Chapter 2

My whole body went rigid, and I stared at Boris Harding in disbelief.

Boris was one of the three candidates my father had picked out for me.

Dad said he was the oldest of them, the fairest in the way he handled people.

Young as he was, he'd already made department supervisor.

On the ordinary days when my coworkers ordered me around, he would see it and always let out a helpless sigh.

"You," he'd say. "You're just too soft."

"Next time, do your own work yourself. Stop spoiling them."

I thought he would handle this fairly. I never imagined he would turn on me too, blaming me without hearing a word of the truth.

Libby Fox, whose face had been tight and sullen, laughed out loud the moment she saw this.

She looked at me, contempt written all over her face.

"You think if you put on some pitiful little act, you can lure Supervisor Harding into taking your side?"

"Take a good look at yourself first!"

At her words Boris's expression shifted, and he stepped forward, closing the distance to Libby.

"Libby, are you all right?"

His eyes were full of concern.

"There's nothing between me and Ellie Fox. Don't misunderstand."

Libby gave Boris a wounded look and lifted her hand.

"Look, my hand's been scalded red."

"Ellie did it on purpose. Boris, you have to punish her."

Libby's fingers were pale and smooth, without a single mark left on them.

But Boris's face darkened all the same, plain for anyone to see.

He turned and glared at me.

"Ellie Fox, apologize to Libby, now!"

"Or the company will fire you for sure!"

I stood there with no one on my side.

It wasn't my fault. It clearly wasn't.

I lowered my head, and the tears fell in fat drops onto the floor.

Mom and Dad told me: when it isn't your fault, you don't need to apologize.

I clenched my fists, gathered my courage, and raised my head.

"It really wasn't my fault."

The words had barely left my mouth when someone shoved me hard from behind.

"Ellie Fox, who told you to hurt Libby?"

I hit the floor hard, and my hand came down by accident on the shards of the broken coffee cup.

Blood welled up instantly.

The pain broke a cold sweat out all over me.

But Emmet Dickerson, behind me, acted as if he saw none of it, and grabbed me by the arm.

"What are you putting on the act for?"

"It's just a little blood. What's with the pitiful routine?"

He dragged me by the arm without mercy, hauling me over in front of Libby.

"I told you to apologize. Did you hear me?"

I looked up at Emmet, and the pain in my chest came in slow, throbbing waves.

He was the youngest of the three candidates my father had chosen for me.

Lively by nature, the one I'd once gotten along with best.

Whenever he had a free moment he'd come by the front desk to chat, now and then bringing me some funny little trinket.

I thought we were already good friends.

But now he'd not only pushed me down onto the shards, he was holding me here to make me apologize to Libby.

The pain left me unable to speak, and all I could do was shake my head, over and over.

Watching me like that, the fury in Emmet's eyes only burned hotter.

He seized me outright, forced me down to my knees, and pressed my head to the floor.

"Ellie Fox, you brought this on yourself!"

Pinned to the floor, I couldn't straighten up.

Emmet smiled, satisfied, then looked over at Libby.

"Libby, feel better now?"

Libby pursed her lips.

"She isn't sincere at all."

Like a dog handed a command, Emmet grabbed my head and knocked it hard against the floor a few more times.

Then, as if tossing aside a filthy rag, he flung me down onto the floor in disgust.

"How about now, Libby?"

"If you're still not satisfied, I'll keep going for you!"

Libby lowered her head and looked down at me sprawled on the floor with scorn, then waved a hand and spoke like she was granting mercy.

"Forget it, forget it."

"Carrying on like this makes it look like I'm bullying a coworker."

"I'll let her off for today."

Emmet's smile grew even brighter.

"Libby, you really are kind-hearted."

With that, Emmet shot me an impatient look.

"Still not going to get lost?"

"Ellie Fox, what are you still doing hanging around here?"

He bent down and leaned close to my ear with a warning.

"Ellie Fox, if you know what's good for you, you'll quit the company yourself."

"You still don't know, do you? Libby is the young heiress of the Foxs."

"You crossed her. You won't have an easy day left in this company!"

My mouth opened, but for a long moment no sound came out.

When the truth was, I was the young heiress of the Foxs.