The digital landscape of Arise City was in a state of absolute meltdown. While the morning sun hit the glass towers of the business district, the only thing the citizens cared about was the viral footage of the "Arise City King" and his "International Queen."
The break room at Thorn International was thick with the scent of expensive coffee and cheap gossip. Evelyn stood by the door, her hand tightening around her mug as the whispers drifted toward her.
"Did you see the trending post on Twitter? Michael was carrying Erica out of the hotel. He looked so protective."
"Finally! The King and Queen are back together. That 'other girl' was clearly just a seasonal distraction."
Evelyn turned on her heel and retreated into the privacy of the restroom. She locked the stall door and pulled out her phone. The top three trending topics were all the same: #MichaelEricaReunion, #TrueLoveInAriseCity, and #TheSuperstarAndTheCEO.
The comments section was full of "blessings." Fans were calling them a match made in heaven, elegant, dignified, and pure. Evelyn scrolled through, a bitter laugh bubbling in her chest. Kind? Elegant? Pure? If only they could see the "Pure Queen" the preached about.
Keep calling for them to be together, she thought fiercely. I'll just post a photo of our marriage certificate and blind your eyes!
When Evelyn walked back into the Design department, the atmosphere had shifted from whispering to open hostility. Two of the department's most notorious gossips, didn't even bother to hide their smirks.
"Look who's back," The one named Sophia sneered, blocking Evelyn's path. "Still dreaming of the President? After those photos, you're looking pretty cheap, aren't you?"
Evelyn's eyes narrowed. She wasn't the broken girl she used to be. She calmly set her coffee down, walked over to the garbage can, and swiped both of their water cups into the trash with a clatter.
"What are you doing?!" Her partner Beatrice shrieked.
"Educating you," Evelyn stated, her voice dropping to a dangerous chill. "Since your parents clearly failed to teach you that trash belongs in the bin, along with your opinions."
"You cheap slut!" Sophia lunged forward, her hand raised. "You seduced the President and now you're taking it out on us because he chose a real woman?"
Slap!
The sound of Evelyn's palm meeting Sophia's face echoed through the department. The room went dead silent.
"You think I seduced him?" Evelyn stepped closer, her aura suddenly so suffocating that Sophia actually recoiled. Now, do you want to keep talking, or do you want the other cheek to match?"
"You're insane!" Sophia lost it and jumped on Evelyn, and the two began pulling at each other.
"Open this door right now!" The Manager hammered on the tea room door. He had been alerted by an intern that a full-scale riot was happening in his department.
The door swung open so suddenly that the 1.8-meter-tall manager almost face-planted on the carpet. Evelyn stood there, adjusting her blazer with icy calm. Behind her, Sophia looked like she'd survived a storm. Her hair was a bird's nest and her face was blotchy with tears.
"Manager, she hit me! Look at my face!" She wailed.
The manager looked at the two women, his head spinning. "Evelyn, fighting in the office? Do you have no respect for my position?"
"Manager," Evelyn replied, her voice steady despite the sharp throb on her foot. "I have respect for your position, but I have none for employees who spend 90% of their time talking about other people's personal lives. If you can't manage their mouths, I'll manage their faces."
The Manager opened his mouth to roar a reprimand, but the words died in his throat.
A shadow appeared at the doorway. The air in the hallway seemed to drop twenty degrees instantly. The gathered employees scrambled back to their desks, their heads bowing so low they nearly touched their keyboards.
"What exactly is going on here?"
The voice was low, melodic, and terrifying. Michael Thorn stood at the entrance of the design department, his eyes scanning the disheveled group. His gaze landed on Evelyn, She looked a mess, her hair was coming loose from its bun, and there was a faint red scratch on her neck.
"President!" Sophia scrambled forward, her voice a shrill, theatrical sob. "You have to do something! Evelyn just attacked us! She's been spreading rumors that you seduced her, and when we tried to defend the company's reputation, she slapped me!"
Michael's gaze shifted to her swollen face, then back to Evelyn, who was standing her ground with her chin tilted high, despite the tremor in her hands.
"Is this true?" Michael asked, his voice dangerously low.
"I slapped her," Evelyn said, her voice clear. "And I'd do it again. She called me a slut in front of the entire department. If Thorn International allows that kind of 'corporate culture,' then maybe I don't belong here."
The Manager wiped sweat from his forehead. "Mr Thorn, I was just about to take them to my office to issue a formal reprimand—"
"No need," Michael interrupted. He walked into the room, the crowd parting like the Red Sea. He stopped inches from Evelyn. "You said I seduced you?"
The office held its breath. This was it. Evelyn was going to be fired, or worse.
Evelyn looked him right in the eye, her defiance flickering for a moment. "Didn't you?"
A ghost of a smirk appeared and disappeared quickly on Michael's lips. He turned to the room, "She's right. I did. And it took me a long time to succeed."
The sound of a dozen jaws dropping filled the room.
"Mr Johnson," Michael Turner to the manager, his tone turning to steel. "This lady in front is dismissed. And apply punishments to those who caused trouble and distraction in the work place, instead of focusing on themselves and why they are here. Effective immediately. Scrub their names from the payroll and ensure they are blacklisted from every subsidiary of Thorn International in Arise City."
"But President!" Sophia shrieked. "What about the news? What about Erica Jones?"
Michael didn't even look at her. He reached out, tucked a loose strand of hair behind Evelyn's ear, and then swept her up into his arms in a princess carry.
"The next person who mentions the news or Erica Jones in this office," Michael said to the stunned staff, "can join them in the unemployment line. My wife was injured yesterday; she doesn't have the energy to deal with your gossip." "And As for you, Mr. Johnson, if you can't manage your staff, report to the HR for reassignment. Or leave."
He walked out of the department with Evelyn in his arms, leaving behind a group of employees who finally realized that the "mistress" was actually the Queen of the kingdom.
For an hour after Michael left, the design department was as quiet as a tomb. Everyone was scared of tapping the managers anger of being reprimanded by the CEO, and getting their places in the official unemployment and blacklist list.
When Evelyn eventually got back, Several colleagues approached Evelyn's desk, bowing their heads in genuine apology. Evelyn conceded, relieved that she could finally work without being looking over the shoulder.
While Evelyn was navigating her new status at work, Erica Jones was basking in the sun on the balcony of the Springfield Villa. She clutched her phone, a smug smile playing on her lips.
"You did well," Erica said to her assistant, over the phone. "I knew Michael would kill the trending topics immediately, but I've already paid that news agency enough to open two more. The seeds are planted. Everyone in Arise City now associates his name with mine."
"Exactly," the assistant replied. "And since you're attending the Brits gala with him tomorrow, I've already tipped off the reporters to focus solely on the two of you."
Erica smoothed her hair, her eyes cold. "Evelyn can have her little office victory. But tomorrow, when the cameras flash, the world will see who the true partner for Michael Thorn is. He won't even dare to announce her name in public."
That evening, Evelyn skipped her usual routine and hurried back to the villa. She ignored Erica, who was sitting in the living room like a displaced royal, and went upstairs.
Where is it? She tore through her drawers, her heart racing. The marriage certificate! She finally found them, they two were tucked in the back of the study desk. She took her phone and snapped a high-resolution photo of the wedding picture inside.
If Erica wants to use the media to play 'pretend,' I'll use the truth to end her career, Evelyn thought, a glint shining in her eyes. She hid the booklets in a new, locked drawer and turned around only to see Michael leaning lazily against the doorframe, watching her with an amused, intensity as she scrambled under the desk.
"What are you trying to hide Mrs Thorn?" he asked, his voice a low silk.