ログインAt the contract-signing meeting, a major client casually asks our new technician if she can handle her alcohol. She immediately pours a glass of red wine over his head and says coolly, "This sort of socializing is a bad habit. I'm putting an end to it." Leon Langley, a top client who brings the company 300 million dollars in annual revenue, flies into a rage and tears up the contract on the spot. As the project lead, I bend over backward to apologize and drink with Mr. Langley until I'm hospitalized with gastric bleeding—just to salvage the deal. When I report the incident to my boss, he scolds me instead. "As the person in charge, you nearly ruined the project. Forget the three-million-dollar commission we planned to give you. Consider this a warning." After that, I put Hannah Storrie's name on the department's downsizing review list. She sneers. "I'm a top talent the boss poached at great expense. I'm not some cheap hostess who survives by smiling and drinking like you. "Firing me would be throwing the company down the drain. When that happens, you'll be begging me to come back." I ignore her. However, when the review period ends, the name on the layoff list turns out to be mine. My boss seizes the opportunity to announce that Hannah will replace me as the new sales director. "Clients are extremely important to us. You don't seriously think you're capable of landing them, do you? "Hannah's is more qualified, more tech-savvy, and prettier than you. She's clearly the better choice." I simply smile, turn around, and dial a number.
もっと見るLiam's POV
"I will take whatever you got." He whispered softly into my ears.
"Take me." I couldn't even open my eyes as I bit my lips to stop the moan from escaping my throat. You know, that was completely embarrassing — accepting that fate.
"Say that again." His playful voice teased as he nibbled on my earlobe while his fingers gently caressed my nipple before he kissed me, and I was left with no choice but to admit wholeheartedly this time, "take me."
He licked down from my ear to my throat as his wet tongue settled on my Adam's apple. In that moment, I couldn't hold back my moan and lost it completely as my toes curled up on the bed.
"Do you feel how bad I have been waiting for this? So please don't stop." I moaned shamelessly and I could feel him smirking without having to meet my gaze.
"I don't plan on stopping either." He teased once more and I felt like my hard dick could explode any moment from all the teasing he was doing to my body.
I cussed in rage and he bit my neck, causing me to wince in that sweet kind of pain before using his tongue to soothe the ache. "You are mine tonight. Every inch of you is mine to explore."
In no time, I gripped the bedsheets, gritted my teeth and buried my face into the soft foam — feeling Ken's sweat falling on my back and soft moans escaping his lips while he continued thrusting with more strength than necessary.
At this point, I couldn't even believe the words coming out of my own mouth — because one minute, this same arrogant guy was one person I could bet I would never have to deal with, and now I am f*cking down with him.
It all felt like the wrong that felt right.
Now, let's get back to how it all started.
*****
I was moving toward Ms. Lucia Scott's office — the dean of student academics. My chest was tight the whole walk there and I kept running the same words over and over in my head like rehearsing lines before stepping on stage.
‘Please. Just let me pay later. Until the tutoring money comes in.’
That was the only plan I had.
Getting to the student bookshelf locker, one of the students stopped me in my tracks. "Oh Liam, what are you still doing here? School is over."
I paused and turned to face him. "I just gotta talk to Ms. Scott." Then I turned back around and kept moving — not because I was being rude, but because whatever he had to say after that wasn't something I had the headspace for right now.
"Okay," he called after me.
I didn't look back as I was already lost in my little world of thought.
‘This is my only shot at finishing high school. Getting into college and finally giving my mum a way out of everything we've been stuck in.’ I kept turning those words over as I climbed the stairs leading to Ms. Scott's office, half praying to whatever supernatural force was out there — if any of that even existed — that she would hear me out without making it a whole thing.
What I was not prepared for was what I saw when I got there.
I hadn't even knocked yet. I was still outside with my hand raised, when I noticed the door wasn't fully closed. And through the gap, I could see Ms. Scott at her desk…and Ken.
Ken.
I paused for a while.
