Rumors l

Chapter 17

Lyra

If I had known that staying late for dinner at Roman’s place would snowball into whispers of a scandal, I would’ve bolted out of there the moment Anthony made his "emergency" exit. Curse my love for tiramisu. Curse Ethan Montgomery. And most of all, curse my naivety for thinking that people around here didn’t thrive on drama like caffeine.

I shifted in my seat, clutching my coffee cup like it was a lifeline, my unease growing as snippets of whispered conversations reached me.

“...stayed at his place late...”

“...wonder what really happened...”

“Did you see her leave? It was almost midnight...”

“...Mr. Lennox and her? I mean, he’s out of her league, but still…”

The murmurs swirled around like a storm cloud, building up pressure in my chest. I took a deep breath and forced myself to focus on the spreadsheet on my screen. Numbers, not rumors. Numbers were safe. Rational. They wouldn’t stab you in the back or whisper your name with raised eyebrows.

But it was impossible to ignore the sidelong glances and hushed tones. Even a few people I considered decent colleagues were caught up in the gossip. As if they didn’t have actual work to do. I clenched my jaw and forced a smile when a particularly nosy coworker, Melinda, walked by, her eyes practically glittering with curiosity.

“Late night, Lyra?” she asked, her voice coated with sugary faux concern.

“Working hard, as always,” I replied flatly, my tone a clear dismissal.

She didn’t take the hint, though, and lingered. “It must be so fascinating, you know, working closely with Mr. Lennox. What’s he like outside the office?”

I took a deliberate sip of my coffee to buy myself a moment, then looked her square in the eye. “Professional. Just like in the office.”

Her smile faltered, and she moved on, but the damage was already done. I could feel the heat of curious stares prickling at the back of my neck.

And then there was Ethan. Damn that smug bastard.

He strutted past my desk like a rooster in a henhouse, his lips curled in a self-satisfied smirk. His blue tie was slightly askew—probably intentional because he thought it made him look cool and relaxed. It just made him look like a sloppy narcissist.

“Good morning, Lyra,” he said, his tone dripping with false pleasantry.

I glared at him, my nails digging into my palm. “Go to hell, Ethan.”

His grin widened, clearly enjoying my frustration. “Touchy, aren’t we? Long night?”

I refused to dignify that with a response and turned back to my screen. He didn’t deserve even a second of my energy. But as he sauntered away, I couldn’t shake the feeling that he was the source of all this nonsense.

The rumor wasn’t just about me—it involved Roman. Roman. Of all people. Ethan must’ve known the implications of dragging the boss’s name into this. It was a calculated move, one designed to humiliate me and stir chaos. And knowing Roman, if this reached his ears, it could spell trouble. Not just for me but for everyone involved.

I sighed and rubbed my temples, my mind racing. The business trip was coming up—the first major step in our new venture into healthcare investments. My team was set to fly out tomorrow, and I couldn’t afford to let this stupid gossip jeopardize my position. But maybe skipping the trip would be smarter. Let the rumors die down. Out of sight, out of mind, right?

But then again, would avoiding the trip make me look guilty? Like I had something to hide? My stomach churned at the thought.

“Focus, Lyra,” I muttered under my breath, pulling up the presentation I’d been preparing.

The door to the office opened, and for a brief moment, the chatter quieted. I glanced up, half expecting Roman and Anthony to stride in and restore order, but it was just a courier delivering some documents.

With Roman and Anthony still not at the office, the whispers had free rein, spreading like wildfire.

“Maybe they’re together right now…”

“...probably why he’s late…”

“...I heard she’s trying to get close to him for a promotion…”

My fists clenched, and I resisted the urge to slam them on the desk. These people didn’t know a damn thing about me, about Roman, or about the dinner last night. Anthony had been there! And Roman had been nothing but professional the entire time.

I pushed back my chair and stood, determined to squash this nonsense before it spiraled further. “For the record,” I said, loud enough for the nearby whisperers to hear, “Anthony was there too. It was a business dinner. Nothing more.”

A few people exchanged sheepish looks, but others just smirked, as if my attempt to clarify only fueled their suspicions.

I sat back down, feeling defeated. If Roman got wind of this, I’d be mortified. And worse, it could affect the way he viewed my work ethic or my professionalism. The thought made my skin crawl.

No. I wasn’t going to let this ruin me. I was better than their petty gossip. And if I had to face Roman today and address this head-on, so be it.

Because one thing was certain: I wasn’t about to let Ethan—or anyone else—torpedo my career.

By the time lunch rolled around, the whispers had turned into full-blown conspiracy theories. I could feel the weight of every passing glance, the muttered half-sentences that always stopped just as I entered the room.

I sat in my cabin, my untouched sandwich sitting on the desk in front of me, while I scrolled aimlessly through emails. Not that I could focus on any of them. The hum of gossip was louder than the notifications pinging on my computer.

When Anthony walked in unannounced, his face was a mix of curiosity and concern. He shut the door behind him, a rare move that instantly raised my guard.

“What the hell is going on?” he asked, leaning against the desk with his arms crossed.

“What do you mean?” I feigned ignorance, busying myself by straightening the pens on my desk.

Anthony gave me a pointed look. “Don’t play dumb, Lyra. The whole office is buzzing about you and Roman.”

My stomach plummeted. “It’s nothing,” I said quickly. “Just rumors. Stupid, baseless rumors.”

He raised an eyebrow. “Rumors don’t pop up out of thin air. Did something happen last night?”

I sighed, leaning back in my chair. “Nothing happened, Anthony. You were there! You left early, and I stayed for dinner—alone. That’s it. Roman was just being polite, and now…” I gestured vaguely at the invisible cloud of gossip hanging over me.

Anthony nodded slowly, but his expression didn’t soften. “Ethan’s behind this, isn’t he?”

I didn’t answer, but my silence said everything.

“That bastard,” Anthony muttered. “I’ll talk to him.”

“No!” I said, panicking. “Don’t. Please. If you confront him, it’ll just make things worse.”