And now Camilla believed every word of her lie.
The atmosphere in the designers' office was thick with whispers and hushed conversations.
Everyone was abuzz with the latest scandal about Canary and the video.
The tension was palpable, and the moment Lisa walked in, all eyes turned to her.
The room fell silent, the weight of unspoken words hanging in the air.
Lisa immediately noticed the stares and felt the unease in the room.
She pretended not to notice, heading straight to her desk, but she could hear fragments of whispers behind her.
"She's his girlfriend, isn't she?"
"Do you think it's true?"
"Her name was in the video too…"
Lisa sat down, her hands trembling slightly. She had seen the video that morning, and while it broke her heart to hear Canary's name dragged through the mud and her own included she refused to jump to conclusions.
' I will wait and hear from him'
She kept telling herself quietly.
Before Lisa could sit down, Jenny stepped forward, her voice loud enough to draw attention.
"Well, look who it is. Miss 'I-thought-Canary-was-my-boyfriend.'"
Lisa kept silent at this.
Richie laughed mockingly. "Turns out he's everyone's boyfriend. Or should we say, everyone's toy? He sleeps with whoever he wishes. Guess you're not that special after all."
They both laughed wickedly.
Lisa froze, her face reddening, but she said nothing, willing herself to remain calm.
Jenny continued, stepping closer with a sly grin. "Oh, and in case you didn't hear, Canary won't be president for long. The way things are going, he's getting demoted any day now. So maybe you should stop acting so high and mighty."
Richie crossed her arms, leaning against a desk. "Yeah, Lisa. Time to get off your pedestal. Canary's reputation is in ruins, and so is yours."
" Are you done?" Lisa asked, her voice steady despite the turmoil inside looking up at them.
" Hahaha" Both Jenny and Richie laughed.
" Now what ?" Jenny asked.
" Do you think this is funny?" she demanded, her voice loud enough for the entire office to hear and they all paid attention.
Jenny and Richie exchanged smug looks, but before they could respond, the door swung open, and Gladys entered. She stood by and watched them.
" When Canary first came to Andersons," Lisa spoke:
" Everyone admired him. You all looked up to him, respected him, and treated him like he was one of your own. He was driven, ambitious, and brought the company forward. You loved him then, didn't you?"
The room fell silent as everyone listened intently. Lisa's eyes swept over the faces of her colleagues, her expression hardening.
"But now, because of one mistake or what you think is a mistake you've all turned against him so quickly. Just like that." Her face showed sadness as she spoke.
Lisa crossed her arms, eyes sharp as she looked each person in the eye.
"Are you really his friends? Or are you just fair-weather companions who only love someone at their best, and then abandon them when they need you most? Because if that's the case, then you're not true friends. You're just hypocrites who only care about someone when it's convenient."
After those words , Richie and Jenny exchanged uncomfortable glances, their faces flushed with embarrassment. They had no response to her confrontation.
Just then, Gladys, standing near the door, smiled and slowly clapped her hands.
"Well said, Lisa," she commented, her voice full of approval.
Simon and Dan, standing nearby, joined in, clapping as well.
Soon, the entire office followed suit. The sound of applause filled the room, a wave of support for Lisa's unwavering loyalty to Canary.
Lisa looked up, surprised by the gesture. She hadn't expected this kind of response.
She gave a small, appreciative nod but didn't speak further.
—-
Canary sat at his desk, his head in his hands, trying to make sense of the chaos.
A soft knock on the door broke his thoughts, and Michael entered, holding a clean shirt.
"Sir, I thought you might need this," Michael said, placing the shirt on the desk. "And… the protesters are still outside. It's getting worse."
Before Canary could respond, the door opened again, and Mr. Smith, the chairman of the board, stepped inside. His expression was calm but serious.
"Canary," Mr. Smith began gently, "the board has been discussing the situation, and we've come to a decision.
The employees outside have refused to work as long as you're here.
For the sake of the company, we believe it's best for you to step away from the office temporarily until things calm down."
Canary looked up, stunned. "You're asking me to leave the office?"
Mr. Smith nodded regretfully. "It's not permanent. Just until we can restore order. Please understand, this is about the company's stability, not about questioning your leadership."
Canary's jaw tightened, but he forced himself to stay calm.
He looked at Michael, who gave him an encouraging nod.
With a heavy sigh, he stood and began unbuttoning his soiled shirt.
"I'll go," Canary said, his voice steady despite the storm brewing inside him. "But I'll be back. And I'll clear my name."
Mr. Smith gave a small nod of approval. "I'm sure you will, Canary. Take care of yourself."
As Canary changed into the fresh shirt, the weight of the situation settled on his shoulders.
But even as he left his office, he resolved that this wasn't the end it was just the beginning of his fight to reclaim his place.
Canary passed through the back door to the parking and left the company.