I felt the stares and the hushed whispers as soon as I walked into the lobby. It seemed like Melody had done a good job of spreading the rumors of my wedding throughout the building.
Of course she did. That woman could turn spilt coffee into a headline news.
I pressed the elevator button, my fingers tightening around the black bag in my hand. I'd washed and ironed Damien's jacket. All I had to do was return it and then go back to living my peaceful life.
The doors chimed and opened. I paused when I saw three women hunched together, whispering. They froze when they met my gaze and shifted backwards with a sneer on their faces.
"Oh, boy," I muttered under my breath and stepped in.
I watched as the elevator moved up. Was it always this slow? I was painfully aware of the fierce whispers behind me and the holes they burnt through my back.
One would think I did something terrible with the way they looked at me. I'd almost reached my floor but I couldn't take it anymore.
I turned abruptly. "If you've got something to say, spit it out."
One of them scoffed in disbelief. "I can't believe you're still proud after what you did."
"Excuse me?"
"I always knew you were such a slut," another one said.
The word sounded like a slap. Slut.
I took a step back, baffled. "What did you just call me?"
"Oh, he definitely dodged a bullet," the third said.
Anger made my cheeks flushed red as I tightened my fists. Who the hell were they to speak to me in that manner? The doors opened but I remained rooted in spot.
"Aren't you getting off?" the first one hissed. "You're gonna make us late."
I stepped off the elevator still stunned by what just happened. I froze in spot when all heads turned to me. Then, the whispers started again.
They parted ways as I walked to my desk, the pointed fingers and whispers following me all the way to my cubicle. I noticed Oliver wasn't at his desk.
I dropped the bag and turned. "If anyone have something to say, say it to my face."
The air turned silent as they faced their work.
"That's what I thought."
Even though the chatter had died, I could still feel the stolen glances which made me feel even worse. It reminded me of the animals in the zoo, surrounded my fawning humans as they made a spectacle of them.
What the hell was happening?
It was just a canceled wedding---one I hadn't even sent out invites for.
"Aria," Oliver called and I sighed in relief.
"Oliver, thank God. Where the hell have you been?"
He grabbed my arm. "Let's go somewhere quiet."
I waited until we entered the break room before turning to him. "What the hell was that about? Why are they so bothered that I called off the we---."
"It isn't just that," he interrupted.
"What?"
"Someone's been spreading rumors that you cheated on Drake."
"Excuse me?"
"That's why you called off the wedding," he finished.
I heard the words, but I couldn't quite comprehend it. "Sorry, I'm the one who cheated?"
He nodded, eyebrows furrowing.
It suddenly made sense.
I knew there was no way he would make me go unscathed. I'd hurt his ego breaking up with him and this was his revenge.
"Drake did this, didn't he?"
I was met with silence.
He knew how much my work was important to me and would do anything to jeopodize that.
"That asshole!"
I was beyond pissed. I couldn't believe he'd changed the narrative to make me the villain. He was the one who threw away a three-year relationship.
He was the one who had sex with my roommate and had not even apologized for it.
And I was the bad guy for breaking up with him?
"I'm gonna kill him."
I never should have dated a co-worker. I should have listened to my instinct and should never have let my feelings get the best of me. Now, I was gonna be labelled as the office's slut.
The last holder of the title---Missy Graft---had resigned after one bad breakup with her fellow co-worker.
I wasn't going to be Missy. I wasn't going to quietly vanish while my ex got promoted and I got branded with a scarlet letter.
"Where's Drake?" I seethed.
"Aria," he called.
His frown deepened as he stared at me. "Are you dating the new CEO?"
His question made me pause. "Excuse me?"
He ran his fingers through his hair, looking pissed.
He sighed. "Melody heard him calling you his girlfriend."
Fuck.
Did everyone follow me to the café? And why did it have to be Melody of all people who had to be there at that time?
"It's not what you think," I said.
He raised a brow. "So, he didn't call you his girlfriend?"
I eyed him. "Wait, why are you mad?"
"Because I li---." He groaned and turned away.
I waited. I wanted to know why he was frustrated. I should be the one pissed, not him. It wasn't his name being dragged around the mud. He wasn't the one being called a cheat and a slut.
I was!
"Forget it."
I watched in surprise as he closed the door behind him loudly. Oh, I was going to kill Drake and ask his mother for a nice place to bury him.
But first, I needed to deal with someone else.
I walked back to the office and grabbed my bag, ignoring the whispers. There was no need talking to any of them. It wasn't going to change anything. I had to tackle the problem from the source.
I stared at the newly-washed jacket in the bag as I got on the elevator. If I hadn't gone out to that bar…if I hadn't poured out my soul to the stranger...none of this would be happening.
The doors chimed, and I gripped the bag tighter, resolved to make all of this go away. All ever wanted was a quiet peaceful work life, to earn enough money to clear my student loans and to take care of mom.
But now, I was trapped in a scandalous rumor between two feuding brothers and somehow, I turned out to be the bad guy.
"You can't see him, now. He's in---."
I ignored Gloria and walked right into his office. He turned at the unexpected intrusion and I stared at him.
"Do you have any idea what I have had to deal with this---."
The words died in my throat as I gaped at the man standing beside Damien. Silver hair. Charcoal suit. The logo on the wall behind him clicked into place.
Mason Brown---the founder of Brown Industries---who, after a quick math, I knew was Damien's father.
"Dad," Damien called, pulling me closer to him.
"Meet Aria, my fiancée."
The room spun as my voice failed me. I opened my mouth but no words came out.
Fiancée?
What the actual hell?