Total pages in book: 121
Estimated words: 115308 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 577(@200wpm)___ 461(@250wpm)___ 384(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 115308 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 577(@200wpm)___ 461(@250wpm)___ 384(@300wpm)
My chin jerked in surprise. Not what I’d been expecting. “Excuse me?”
“Apparently, you and the groom-to-be aren’t on speaking terms.”
What the … I looked at Becky … and there! She let that malicious smile shine. Hilary cut her a look and Becky wiped her expression clean. Like a naughty schoolgirl hiding her evil intentions from the teacher.
Anger threatened to boil over, but I wouldn’t give Becky the satisfaction. I held Hilary’s questioning gaze instead. “I don’t know what you’ve heard, but you’ve been misinformed. It seems there’s a lot of that going around.”
“Whatever do you mean?”
I didn’t want to play into Becky’s games by informing Hilary her marketing manager was a conniving cow. “Just that you’ve been misinformed.”
“Really? Because Becky overheard an argument between you and Baird, and apparently, you haven’t been seen together all week. You could see how this might negatively impact our campaign.”
Stay calm. Stay calm.
I didn’t know what Becky’s intentions were with this new manipulation. Moreover, I didn’t know how far she would take whatever this bullshit vendetta was against me, but was it possible she was following me?
No. She was a catty colleague. She wasn’t unstable.
Right?
“I think Becky must have misheard something because I know she wouldn’t intentionally misinform you,” I replied with a polite tone that deserved an award for its ambivalence. “Baird and I are still together, still in love, and still very much dedicated to the campaign. It’s been a busy week for him with his other business and his summer training, so we haven’t been socializing in public. That doesn’t mean we’re not with each other at home.” Becky couldn’t prove it otherwise, unless she was willing to admit to some creepy stalking.
Hilary nodded and stood. “Good. That’s great to hear. I’m sorry for interrupting your workday, but you understand we have a lot invested in this and I had to ask.” She cut Becky an annoyed glower and gestured for her to move away from the door. “Let Maia return to work and you should too.”
The door to Hilary’s office had barely closed behind us when Becky stepped into my path, cutting off my escape.
“I know you’re lying. I’m just politely warning you now that I will be the first person to come after you if you put this company’s reputation in jeopardy.”
I’d had enough.
I was sick of her treating me like crap and doing it under the guise of the company’s welfare. “Accusing a colleague of lying is a serious accusation, Becky, and one I don’t take lightly. For instance, I would never accuse you of telling Eli and Liza that I’m the reason they didn’t get a Christmas bonus last year.”
Her cheeks flushed red, giving her away. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Feeling brave from having stood my ground with Liza and Eli, I continued. “I don’t know what your problem with me is. But if I find out you’re peddling lies, I will be forced to act because I do take slander seriously. If you accuse me of lying again or interfere with my career by, say, putting me forward for a campaign I didn’t give you permission to include me in, I am no longer willing to sit back and do nothing. One more misstep and I’ll report you to HR.” I moved to walk around her.
She grabbed my arm, shocking the heck out of me.
“Release me, or you accosting me right now will be the first complaint I make.”
Becky dropped my arm, cheeks beet red, eyes flashing with hatred. “Do it, and I’ll tell Hilary you and Baird are faking this.”
I tried not to flinch. “Excuse me?”
“That you’re a known liar. I know you lied about Will for a month. You didn’t split up with Will because of Baird. You split up with Will because he left you for my friend Birgitta. I even know the day he left you. It was the day I told you about the campaign.”
Shock and understanding dawned. Was this why she hated me? Because she was poisoned against me by Birgitta?
Wait.
Did she just inadvertently admit she knew we were broken up when she put me forward for the campaign?
“If you knew the day I left Will, then you put me forward for this social media campaign knowing Will and I had broken up, and it would put me in a really difficult position with Pennington’s if they chose us.”
Her expression slammed closed as she took a step back.
“You did this deliberately. To damage my reputation here.”
No answer. Just that stony glare.
“Why?” I wanted to know for sure. “What have I ever done to you, Becky? Please tell me. Is it because you’re friends with Birgitta?”
She sniffed haughtily. “I don’t have a problem with you, Maia. You should really talk to a professional about your paranoia.” She smiled that saccharine fake smile and strutted past me.