dismissed

Her thoughts were a jumbled mess as she replayed the events of Damian’s proposition. It had been as audacious as it was unexpected. Marrying Damian Blackwood, even temporarily, was a move that could either save her career or ruin her completely, so she intended not to accept his offer.

She strode through the glass doors of the Marshall & Hewitt Firm, her heels clicking on the polished marble floor with a confident rhythm, ignoring the whispers among her colleagues. It had been like this ever since her name hit the media. None of them offered to help her, and the firm had suddenly withdrawn their resources.

The morning sun streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows, bathing the modern decor in a golden light. For a brief moment, she savored the familiar scent of leather and the gentle hum of morning activity in the office. This was her domain, a world she had painstakingly built through years of hard work, late nights, and unwavering determination.

As she approached her office, her assistant, Leah, intercepted her with a strained expression.

“Elara, we need to talk,” Leah said, her voice low and urgent.

Elara frowned, her instincts immediately on alert. Leah was usually calm and composed, so whatever had her this rattled couldn’t be good.

“What is it?” she asked cautiously as she followed Leah into her office.

Leah closed the door behind them.

“Now tell me, what’s making you feel worried, Leah?” Elara inquired, settling into her chair.

“We have a big problem, Elara,” Leah responded, her voice laced with concern.

“What is it? Tell me.”

“You’re going to be dismissed.”

“What? By who?” she slammed her fist on the table. Just as she was about to speak, the door to her office opened, revealing Charles.

“Charles," she called, rushing towards him. “Tell me it’s not true. Tell me what Leah just told me was a lie.”

“It’s true,” he responded.

“What have I done to deserve this?” she screamed. “Why?”

“I’m sorry,” Charles whispered softly. Elara looked up, meeting his gaze. She was shocked to see the guilt in his eyes. “It’s an order from the boss. I have no control over it.”

“Boss?” she repeated, her voice laced with fear.

Despite her usual strength and fearlessness, the current situation filled her with dread. The thought of her family, especially her ailing mother, made her heart bleed. If she lost her job, who would cover her mother’s medical expenses? With a tarnished reputation, finding new employment seemed impossible. “You can’t dismiss me just like that.”

“I’m sorry, but the decision is final—until further notice.” Elara grabbed Charles’ sleeve, pleading desperately. Her life felt like it was falling apart.

“Please, I beg you,” she said, dropping to her knees. Her pride was gone, overshadowed by the fear of losing her job and its impact on her family.

“Enough of this emotional blackmail,” Margaret warned. “Are you not ashamed of yourself? Because of you, the firm lost almost all its clients.” She smirked, burning with hatred.

Elara rose to her feet. Even if she was at a loss here, she could never allow the likes of Margaret to claw over her.

Her eyes burned with rage as she confronted Margaret. “The clients you’re talking about, am I not the one who brought them?”

“Quit your fantasy, baby girl,” Margaret smirked. “Stop saying nonsense and quit being pitiful.”

“I’ve given everything to this firm! I deserve a promotion, not dismissal!” she yelled, struggling to control her anger.

“Promoted?” Margaret scoffed. “Give me a break. You’ve got a bad reputation, and you still have the nerve to dream of a promotion? Are you out of your mind?” She shoved Elara in the chest. “You should be ashamed of yourself and just disappear.”

Margaret’s eyes widened with shock as she held her burning cheek. With her voice trembling, she spoke. “Did you just slap me?”

“Yes, I did,” Elara replied, attempting to slap her again. “You should learn how to shut your mouth.”

“How dare you!” Margaret was about to slap her back when Charles held her hand.

“Let go,” she stated, her tone filled with dread.

“Stop it, Margaret. We’re not here for this.”

“Charles!” Margaret screamed, her body trembling. “Don’t you dare stop me.”

“Okay, fine,” Charles announced. “Be prepared to be dismissed alongside her.”

On hearing this, Margaret froze. Charles turned to face Elara. “Be prepared to leave. You have one hour to vacate the premises,” he said, his tone as cold as ice. It was as though he were addressing a stranger. How had it come to this? Why had everything ended this way? Despite all her dedication to the firm, this was how they repaid her. She felt utterly betrayed.

Charles turned to leave. “Why?” she called out, her voice trembling with desperation. He paused and slowly turned back, only to see tears streaming down her face. His eyes widened, and for a brief moment, Elara saw a flicker of pity in them. How had it come to this? Had she truly become someone so easily discarded, regarded as useless?

“I’m sorry.” With that, he left.

She collapsed on the floor, not knowing what to do.

With Leah beside her, whispering reassurances, it still wasn’t enough to ease the gnawing ache in her chest. All Elara wanted was for them to believe her—to see the truth. Suddenly, driven by a burst of determination, she sprang to her feet and dashed out of her office, ignoring Leah’s calls to stop.

“Charles!” she called out, desperate. But before she could reach him, the guards—whom she had always treated with kindness—stepped in her path, blocking her way. “Can I talk to you?”

With his back turned to her, Charles replied coldly, “No. The decision is made. Quit acting like a beggar.”

“A beggar?” she echoed, her respect for Charles shattering. “How dare you!”

He scoffed. “Don’t bother searching for an audience to prove your innocence because everything points to you.”

Her heart pounded in her chest as she stood frozen in the lobby, her world crashing The firm she had devoted her life to had turned its back on her, and the people she once considered colleagues had become strangers.

She felt a lump in her throat as she watched Charles walk away, his words echoing in her mind. ‘Don’t bother searching for evidence to prove your innocence because everything points to you.’ WHY? She was no criminal, yet she was being treated like one.

The guards, who had once greeted her with warm smiles, now stood as a barrier between her and any hope of redemption. Her legs trembled, but she forced herself to stand tall. She had come too far to let this be the end. The fire inside her, the one that had fueled her rise to success, flickered weakly but refused to be extinguished.

“Leah,” she said, turning to her assistant, who looked at her with a mixture of fear and sympathy. “I need you to gather all my personal belongings from the office. I’ll be waiting outside.”

Leah nodded, her eyes filled with tears, as she hurried off to do as she was asked.

Elara took one last look around the place she had once considered her second home. The stylish decor, the buzzing atmosphere, the polished marble floors—it all felt like a distant memory now, tainted by the betrayal and humiliation she had just endured.

She walked outside, the cool morning air hitting her like a slap in the face. She found a bench nearby and sat down, staring blankly at the bustling city around her. People passed by, oblivious to her turmoil, their lives continuing as if nothing had happened. But for her, everything had changed.

Her phone buzzed in her hand, snapping her out of her daze. It was an unknown number again. For a moment, she considered ignoring it, but something in her gut told her to answer.

“Hello?” she said, her voice shaky.

“Elara Hart?” a deep, familiar voice responded.

“Yes, this is she.”

“This is Damian Blackwood. I believe we have some unfinished business.”

Her breath caught in her throat as she recalled Damian’s proposition—the audacious, unexpected offer that had been her last hope. Could she really marry a man she barely knew, even if it was only temporary?

His voice cut through her thoughts. “I assume you’re aware of the situation you’re in. I can help you, Elara. But I need you to make a decision. And quickly.”

She knew he was right. She had no time to wallow in self-pity. The world wasn’t going to wait for her to pick up the pieces of her shattered life.

“Let’s meet,” she declared, her voice firmer than before.