Stepping through the Sterling Group's gleaming entrance, I couldn't help but feel everyone's eyes on me. The whispers followed like an annoying shadow—Elara Dubois, the plagiarist. The thief. The fraud.
I kept my chin high as I walked toward the elevator. My phone buzzed with messages from my assistant at Horton Group, confirming our meeting had gone perfectly. At least something was going right today.
As I waited for the elevator, voices carried from nearby—not bothering to lower their volume.
"Did you hear about the new intern? The one who stole Professor Wright's research?"
"That Dubois girl? God, what was Mr. Sterling thinking hiring her?"
I recognized the main voice immediately—Arian O'Neil, Caleb Sterling's right-hand man. Of course he'd be spreading this garbage.
"It just shows the difference between the branches," Arian continued, his voice dripping with false concern. "Mr. Caleb recruited Dr. Wilson, the brilliant scientist, while his uncle hired... well, a thief."
