Chapter 3

The next day I got to the office at my usual time. Fern wasn't at her desk, but her monitor was still on, and the messaging app was open.

I was only passing by, but out of the corner of my eye I caught my own name, and my feet stopped.

The other person was saved as "Phoebe," and the last few messages ended sometime last night.

Fern: "The plan worked! Denys got into it with that bitch again today."

Phoebe: "So she's still clinging on and won't leave?"

Fern: "Probably thinks she's the boss's wife or something. You have no idea, she goes around every day acting like the boss's girlfriend, ordering people around the office. Like everyone owes her."

"Denys got drunk and held onto me and said he liked me. She's the one who won't let go, that's why we've been stuck all this time."

I dragged the mouse down, my hand shaking.

"Denys was completely wasted that night, leaning on my shoulder telling me being with her is just habit, that he stopped feeling anything a long time ago."

"They just can't split up. The second he brings up breaking up she cries, and there's nothing he can do."

Phoebe: "So nothing happened that night?"

Fern: "Some security guard came out of nowhere. Fuck."

"Such a waste. I was going to find someone to ruin her. If she'd gotten used up, made dirty, Denys definitely wouldn't want her anymore."

My vision went black, my palm slick with sweat, the mouse so slippery I could barely hold it.

I wanted a photo, proof. I'd just raised my phone when I heard footsteps behind me.

Fern came down the hall carrying a cup. She saw me standing at her desk, paused, then smiled.

"Florence? What are you looking at?"

I stepped back half a step, my mind racing.

If I turned on her right now, she'd delete the whole chat on the spot.

I'd have nothing left.

"Nothing, just passing by, came to get some water." I moved aside a step. "You go ahead."

I carried my cup to the break room, set it on the counter. My hand was still shaking.

I stood there for a dozen seconds, took two deep breaths, then turned and walked toward Denys's office.

The door was open. He was looking down at his phone and lifted his eyes a little when he heard someone come in.

"Denys, I need to talk to you."

"Talk."

"Fern hired someone to attack me."

His finger stopped on the screen. He looked up at me.

"That man in the parking lot two weeks ago, she paid him. I passed her desk today and her chat with a friend was still open. She said it herself."

Denys stared at me for two seconds, then set his phone face-down on the desk.

"Florence, have you lost your mind?"

"The chat's right there on her computer. Go over now and you can still see it."

"Fern hired someone to attack you?" He gave a cold laugh. "She was apologizing to me last night, said she was afraid you'd be upset, told me to pack up some food to bring home for you. And you're telling me she paid people to beat you?"

"She said it herself. She said she was going to find someone to ruin me."

"Enough!" He stood, came around the desk, stopped in front of me, and looked down at me.

"Florence, can you not be normal for once? Fern's a girl from out of town, she's only been here a little over two months, she doesn't know a soul in this city, can't even find her way around. Where's she going to find someone to do that?"

"You're making up a lie like this to frame her over something as small as me giving her rides? Do you think I'm stupid?"

"You can't stand me being a little decent to anyone else? Making a scene like this, what is it you actually want?"

I stood on the other side of his desk and couldn't get a word out.

He turned back to face me, his voice going cold. "If you keep this up, don't blame me for not being nice about it."

"Get out."