Chapter 4

The next morning, first thing, I was called up to the general manager's office.

Stewart Lawrence had come in to handle it personally.

Besides Merlin and Victor on the couch, there was a woman in her forties.

Dark circles under her eyes, a phone clenched in her hand, lips pressed into a hard line.

Victor's wife, Alison Perry.

Beside her sat someone younger, in a beige trench coat and thin-framed glasses.

Merlin's wife, Irene Donaldson.

Stewart cleared his throat.

"Pamela, you've seen the talk going around the company lately.

I've brought everyone together today so we can settle this once and for all."

Alison spoke first.

"Mr. Lawrence, I don't care about the rest. I just want one question answered."

She pointed at Victor.

"My husband went on a team-building trip. How did it turn into something like this? What exactly happened on that live stream?"

Victor's face went gray.

"Don't listen to whatever people are saying online..."

"I heard it with my own ears." Alison's voice shook.

"Everyone soaking wet with nothing to change into, tens of thousands of people watching. My classmates and friends asked me about it a hundred times over the weekend."

Irene said nothing.

But the way she looked at Merlin was the way you'd look at a stranger.

Stewart raised a hand.

"Everyone, the point today isn't the live stream. It's Jessica's test results."

He turned to me.

"Pamela, Jessica and her family have filed a formal complaint.

Her mother flew in last night. She's extremely upset, and she's threatening to go to the police."

He pushed a document across to me.

【Negotiated Resignation Agreement】

"What the company is proposing is that you resign voluntarily. We'll list personal reasons as the cause, so it won't affect your next job."

"Both sides sign, and this ends here."

I glanced at the agreement.

"And the severance?"

"What severance?"

"I'm being let go through no fault of my own, and the company pays nothing?"

Stewart frowned.

"Pamela, the company is already going out of its way to save your dignity."

Merlin added, "You should count yourself lucky you weren't fired outright."

Victor sneered. "You're still talking severance? Do you not understand that Jessica's family wants to press charges, that you could be looking at criminal liability?"

The door swung open.

Jessica stood in the doorway.

Behind her was a woman in her fifties.

Jessica's mother.

Her eyes were red to the point of purple, and she came charging in with her finger jabbed at me.

"It's you? You're the one who did this to my daughter?"

"Ma'am..."

"You've still got the nerve to call me that?" Her voice went shrill.

"My daughter is only twenty-six! How is she ever supposed to get married now? You have no conscience!"

Jessica caught her mother's arm.

"Mom, don't..."

She turned her head to look at me.

Tears slid down.

"Pamela, even now I don't want to believe you did it on purpose."

"But other than that pair of underwear you gave me, I honestly can't think of any other reason."

"Can't you just admit it? Say it wasn't on purpose, and I'll believe you."

Alison's expression loosened.

Irene let out a sigh.

Everyone was watching me.

Waiting for me to bow my head, waiting for me to confess.

Waiting for me to sign that paper and get out of this building.

Scenes from my last life flashed in front of me.

I signed.

Anthony called off the engagement.

Funeral wreaths piled up at my door.

The wind on the rooftop poured down my collar, so cold.

This life.

I pulled out my phone.

"Mr. Lawrence, you said you wanted to settle this once and for all. I agree."

I handed the phone over.

"Look at this first, then decide who should be signing."

Stewart took the phone.

The instant the screen lit up.

His face went from impatience to shock.

Victor leaned in on reflex.

Once he saw what was on it, his face went white in a flash.

And when Jessica saw the screen, her crying cut off all at once.