Chapter 1

I lent my co-worker $100,000 for her child's life-saving surgery. Now, she's telling everyone I'm trying to sleep with her husband.

When Chloe screamed those words in the breakroom, my coffee mug froze mid-air.

Three months ago, she fell to her knees, sobbing and begging me for a hundred grand to save her dying son. I didn't hesitate; I wired her the money.

But now, all my kindness has been twisted into "proof" that I'm seducing her husband.

I didn't expose her right then. I just watched her perform with a cold smile as our co-workers' looks toward me turned sour.

The next day, she barged into the lobby with her husband, pointing her finger in my face.

"You did it, so own up to it! Don't tell me you didn't have eyes for my husband!"

I let out a cold laugh and pulled a stack of financial records from my bag.

"That bitter divorcee is so pathetic. She can't keep a man of her own, so she’s throwing herself at someone else's husband!"

Inside the breakroom, Chloe's shrill voice pierced right through the door, hitting my ears with crystal clarity.

My hand holding the coffee mug froze in mid-air.

"Playing the saint in front of me, helping with my kid, lending me money... She's just a desperate, shameless bitch at her core!"

"I mean, seriously. Why else would she be so nice to me for no reason?"

A few snickers of agreement echoed around her, and then someone lowered their voice to ask:

"Chloe, you mean Audrey, our Director? No way, she doesn't seem like that kind of person."

"People can fake anything!" Chloe's voice went up an octave.

"She's just eyeing my husband's stable, promising career!"

"I'm just a junior clerk who barely passed probation, and she's a Director, yet she's always coming over to my place. If she’s not after my husband, what is she doing?"

"I'm telling you guys, she's driving me absolutely insane!"

My brain went completely numb. The blood rushed straight to my head.

Chloe, the new hire in our department. Three months ago, she came to me crying, saying her son had acute leukemia and desperately needed $200,000 for surgery.

With tears streaming down her face, she said she had borrowed from every relative and friend she knew but was still short by $100,000. She literally begged me to save her child's life.

Looking at the pale, sickly face of the little boy on her phone screen, my heart softened.

I had been divorced for years and had no children of my own.

Because I didn't have a complete family, I couldn't bear to see children suffer, especially in a life-or-death situation like this.

I didn't just wire her the $100,000 on the spot; I also told her not to worry about paying me back anytime soon. Her child's health came first.

After that, seeing her juggle work and hospital visits, looking absolutely exhausted, I offered to pick her son up from the clinic after work.

I would bring him to my house to look after him for a few hours just so she could get some breathing room.

The boy was incredibly sweet. He would always look at me with his big, clear eyes and call me "Auntie Audrey" in his tiny, shy voice.

Chloe was beyond grateful. She held my hands and insisted on calling me her older sister, claiming I was the savior of their family and that she would do anything to repay me in this lifetime.

As for her husband, Marcus, I had only seen him twice briefly during the child drop-offs. I couldn't even remember what he looked like clearly.

As for her husband, Marcus, I had only met him twice.

Once was when I dropped off some supplies at the hospital, and the other was when he came to my place to pick up his son.

Each time, he was perfectly polite, thanking me and bringing some fruits. I barely even remembered his face.

But now, all my goodwill had turned into a calculated seduction scheme in Chloe's mouth.

My hand holding the coffee cup trembled slightly. A few drops of the hot liquid spilled onto the back of my hand, but I didn't even feel the pain.

I quietly turned on the voice recorder on my phone, took a deep breath, and pushed the breakroom door open.

The laughter inside stopped instantly.

The seven or eight co-workers inside froze. Their expressions became incredibly awkward. They avoided my gaze, quickly bowing their heads to pretend they were busy.

Chloe's face went completely pale. Her lips trembled like a fish out of water.

I walked up to her step by step and slammed my coffee mug down on the counter.

"Chloe," I said, my voice terrifyingly calm.

"What were you just saying? I didn't hear you clearly. Say it again."

She flinched violently, shaking her head as tears immediately filled her eyes.

"No... nothing, Audrey. We were just gossiping."

"Gossiping?" I let out a cold laugh.

"Gossiping about how I'm a shameless bitch? About how I'm throwing myself at your husband? About how I'm driving you crazy?"

My voice wasn't loud, but in the dead silent breakroom, every word felt like a slap directly to Chloe's face.

Her face flushed from white to bright red, then to a dark, bruised shade. Her mouth opened, but not a single word came out.

A female colleague who was close to her tried to smooth things over.

"Director Miller, Chloe is young and doesn't know any better. Please don't take her words seriously."

I shot a cold glare at her, and she shut her mouth instantly.

I turned back to Chloe.

"Let me ask you. Is the $100,000 I lent you a lie? Is the fact that I helped watch your kid a lie?"

Chloe's tears kept falling. She sobbed, immediately playing the victim card.

"Audrey, I know you were good to me, but I was just so scared!"

"My husband is my everything! I can't lose him!"

"You're so successful and beautiful. You can get any man you want. Why do you have to ruin my family?"

She cried so desperately, making it look as though I had actually committed some unspeakable crime against her.

The looks from the surrounding colleagues grew complicated, filled with suspicion and judgment.

I trembled with pure rage, pointing at her. "Chloe, have you no shame?"

"I just want to protect my family!" she suddenly wailed, covering her face.

"I knew you'd be angry if I spoke up! I knew you'd fire me! But I had no choice! Please, just leave us alone!"

She sobbed hysterically as if she were the most wronged person on earth.

Watching her flawless acting, my rage peaked, but then, a strange wave of absolute calm washed over me.

I suddenly realized something. Arguing with her here was completely pointless.

The onlookers didn't care about the truth; they just wanted to watch a show.

The more emotional I got, the more it would look like I was "lashing out because she hit a nerve."

Arguing was useless right now.

I took a deep breath and slowly poured the remaining coffee into the trash can.

"Chloe," I said, staring at her with chilling calmness. "You're a great actress. Too bad you chose the wrong stage."

Without another glance at her, I took my empty mug and walked out of the breakroom under everyone's complicated gazes.

Behind me, her crying stopped abruptly, followed by absolute silence.

Back in my office, I locked the door. All the energy in my body seemed to drain away.

I sat in my chair, staring at the computer screen. Chloe's venomous words kept echoing in my head.

"Bitter divorcee."

"Desperate, shameless bitch."

I pulled out my phone and opened my Snapchat chat history with Chloe.

It was filled with messages of gratitude from her.

"Audrey, you're like a real sister to me! I can never repay you in this life!"

"Audrey, my boy said today that his favorite person is Auntie Audrey. I'm so happy for you."

"Audrey, sorry to trouble you again today. Get some rest, don't overwork yourself."

Looking at those words, I felt nothing but pure disgust and irony.

I locked my phone. My chest felt so tight I could barely breathe. Tears welled in my eyes, but I bit my lip hard, forcing them back.

Reflected in the computer screen, I saw my bloodshot eyes.

In them, besides anger, there was a cold, hard resolve.

Crying solved nothing. Tears would only become their new weapon against me.

I took a deep breath, forcing down the hurt and bitterness.

In its place, a cold, burning determination flared up.

I wasn't going to let this go.

I would make her pay for every single word she said.

I opened my laptop, created a new folder, and named it "Evidence."

Then, I dialed the Admin Manager.

"Harrison, do me a favor. Pull the security footage from the third-floor breakroom from 10:00 AM to 10:30 AM today."

"Sure thing, Audrey."

"Keep this strictly confidential. Don't let a third person know."

"Understood."

Hanging up, I stared out the window.

Chloe, you are going to pay for what you did.