Chapter 1

I downed three heavy shots to save a new female colleague at a client dinner. The very next morning, she accused me of sexual harassment.

Chloe cried in our department's Slack channel:

"I feel like someone touched me inappropriately while I was barely conscious last night."

The whole department knew I was the only one who stepped in to take her drinks that night.

Every single eye locked onto me.

Without even giving me a chance to explain, Director Harrison stripped me of my multimillion-dollar project and handed it directly to her.

Before I could even process the blow, my wife, Claire, threw divorce papers right in my face.

"I never thought you were such disgusting trash. Pack your crap and get the hell out of my sight."

In just seventy-two hours, my career, my marriage, and my reputation were completely destroyed.

While everyone was gleefully waiting to watch me burn and get driven out of the industry, I quietly got my hands on a flash drive containing the restaurant’s private dining room security footage.

Crystal-clear 4K footage.

More than enough to rip every single one of their lies to shreds.

It was an official corporate dinner. As the senior sales lead, I took a few members of my team to entertain Robert Vance, one of our biggest accounts.

That included Chloe Miller, who had only been with us for two months.

She was sweet, ambitious, and the department's shining star intern-turned-junior associate.

A few rounds in, Vance’s slimy eyes barely left Chloe. He poured a glass full of high-proof liquor, leaning uncomfortably close and insisting she lock arms with him to down it. Chloe turned ghost-white. Her hands trembled violently as she held her glass, desperately throwing pleading looks in my direction.

I didn’t overthink it. Vance was an essential client we couldn't afford to offend, but Chloe was clearly pushed past her breaking point.

As her lead, protecting my people and steering the room was my duty. If I didn't step up, who would?

I stood up with an easy smile, smoothly took the glass from Chloe's shaking hand, and faced Vance.

"Mr. Vance, she's fresh out of college and can barely handle wine. Let me take this hit for her. Don't take it the wrong way."

Vance burst into a loud laugh, slapping my shoulder heavily.

"Ethan Chase, always the knight in shining armor! But saving a damsel takes more than one shot. Three shots, or it doesn't count!"

He was testing my limits.

To keep the client happy and bury the tension once and for all, I didn't hesitate. I poured two more, raised the glass, and knocked them all back clean.

The burn ripped through my throat. Vance roared in approval, praising my loyalty, and finally moved on.

I let out a quiet sigh of relief, glancing briefly toward Chloe just to make sure she was safe. Once satisfied, I went back to my seat, chatting with the senior account reps.

I didn't speak a single word to Chloe for the rest of the night.

I genuinely thought it was just standard corporate networking—a harmless favor.

The next morning, our team Slack channel exploded.

Chloe had posted a long message:

"Hey everyone... I drank way too much last night, and my head is spinning."

"I have a terrible feeling that someone took advantage of my state and touched me inappropriately."

"I don't want to make a huge scene, and I won't name names because we still have to work together."

"I just hope whoever you are, you watch yourself. Don't ever do it again."

"Otherwise, I will have no choice but to escalate this through formal HR channels."

The message dropped like a grenade, blowing the entire department wide open.

Only a handful of male colleagues were at dinner last night. Once the client left, only our core team remained.

And the only man who stepped into Chloe's personal space was me.

In an instant, every silent, judgmental glance in the office locked onto me.

Coworkers immediately started replying.

"Oh my god, Chloe, are you okay?! Who would do something so sick?!"

"Total corporate predator! Don't be scared, Chloe, we’ve got your back!"

Chloe replied with a tearful emoji:

"I'm okay... I'm just so scared and hurt. I just wanted to warn him."

I was reviewing a contract when the messages flooded my screen. I instantly DM’d her. No reply.

I called her cell. Declined.

I knew better than to start an all-caps war on Slack; it would only make me look guilty and defensive.

I swallowed the rage boiling in my chest and endured the suffocating morning.

During lunch, the moment I saw her head toward the breakroom alone, I walked over, gestured for her to step into the adjoining conference room, and shut the door.

"Chloe, let's talk straight," I demanded, holding back my anger. "Who are you talking about in Slack? What exactly do you think I did to you last night?"