Now, everyone at Pathways knew Ken. You couldn't not know him. His dad threw money at this school consistently without being asked. The only reason Ken's name ever appeared on any academic list was because someone behind the scenes always made sure it did. The guy had charm that could probably talk a judge out of a verdict, and the audacity to match it. Honestly, that was indeed a dangerous combination.
I leaned slightly to the side, just enough to see clearly. I told myself I wasn't snooping — I was just trying to figure out if Ms. Scott was busy before I knocked and that was all.
Ken had his school report pressed flat on her desk and even from where I was standing, I could see the bold red letter ‘F’ and circled in the middle of the page like it was being celebrated.
"Come on, Ms. Scott. It's just a little change." He slid the pen toward her, trying to ease it into her palm. "Nobody needs to know. It can simply be a secret between us."
"I could help you but…" Ms. Scott started.
And then Ken shifted.
Something about the way he moved made my stomach drop. It was slow and deliberate which felt like the kind of move that knew exactly what it was doing. He gave her this look, the type that probably had a success rate he was very proud of. Then he came around to her side of the desk, licked his lips, reached over and turned her chair so she was facing him directly. His fingers traced her hairline down to her jaw like he had all the time in the world. Then he started loosening the fancy bow tie at her collar.
That was where I lost it.
I didn't mean to make a sound. Honestly, I genuinely did not mean to but something between a gasp and a strangled noise escaped my throat, "ahhhh," and the books I had been holding slipped straight out of my hands and hit the floor loud enough to echo down the hallway.
‘Oh no.’
I didn't wait for the fallout. I turned and moved real fast.
"Hey. Stop." Ken's voice shot out behind me and I heard his footsteps hit the floor hard, closing in quick.
I kept going while my heart was slamming against my ribs and my brain was already calculating — if I can just get to the next hallway, maybe he will never catch up with me.
"Shit!" He barked when I made a sharp turn.
But my luck ran out at the bookshelf locker.
I felt his hand close around my arm first, and then my back hit the shelf before I even processed what was happening. Ken had both my wrists pinned above my head, one hand holding them together like it was nothing, the other pressed flat against my chest keeping me against the shelf.
For a second, neither of us said anything. We were both catching our breath — him from the chase and as for me…from the sheer shock of being caught.
Then he smiled and I could bet this wasn't a nice smile either. It was like the kind of smile that meant he found this far more entertaining than he should.
"I know you." His eyes ran over my face like he was confirming something he'd already filed away. "Valedictorian. Top of the class." The smile widened. "Who knew the teacher's pet was a little peeping Tom?"
I struggled against his grip but he barely moved. He just tightened his hold and kept that stupid smile going. My wrists were pressed into the edge of the shelf and I could feel the corner of it digging into my skin, but I wasn't about to give him the satisfaction of saying so.
"And I thought the star of the hockey team would be busy chasing cheerleaders." I shot back, still working to get my hands free. "Or are teachers more your type?"
Something shifted across his face — not offense exactly, more like mild amusement at the fact that I was still talking. He shifted his weight and used one knee to edge closer, pressing my chest harder against the shelf. "You need to learn when to look away." His voice dropped just enough. "Some doors are not meant for you."
"Funny." I kept my chin up even though my pulse was embarrassingly loud in my own ears. "Didn't look like you minded the audience."
"You didn't see anything."
"Then don't run after me."
He went quiet for a second and just looked at me in a way that made me want to check if something was written on my face. Then he lifted one hand and dragged his fingers slowly along my jaw, not roughly though. It was just… deliberate. "Careful." He leaned in until his mouth was close to my ear. "Nothing happened."
He paused but then his grip tightened on my jaw — not painful, just firm. "And you — better keep your mouth shut." His breath was warm against the side of my face. "Got it?"
The shelf was digging into my back. His chest was close enough that I could feel the heat coming off him. And that was the exact moment I felt it — something pressing against me that had no business being there given the circumstances.
My eyes dropped down before I could stop them, and then back up.
He caught where my gaze had just been. His jaw tightened just slightly and this was actually the first real crack in that whole unbothered act he'd been performing since he pinned me here.
