Jared, of course, was right there — I hadn't seen him come up. He pulled the outraged-protective-boss face.

"Is partnering with me really this much to ask from you? Is my word worth that little?"

"Steph came over in good faith to help me bring you around. I thought a woman-to-woman conversation would be easier. I did not think you'd be this sharp with her."

Stephanie teared up at the praise and tugged delicately at Jared's sleeve.

"Jared, please don't speak to Chloe that way. She must have her reasons. I'm fine."

I could hear the whispers already starting up around us.

"Wait, she's not pairing with Jared? How come?"

"No idea. Those two are tight, aren't they?"

"Hey — maybe she's playing both sides. Announces publicly she's solo, pairs off-registry, ends up in the solo pool with a secret edge."

"Wouldn't surprise me. If they skip HR, I'm the first one filing a report the day after the deadline."

Jared clearly heard the same whispers. He leaned closer, voice low, confident now.

"Chloe, don't throw a tantrum. The entire floor already thinks we're pairing. If someone actually files, it hurts all of us."

"Is this about me bringing Steph along? Her family asked me to look out for her. Or is it about the terms? We can negotiate terms."

That greasy, "I-only-want-what's-best-for-you, don't-be-difficult" face was about to turn my stomach.

I spread my hands.

"Sorry, Jared. I said no. It's no."

He hadn't expected the flat refusal. He was starting to lose his composure.

"Fine. Be straight with me. Have you already lined up somebody else?"

Stephanie kept feeding him.

"It's okay, Chloe. If you have someone else in mind, just say it. We won't hold it against you."

I was done. I turned and walked back to my desk.

Jared stormed off with Stephanie in tow, face gray.

I knew him — petty, grudge-keeping — the retaliation was going to be quick.

I was right. That afternoon, at the department stand-up, he redistributed the Riverside Capital account I had been working for three straight months to Stephanie.

"Chloe, you're a senior presence here. Mentor the new talent. That's leadership."

The whole room went silent.

Riverside was about to sign. I'd been killing myself over that account. It was a commission bonanza, a week out from close.

Stephanie smiled at me across the table like a cherub. "Thank you for all your groundwork, Chloe. I'll definitely close this one for the team."

I stared them down. Then I rolled my eyes and went back to my notebook.

At end of day I went back to Summit Corporate Housing — the Hell's Kitchen complex Summit subsidized for junior employees.

Mrs. Wyndham, the building manager, was standing outside my apartment door.

My stomach dropped.

She handed me a printed notice without preamble.

"Ms. Ellsworth. Your manager, Mr. Harrington, and HR have jointly flagged you today. The memo cites serious attitude concerns. You're under review."

I lit Jared up under my breath a thousand times.

He knew. He knew I had just barely gotten a toehold in this city. He knew I couldn't afford to lose this job.

I tried. "Ma'am, this is malicious — "

"I don't get involved in office politics."

Mrs. Wyndham cut me off.

"Policy's policy. Corporate Housing is for employees in good standing. It is not a boarding house."

"If you can't hold on to the job, you need to find a new place by the end of the week."

Something hard and airless clamped down on my throat. My fists were locked.

"If I tell you I am not getting fired?"

Mrs. Wyndham wasn't expecting pushback. She laughed, short and dry.

"Then either you sort it out with your manager, or you start packing. Don't stand out here and give me attitude."

I had to laugh. Same playbook, different mouthpiece.

Any time I pushed back, Jared would turn another mechanism against me. He'd keep pressing until I folded.

A coworker on my floor came up the hall just then and tried to play peacemaker.

"Chloe, just leave it. You know — sometimes you've gotta eat a little humble pie. Jared's been fine, usually. Probably just a misunderstanding. Go apologize. Get it over with."

She wasn't going to believe a word about my previous life. Nobody would.

"Okay. I'll handle it tomorrow."

I turned and walked into my apartment without expression.

Behind me, Mrs. Wyndham sniffed. "Should've started there."

I deadbolted the door behind me.