With or without their help

She stood up, adjusting her jacket. This wasn’t just about clearing her name, it was about finding out who was trying to destroy her and why. And when she did, they would regret ever thinking they could outsmart Elara Hart.

As she walked out of her office, heading toward Charles’ door, one thought echoed in her mind: This was war.

Her high heels made a sharp clicking sound on the polished marble floor as she walked towards Charles Montgomery’s office, the managing partner.

The hallway was quiet, amplifying the mix of emotions she was feeling. By the time she reached the heavy oak door of the managing partner’s office, she had hidden her panic behind a facade of determined bravery.

She paused, drew in a steadying breath, then knocked.

“Come in,” Charles’s voice called out, calm and steady, giving no hint of the turmoil that awaited her inside.

Elara pushed the door open, stepping into the room with her head held high.

The managing partner’s office was exactly what you’d expect from someone of his station – dark wood paneling, leather chairs that probably cost more than most people’s cars, and floor-to-ceiling windows showcasing the city below. Charles sat behind his massive desk, expression carefully neutral, while Margaret Whitfield, head of ethics, perched beside him like a hawk studying its prey.

“Good afternoon, Elara.” The warmth she was accustomed to had vanished from Charles’s voice. “Please, sit.”

She met their gazes steadily as she took her seat. “I’m here to discuss these allegations and clear my name.”

Charles nodded, his fingers steepled in front of him. “These are serious allegations, Elara. The firm’s reputation is at stake, and so is yours. We need to understand exactly how this happened.”

“The complaint is detailed,” Margaret cut in, her words sharp as glass. “Tampering with evidence, intimidating witnesses in the Harris case. The media’s already running with it. You understand how damaging this could be.”

“I do.” Elara kept her voice level despite her thundering heart. “But these accusations are completely false. I have never, and would never, engage in such unethical behavior. Someone is trying to ruin me.”

Charles and Margaret exchanged glances before he spoke. “Until we can conduct a full investigation, we have no choice but to suspend your promotion to partner.”

The words hit her like a physical blow, but she refused to flinch. “You’re suspending the promotion based on unverified allegations?”

“We have to protect the firm,” Margaret said, clearly savoring each word. “If these claims hold any merit, it could destroy us. We can’t afford to take risks.”

“There’s no merit to these claims,” Elara leaned forward, fury flashing in her eyes. “Someone is setting me up, and the longer we wait, the more damage they’ll do. I need the firm’s resources to find out who’s behind this.”

Charles sighed, rubbing his temples. “You’ll have our support, Elara, but we have to tread carefully. Margaret will lead the internal investigation, and we’ll retain outside counsel to ensure impartiality.”

“With all due respect, Charles, if you slow this down, it might be too late. My reputation is on the line, and so is the firm’s. We need to act now.”

Margaret’s eyebrow arched. “What exactly are you suggesting?”

“I want access to the firm’s files related to the Harris case, and I want to speak with the team involved. Someone within the firm had to leak information to make these allegations seem credible.”

“Why should we?” Margaret’s eyes burned with undisguised hostility. “Why should we give you access to the Harris case?”

“Because I need to investigate this matter, Margaret. I need to clear my name, no matter what,” she fired back. “I want access to the firm’s files related to the Harris case.”

Charles hesitated. “We’ll give you access,” he said finally, “but you’ll need to keep a low profile. No talking to the press, no discussing this outside of the investigation team. Understood?”

“Understood.”

As she turned to leave, Margaret’s voice stopped her. “If I were you, I would stay on my best behavior,” she smirked.

She had always sensed Margaret’s dislike towards her, but it didn’t bother her. She remembered when Margaret deleted her slides before a meeting to sabotage her presentation. Despite this setback, she persevered and delivered a successful presentation, earning praise from the team. Margaret’s jealousy had been evident ever since then.

Elara turned, offering a razor-sharp smile. “If I were you, I’d focus on my work. Use this same energy to concentrate on your job instead of concerning yourself with things that don’t involve you, Margaret.”

Margaret’s face flushed crimson as she jabbed a finger toward Elara. “You—”

“This is not the best time for this, Margaret,” Charles cut in sharply. “Be on your best behavior.”

Elara left to the sound of Margaret’s muffled cursing, each step heavier than the last. She was nearly at her office when Leah called out to her.

“Elara, where have you been?” Her assistant hurried toward her, tablet in hand.

“What’s up, Leah?” Elara asked, feeling tired.

“You need to see this.” Leah followed her inside, closing the door. Elara sank into her chair, bracing herself for more bad news.

Leah passed her the tablet. “It just hit the news this morning.”

“Did you also believe I did it?” she asked.

“I trust you,” Leah said firmly. “I trust that you would never do something like this.”

Relief flickered through her at those words.

“What should we do? The news is spreading fast. Someone is definitely behind this.”

“I know, Leah.” Elara ran her fingers through her hair – a telling sign of her frustration. “I need to find out who’s orchestrating this. This isn’t just a random smear campaign. Someone’s trying to take me down.”

“There’s more,” Leah hesitated. “I overheard some of the partners talking. They’re concerned about the firm’s reputation. If this isn’t resolved quickly, your partnership could be in jeopardy.”

She clenched her jaw at her words. “They have already suspended my promotion.”

Leah gasped, her mouth wide. She couldn’t believe her ears. “They did what? How dare they! After all your dedication to this firm, have you tried talking to Charles?”

“Yes, I did, but the decision was made with Margaret present.”

“I’ve always known her to be difficult. She’s a bitter soul and always jealous of you.”

“What will you do now, Elara?” Leah asked, clearly concerned.

“I don’t know,” she admitted, burying her face in her hands. “I will get to the root of this matter, even if it takes my life.”

“I will always be here with you,” her assistant said.

Elara hesitated. “I’m not sure if I should share this with you, Leah, but... I received a call from an unknown number. The caller warned me that this is only the start of my downfall.”

“OMG, who could that be?” Leah asked, shocked by what she had just heard.

“I don’t know,” she muttered. “I truly don’t know.”

Leah moved closer. She wasn’t just an assistant – she was like a sister to Elara. “Did you tell Charles about the call?”

“No,” she responded. “I didn’t.”

“Why? Why did you miss out on the most important information, Elara? You should have informed him.”

“He won’t believe anything I say, Leah. He won’t.”

“But you should have tried to tell him,” she whispered.

“I wish you had been there to witness his expression. He clearly doesn’t trust me and believes I could bring harm to the firm, especially with Margaret there. I will get to the root of this matter no matter what, with or without their help.”

“I know you will. You are so strong that no one can drag you down,” Leah smiled reassuringly. “I trust you, and we are going to find them together.”

Elara looked at her assistant with gratitude. “Thank you. How’s your brother?”

“He’s fine,” she replied, walking back to her position. Leah should have been with me in the conference room, but she had an emergency call from the hospital where her only brother was being taken care of.

“Are you sure?” Elara asked, watching her expression.

“Still the same,” she uttered with sadness. “But I know he will be fine.”

She stood, momentarily forgetting her worries. “He will be fine. Have faith in the doctors.”

“I do, but it’s exhausting,” Leah admitted, her voice breaking. “It is really tiring.”

Elara understood all too well, remembering her father’s illness. She wrapped her arms around Leah, offering the same comfort her assistant had always given her. “I know it is. But he’ll pull through, just like you will.”