Chapter 3

When I returned to the legal department floor, the buzzing chatter instantly dropped dead.

The room smelled thick with awkward tension.

The senior associates who used to kiss up to me were all glued to their monitors, too cowardly to meet my eyes.

Over in the corner, a couple of interns who loved office gossip were huddled together, smirking openly.

"That's what happens when you cross Julian."

"Always acting like she's queen bee. Look who just got booted."

Their petty whispers drifted into my ears, but I didn't care enough to spare them a glance.

I walked straight to my corner office, pulled out a cardboard box, and started packing my things.

A few heavy law textbooks, my favorite travel mug, and a potted pothos that was thriving on my windowsill.

Just as I placed the plant inside the box, a steaming cup of latte was set down squarely on my paperwork.

Mia leaned in, her makeup flawless and sickeningly sweet.

"Claire! Julian told us you're moving on to 'bigger things'?"

"I brewed this special latte just for you. A little farewell gift."

Her smile was dripping with sugar, but her eyes blazed with smug triumph.

Without blinking, I slid the coffee cup away so it wouldn't ruin the unfiled folders.

"No thanks. I don't drink anything from shady sources."

Mia didn't flinch. Instead, she perched casually against the edge of my desk and lowered her voice to a whisper.

"Claire, you really didn't know how good you had it."

"Julian is so incredibly romantic. He stayed on FaceTime with me all night, asking if I was feeling okay, calling me by his private nicknames."

"Being treated like a fragile little princess... gosh, it's something a girl never forgets."

She twirled a lock of hair around her finger, looking utterly enraptured.

"Julian said Legal needs fresh blood with flexibility. I'm taking over as department head now."

"Don't worry, I'll take good care of Julian for you. And I'll defuse all those 'problems' you were always whining about."

I paused my packing, looking up at her.

Her face was painfully young. Her ignorance was almost hilarious.

I pointed at the mountain of merger appendices sitting on the side credenza.

"Since you're so eager to shine, those are all yours."

Mia followed my finger toward the massive pile of complex legal text, risk audits, and cross-border data filings.

A flicker of pure panic washed over her eyes, but she quickly masked it with smug defiance.

"What are those?"

"The risk assessment reports for Hayes Enterprises' upcoming flagship acquisitions. Plus a few ticking time bombs buried in the subsidiary debt clauses."

I kept my tone perfectly dry.

"Some of those landmines take real expertise to defuse, not intern-level charm."

"When they blow up in your face, don't say I didn't warn you."

Mia's face drained of color, her fake smile cracking down the middle.

"Claire, are you cursing me?"

"Julian said this job is a breeze. Anyone can do it."

"You're just jealous that I'm getting promoted, so you're trying to scare me!"

"Don't think you can boss me around anymore. I'm not scared of you."

I tucked my last personal notebook into the box, picked it up, and stood tall, casting a long shadow over her desk.

"Believe whatever helps you sleep at night. It's not my problem anymore."

"Show Julian all your 'talents.' Just try not to bankrupt the company before the quarter ends."

Ignoring her furious gasp, I turned on my heels and walked toward the double glass doors.

Her shrill voice screeched after me.

"Claire! Just you wait!"

I kept my chin up, walking out of that cesspool without looking back once.