"So, how are you going to defend yourself now? How the hell are you going to save all of us from hitting rock bottom?!" Albert questioned, finishing reading the thread and throwing his phone on the desk.
Christina's eyes fixated on his screen, the words hitting all the wrong spots in her. It wasn't the user who started the thread that infuriated her, but all the comments that followed. Why were people so quick to judge someone based on a random stranger's comment? Were they not interested in hearing the other side too? Or would that kill their amusement?
"I will be back to work in ten minutes!" Christina addressed her fuming team leader and the other members silently glaring at her. She threw her bag on her desk and walked toward the elevator.
"Look at her, as snarky as ever!" Albert grumbled with a scoff. Looking at the other workers, he demanded, "Do you also need ten minutes to return to your seats and work?"
"What should we even work on?! The presentation is going in vain all because of her." One of them retorted, her anger understandable.
"I knew she was a hot mess right from the start. Now she is dragging everyone into it." Another woman commented, fueling everyone's frustration. Jessica, who was worriedly looking at Christina's back, sighed and returned to her seat. She only hoped things could become a little more breathable for her; the poor human was already going through a lot.
Entering the marketing department's floor, Christina opened the office doors and walked toward that scumbag's chamber. The junior workers settled in the desk rows and looked at her as she made her way toward their assistant manager's chamber.
"Delete the thread!" She demanded, stepping inside, the door shutting with a light sound.
"What do you mean?" Derek asked with a frown, his eyes fixed on the monitor screen in front of him. His nose looked a little better than last night and she wanted to punch it again! Break all the bones!
Taking a deep breath, she walked closer and pressed the window button on the monitor to stop him from pretending to be working. Crossing her arms, Christina ordered again, "Delete the thread before I take it to the PR team. Do you think it wouldn't be easy to catch an unknown female user's ID among all the real workers' IDs? Aren't you afraid of paying a lot more than you wished me to?"
Her every word was fiercely true that Derek was slightly worried. This woman is sure smart! He cursed with his eyes, as he had forgotten for a split second that she had seen him using this account once. He had lied that it belonged to a friend and she wanted him to check since it was glitching and kept logging her out of the forum.
Leaning back on his chair, Derek smirked and replied, "Even if I delete it now, do you think people will stop talking about you, princess? Haven't you seen the look in their eyes, the disgust for you?"
Seeing Christina's unwavering confidence, Derek couldn't help but push further. "Even the most powerful man can't help you now, princess. Imagine if he deletes the thread to help you. Everyone will think he slapped you for having such delusions. Do you think he'll come out and admit he's seeing you?" He snickered and added, "That's not how playboys work. They discard their toys when they start causing trouble."
Christina gritted her teeth as Derek's words hit her like a series of punches. He was right! She wasn't expecting her boss to help her out of this mess since he had his own set of problems. But her willpower wavered for a moment, such a disaster would only add more fuel to the already burning pit.
A smirk tugged at Derek's lips as he noticed her downcast expression. He rose from his chair and walked towards her. Standing uncomfortably close, he offered, "So I will give you one last chance. Apologize and come home tonight. I will comment with my real account that it's all untrue and baseless. That's the only way to save your reputation now."
Christina let out a derisive laugh, her anger consuming her fears. "The way you keep repeating 'last chance', you must have been madly in love with me. Are you that desperate to get back with me?" She retorted, her voice steady despite the turmoil inside her. "Or is it that your flimsy ego got hurt now that I'm with someone above your level?"
Her question landed like a sucker punch, causing Derek to clench his fists as his jaw tightened in silent admission.
"Listen carefully," Christina warned, stepping closer until they were almost nose to nose. "I'm giving you the last chance to stop getting on my nerves. Cross me again, and you'll face my wrath." She jabbed a finger into his chest, her icy stare piercing his soul. "And when I say last, I mean it!"
Derek gritted his teeth, suppressing the urge to grab her hair and teach her a lesson. All eyes were on him, and he wasn't ready to risk the position he had worked so hard to reach. But he wasn't done with her yet! He thought, glaring at her retreating as she walked out of his office.
Meanwhile, on the highest floor of the building, Blaze paced like a chicken from one corner to another. "What's the point of having a phone if you never care to answer it?!" He grumbled, raking a hand through his hair as his brother's phone rang out unanswered.
He had heard how Reylan had demanded human blood last night and the poor butler was forced to rush to a donor bank to procure some. And he hadn't returned, maybe afraid of hurting her. But right now, she was in even deeper trouble and needed his help.
"Sir, should we delete the thread?" The head of the PR team asked again, his tablet displaying the heated discussion on the company's forum. "The comments are flooding in, and even the factory and other small branches are joining the discussion."
"Who the hell did start it?" Blaze seethed, his fangs flashing as he glared at the user ID. He wasn't adept at navigating such human dilemmas. When Reylan didn't pick up again, he hastily sent a detailed voice note along with the thread, hoping it wouldn't be ignored like his calls.
---
[Nocturna Cafteria]
Christina squirmed under the scrutiny in the cafeteria, her grip tightening on her cold drink as her eyelashes fluttered like the wings of a trapped bird. It would take a few days for the rumor to die, and she steeled herself again to endure it until then.
"Let's eat somewhere else," Jessica suggested, the weight of the gazes stressing her out. But Christina shook her head as running away would only give them more fodder for gossip.
"Look at her, does she have no shame? How can she show her face here?" A woman nearby remarked, probably a fan of her boss.
"Right? Sleeping with our CEO? My foot!" Her friend replied with a snicker, causing Christina to clench her cup tightly.
Another woman chimed in, "Really a shameless slut! How can she even say that?"
Rising from her seat, she approached the trio. "With my mouth, of course. Is that a problem for you, honey?"
As the women sneered at her, surprised by her audacity in confronting them rather than fleeing, Christina continued, "I fail to understand why you're so outraged. Or is it because I have the guts to voice what you only dare to think in your bed?"
The crowd erupted at her words, while the women's arrogance waned, their confidence wavering in the face of the harsh truth. They rose from their seats, and one of them raised her hand to slap Christina. "You!" She spat out, her face twisted in anger.
However, to their surprise, someone swiftly caught the raised hand, standing protectively behind Christina. The woman froze to her spot, her face a mask of horror.
"Did she say something wrong?" Reylan questioned, his voice calm but carrying an underlying threat. His other hand encircled around Christina's shoulder, pulling her closer to him. "No, right? Then I don't see a reason for you to raise your hand at my girlfriend unless you want to lose it."