Page 4 of Only Fate

I throw my arms out toward them.

Sorry, Angel mouths as he straightens his tie.

Everyone else stares at the floor while slowly backing away.

There’s seriously no coworker loyalty in this place.

Their stepping away makes more sense when Laurence and Charles charge into the office.

Laurence’s gaze drifts from me to Adrian. “What’s going on here?”

For what seems like the first time since I was hired here, I finally find my voice with them.

Finally decide to stick up for myself.

“You’re sellouts.” I signal to them. “I’ll be sure to leteveryone know all it takes for a promotion around here are sports tickets.” I stand on my tiptoes to see the people behind them. “You hear that? Start saving up the little salary they give us to buy Super Bowl tickets!”

Laurence’s pudgy face reddens as he shuffles farther into the room. “That’s slander, young lady.”

“Slander?” I huff, grabbing a globe from Adrian’s desk and playing with it in my hands. “Let’s talk about slander then, shall we?”

Adrian reclines in his chair, enjoying every minute of my breakdown.

I point at Laurence with the globe. “Is it slander to tell everyone your mistress is your son’s ex-fiancée?” I talk over Laurence as he attempts to cut me off. “Or that she had your baby two months ago, and your family has no idea? In fact, she attended you and your wife’s vow renewal last summer.”

Laurence balls up his fist as sweat builds along his forehead. “Essie, this is out of line.”

I turn my attention to the next man on my shit list. “And, Charles?—”

“Essie”—Charles’s voice rattles—“this isn’t?—”

I interrupt him. “Charles is on probation for six months because he used a client’s money for personal expenses. Boy, does the man love to fly on private jets and eat expensive sushi.”

I glance at Adrian. “Andyou.”

Adrian straightens in his chair, making ayou have the floorgesture. “Take your best shot, Esmeralda.”

I wince at him using my full name. “Adrian …” There’s a pause, and my stomach tightens when his eyes level on mine. “You know what you did.”

While I’d love to put him on blast, doing so would also putmeon blast. I’m already doing enough damage to my reputation as it is. From the way Laurence is glaring at me, I’m certain it’s almostescort Essie out of the buildingtime.

“What did he do?” Angel asks, poking his head through the doorway.

Oh, now, he wants to have a voice?

“Yes, Essie,” Adrian says, folding his hands together and resting them along the back of his head, “what did I do?”

“That’s enough,” Laurence yells, spit flying from his lips. “Essie, clear out your desk. You’re fired.”

“And good luck ever finding a job in law again,” Charles adds, shoving his glasses up his narrow nose. “We will leteveryoneknow of your behavior.”

I refuse to look at Adrian, but if I had my guess, he’s smiling pretty from his new office chair. It’s one of those pricey ergonomic ones.

“Yeah, well … I quit,” I tell them.

A little delayed and not as climactic as I hoped, but at least I said the words.

Without waiting for a reply, I storm out of Adrian’s office.

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