5

“Why, yes,” she replied with a lopsided smile.

She looked quite the villain when she does that. Theresa does put Cruella to shame. Except Cruella had more fashion sense that this person standing in front of me.

“Say whatever you want to say and get out,” I growled. I tapped my foot on the floor and drummed my fingers on the table. 

“Do not worry too much about Hardin. I will take good care of him in your absence.” She brushed her hair over her shoulder with her left hand. Like a cat, I got enraptured with the bright glint on her finger. 

I ground my teeth and glared at the diamond ring on her finger. That should have been mine. 

I forced a small smile onto my lips. “Congratulations, future Mrs Kingston.” 

Theresa frowned for a moment. She must have expected a tantrum. She stepped in front of the door and spat, “Try to be less arrogant, will you?”

“I am not responsible for your insecurity, now get out of my way.” I bundled two boxes in my arms and pushed my way through. She crashed on the floor as the door opened. 

With a disgusted scoff, I stepped over her. 

“Why are you such a horrible person?” She cried.

I rolled my eyes with disdain. The employees halted in their work and watched us with curiosity. If she kept this up, people would think I'm bullying her. I could not care less. 

“Why did you do that?” 

Alarmed at his entrance, my arms shook. Hardin ran to Theresa's side and picked her up. She faked another cry of pain.

“Apologize.”

I sneered, and sauntered out of the marketing department. With the use of the elevator, I got to the ground floor. I dropped the boxes in my car and hurried to the last one in my office.

When I re-entered, the department was empty except for Hardin. He leaned against Maya's desk with a sullen expression.

“Brie.” He grabbed my arm and held my waist.

“Mr Kingston, I have to take the rest of my things. I would advise you keep your advice so my terrible reputation does not affect yours,” I said, annoyance clear in my tone. I pulled his arm away and went for the last box.

“I am sorry, Brie.”

“For what? Breaking up with me? Telling people what should between us? Getting engaged to Theresa? Your actions don't sound sorry.”

“It is just... I have a reason for doing this.”

“Just what? What reason? Come on, tell me. Tell me what it is! Tell me so I can understand! Tell me why!”

He closed his eyes and rubbed his palms against his trousers. I waited for a response, but none came.

“I thought so,” softly, I said. “It was nice working with you, Mr Kingston.” I heaved the last box and carried it in my arms. 

Without another look, I left the department. Drowned in the silent yet bewildered stares of the other employees, the only sound heard were the clicks of my heels. My shoulders slumped as an invisible weight crashed on it. I placed one foot out the doors of Atlantis and then the other. 

Everything felt different. I would never be a part of Atlantis anymore.

“He did what?!” 

Victoria flung her hairband across my bedroom. Her hair fell over her face as she paced back and forth. She looked like she stepped out of The Exorcist with her bouncing hair and laboured breathing.

“How could he do that to you? He had absolutely no right to do that to you!”

“I know!” I yelled, also furious. 

“And that slimy bitch. If I get my hands on her, I'm going to crush her windpipe!”

“I will help you hide the corpse,” I added.

A creepy smirk grew on her face as she swept her back. In an instant, her expression turned sad. “Why are we bad with the first choice of men to marry?” She softly asked.

I fingered my untucked shirt and looked at the vase on the bedside table. I followed the swirling green lines with my eyes. Anna never planned on being with Nolan, Victoria thought she'd stay with her ex-husband forever and I expected my story to be different. 

“My parents can not know about this,” I said, unbuttoning my shirt. 

I could see my parents gloat and saying, 'I told you so.' They never approved of my working at Atlantis or dating Hardin. He never met their standards. No man has ever. Not even Victor, who had relations with the current Queen of Lilaria, Anna.

“I would not tell them.”

“I trust you not to. I'm not sure about those bloggers.”

She scrunchie her face in disgust as she sat on the bed beside me, making it dip. She wrapped her arms around me. “I am here for you.”

I squeezed her arm gently and replied, “I know.”

“What are you going to do now?”

“Find a new job.”

“Would you like to model for me when you have a free time? I have new ideas for Spring Fashion.” She clapped her hands in excitement. Demi Lovato's uplifting song, Warrior, played. Victoria reached for phone while I unzipped my skirt and pulled it off. 

I picked my phone from the bed and scrolled through previous messages. I paused when I reached the message from the anonymous person. Thinking of my horrible last day at Atlantis, anger surged through my blood once more. I suffered disgrace from my family, got kicked out of my home for supporting him, worked one forty-four hours a week to help his family business grow. He had the guts to kick me out? Hardin Kingston will regret what he did today.

I unblocked the number and typed, 'So you want to help me?'

'Took you a while to come around,' came the quick reply. 

'Help me take down Atlantis.'

'As you wish...'

A lopsided smirk touched my lips. Hardin will pay for what he has done.