I saw Cole.
“She’s making a mess of it,” said Mark. “She’s furious that her name is being linked to this.”
HR raised a hand to calm her down. Alyssa talked over him.
Then someone slid a Manila folder across the table towards Cole. He stopped talking in the middle of a sentence.
His whole demeanor changed, as if all strength had drained from him.
**
About twenty minutes later, the door opened again. Cole stepped into the hallway and looked at me with wide eyes.
‘Paige,’ he said softly.
I didn’t move.
His whole attitude changed.
He stepped forward. “This isn’t what it looks like, honey.”
I don’t do this in front of strangers. You’ve already done that enough.
Mark laughed mockingly behind me.
‘You said you would send money,’ I said. ‘I need it in writing. Then you’ll finally learn how to live without hiding behind a payslip and lies.’
His jaw tensed. “Paige —”
‘No.’ I raised my hand. ‘You can’t call me ‘Paige’ anymore as if we’re still a team.’
I need it in writing.
Behind him, Alyssa sneered: “Oh dear.”
I turned around and looked at her. She looked as if she could strike at any moment, her eyes narrowed to slits, her lips slightly parted.
But before she could say anything, the woman in the dark blue blazer stepped into the hallway.
‘Alyssa,’ she said calmly but ice-cold. ‘Your contract is terminated with immediate effect. The legal department will handle the matter further. Do not return to this building.’
‘You’re joking, Deborah,’ she said. ‘I work here.’
Your contract has been terminated.
‘This is not up for discussion,’ added Deborah, and it became dead silent in the hallway.
Cole turned around. “You can’t just fire her —”
‘We can do that,’ said Deborah. ‘And we do.’
She turned to Cole. “Effective today, you have been placed on inactive duty without pay, pending dismissal. Hand in your badge.”
A guard came closer, with a clipboard in his hand.
That made him silent.
