Page 174 of In Love After Office Hours

Shuuuuut up, Pippilotta Jones!

"You're so fucking wrong."

OH MY GOD.

"And by the way, you're the ones who smell. You all smell like women whose vaginas haven't seen a dick since World War II!"

The elevator made it to the lobby just as she spewed the words out, and when Pippi turned towards the doors, she realized too late that everyone outside had heard every single thing.

A moment later, and she heard someone worse. It was someone sniggering from the back of the crowd, and even though the sound was abruptly cut off, it was too late. The others had also started sniggering even as they did their best to hide this, and soon everyone was looking away as their shoulders betrayed themselves with a telltale rock.

"You bitch."This was from Wife #1.

"You're going to pay for this." This was from Wife #2.

"You—-"

"Should shut up,"Millicent finished for Wife #3 in a fierce tone, "since your wrinkled pussy's rotting by the second, and I'm having a—-" Her words ended in an unceremonious yelp as the other woman shoved past her so hard it almost sent Millicent flying.

As Pippi watched the three women walk away, reality was beginning to sink in, and she could feel herself starting to lose color.

Omigodomigodomigodomigod.

Gareth Evans had told her to make things happen, but she had a feeling getting into a fight with the wives of the company's board members wasn't what he meant.

"Thank you so much!"

Pippi suddenly found herself engulfed in a tearful embrace, and it took her a moment to realize it was Millicent's mother trying to choke the life out of her.

"Let her breathe, Mom." After drawing her sniffing mother away, Millicent gave the younger woman a wry look of inquiry. "Are you okay?"

"I...uh..."

Omigodomigodomigodomigod.

It was still the only thing Pippi was capable of thinking.

Realizing that she was the only one able to function normally at the moment, Millicent quickly took charge and ushered both women away. The crowd around them was noisy as ever, and the looks on their faces made them seem like they were on a high.

Losers,Millicent thought without rancor.

They were only on her side because someone else had done the right thing for them, and when the proverbial axe inevitably fell, that someone else would also be the only one to suffer.

Both her mother and the younger woman -Pippi Jones,Millicent finally recalled - still seemed to be in shock, with neither protesting as Millicent bundled the two in the backseat of her car. It was only when she had driven them to a cafe and they were cozily ensconced in a booth that reality once again started setting in.

Mrs. Longbourn was the first to recover, and Millicent's heart felt fit to burst with joy when she saw the older woman's face break into a smile.

"That wasglorious."

Millicent couldn't help smiling back. "I told you, didn't I?"

"I always thought being decent was the right thing to do..."

"Only with decent people like you. But those three wereassholes—-"

Mrs. Longbourn started to protest but thought better about it and nodded instead. Her daughter was right. Theywereassholes, may God forgive them.

Millicent turned to their unexpected savior, whose face was beginning to regain color. "It's you, isn't it?" she asked candidly.

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