Chapter 4

"Chloe, did you touch my files?"

Julian’s voice over the phone was sharp and demanding. He didn't even bother with a greeting.

I could feel his anxiety radiating through the speaker.

"What files?"

"The equity agreements in my office drawer. A few of them are missing."

He was trying to sound casual, but the interrogation tone was glaring.

I propped the phone between my shoulder and ear while flipping through the final clearance documents Liam had just emailed me.

Aura Tech’s 38% was officially sold. The funds were locked in my account.

"I thought you had amnesia, Julian. How did you know those files were in your office drawer?"

The line went dead silent for three seconds.

"...Scarlett found them while she was helping me clean up."

A quick cover-up. His voice immediately shifted back to that confused, distant tone. "Even though I don't remember what they are, they seem important. Right?"

"Very important. Which is why I kept them safe for you."

"You—"

"Don't worry, I won't lose them. After all, you're the one with memory loss, not me."

The sarcasm was heavy. Before he could snap, I heard Scarlett whispering something in the background, and Julian abruptly hung up.

Liam's end went smoother than expected.

Gavin was completely consumed by the Vanguard Group proposal. He spent two straight days in meetings, leaving him no time to dig into the Apex Data share transfer.

But trouble came from another direction.

At 3:00 PM, my HR director called me.

"Chloe, can you step into the conference room?"

When I pushed the door open, both the department VP and the company’s legal counsel were sitting there.

On the table lay a formal complaint.

Complainant: Scarlett.

Charge: Workplace Harassment and Stalking.

"Chloe, Scarlett is a new intern at our firm. She claims you have repeatedly threatened her in the office and have been stalking her commute."

The VP adjusted his glasses. "Given your personal history with her partner, the company believes it's best if you cooperate with an internal investigation."

I looked at the complaint. It had three screenshots of text messages attached.

They were completely photoshopped.

Scarlett had taken what I said at the coffee shop, cropped it, and combined it with fake Snapchat messages to create a narrative of me threatening her life.

"These screenshots are fake."

"We will investigate that. But until we reach a conclusion, we suggest you take a temporary suspension with pay," the VP said, his tone polite but firm. "This is for your own good, and for Scarlett's safety."

For Scarlett's safety.

She moved into my apartment, took my boyfriend, wore the floral dress I bought, and now she was kicking me out of the company.

The company—Nova Media—where I legally owned 35% of the shares.

I didn't make a scene.

"Fine. I will cooperate."

As I walked out of the conference room, Scarlett happened to walk by, holding a Starbucks cup.

The moment she saw me, she gasped dramatically, taking a step back and almost spilling her drink.

"Chloe, please... you're not going to threaten me again, are you?"

Her voice was just loud enough to carry down the hall.

Several colleagues stopped and stared.

Their eyes were filled with pity, curiosity, and judgment—and none of it was directed at Scarlett.

"Scarlett," I stopped and looked at her. "Do you know who the largest individual shareholder of Nova Media is?"

She blinked, playing innocent. "It's Julian, right? He told me he owns this place."

"Wrong."

I walked up to her, close enough to smell the perfume she was wearing—the exact bottle I had left in my bathroom.

"It's me."

Scarlett’s smug grin faltered, turning into a look of sheer panic.

I didn't give her time to process. I turned around and walked out.

Paige's call came in as I reached the lobby.

"Chloe, we have a problem. Julian just posted a public statement on his Instagram. He claims a 'stalker ex' is harassing his new girlfriend and warning local businesses not to associate with you."

"How long has it been up?"

"Thirty minutes. It already has over a hundred comments. Everyone in our social circle has seen it."

The elevator dinged. Two of my coworkers were inside, but they shut their mouths the second they saw me.

I stepped in and pressed the lobby button.

"Paige, can we transfer my 35% stake in Nova Media today?"

"Today?! That's his flagship company... Are you sure?"

The doors closed, and the mirrored walls reflected my face.

Maybe it was the harsh fluorescent lighting, but my eyes looked slightly watery.

"He already told the world I'm not his girlfriend. So why should I keep protecting his assets?"