I held his stare and let the smile come slow, because honestly, I had earned this one. "Right. Nothing happened and I will keep my mouth shut like you want." I tilted my head just a little. "So why are you hard?"
When Peter heard the news, he hurried out of his office. His eyes widened the moment he saw me in a tax officer's uniform. Shock and disbelief crossed his face as I presented my credentials and official documents. I handled things strictly by the book by keeping my tone calm and neutral. "Mr. Zane, we are from the Municipal Tax Bureau Inspection Division. This is our inspection notice."According to our work schedule, we will be conducting a routine inspection of your company's tax filings over the past three years.""M-Ms. Quigley? It's really been a while," he choked out. Other former colleagues peeked out from their cubicles. Hannah was even more stunned. Her jaw dropped as soon as she saw me. Whispers rippled through the office. "How did she end up at the tax bureau?""And she's auditing our company? Is she doing this on purpose?"The inspection proceeded according to protocol, and we retrieved a large volume of company records. The finance director kept smiling polit
Ava, who had been hiding in the corner the whole time, sidled up to me. "My judgment has failed me before, and I was fooled by Ms. Storrie," she said. "I heard you've already found a new position. Could you… put in a referral for me?"I looked at her and suddenly found this situation a little ridiculous. These people were always weighing the pros and cons, always searching for the next person to cling to. "My job doesn't allow that," I replied bluntly. The elevator doors slowly closed, completely shutting me out of the company I had spent half of my youth in. Through the narrowing gap, I took one last look at the place where I had strived for countless days and nights. I felt unexpectedly calm. I landed a nine-to-five job. The pay wasn't high, but it was stable. Most of my colleagues were middle-aged and treated me kindly. Besides, the savings I had accumulated over the years were enough for me to live comfortably. I finally had time to learn flower arranging and sign up f
"That hard drive was set up with a special program," I said, standing at the door. "Once formatted, it automatically triggers a low-level wipe. All data will be permanently erased.""Stop trying to scare us!" Hannah glowered at me, then turned to the IT staff who had just arrived and ordered, "Hurry and find a way to recover the data!"After that, it was pin-drop silence for half an hour. The only sounds were keyboard clicks and the increasingly rapid breathing of the IT staff. Peter stared at the screen. Fine beads of sweat began forming on his forehead. Hannah paced back and forth. Her anxiety was unmistakable. Finally, the IT lead looked up and wiped his sweat. "Mr. Zane, I can't retrieve the data at all. The hard drive was wiped three times using a special algorithm. Even professional data recovery firms wouldn't be able to do anything." Hannah's last shred of hope died out. She staggered and grabbed the edge of the desk. Her face was deathly pale. Peter turned to me
"Julia, stop acting like you're fearless!" Hannah snapped. "I can't believe you still have the nerve to smile at a time like this."My chest tightened. I wasn't reluctant to let them reap what I sowed, but I still explained everything to them clearly. "The file is on my work computer, Ms. Storrie," I said. "Didn't you search it thoroughly already? It's also clearly stated on the handover checklist that all related technical materials were retained according to the law."Hannah's face paled. Her eyes darted across the room as she looked everywhere but me. Her voice was beginning to waver. "That's impossible. I checked everything. There was no such file!""There's no way I would've left something so important in plain sight," I said, my voice tinged with contempt. "It's in the hidden private partition on the hard drive. If you had actually read the handover documents carefully, you would know."Peter immediately brightened. Barely able to contain his delight, he said hastily, "Th
I took a deep breath and said coldly, "Ms. Storrie, let's get this straight. You were the one who destroyed the document, and now you want to turn the tables and blame me? No one in the workplace will buy your act of pretending to be the victim."At that moment, the elevator let out a soft chime as
"Julia, you bitch!"I turned around to see Hannah storming toward the doorway. "It was you!" she screeched. "You must've set me up. You knew that document was important, yet you deliberately goaded me into destroying it!"My smile waned as I spoke into the phone. "Sorry, Mr. Holmes. Something'


















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