“Ms. Abend, that joke went too far. Ms. Torres is one of our key partners. She's not here to just get drunk.”

“Mr. Weber, it seems your employee need better discipline.”

“Ms. Torres is a talent that even our company would be dying to have. Mr. Weber, you’d better appreciate her.”

The mockery I had imagined never came. Instead, everyone was praising my professionalism.

I looked up at Elsa and smiled slightly. “Since Ms. Abend wants to drink, I’ll join her.”

I asked the waiter to bring two large glasses and filled them both with vodka. I drank mine in one go without difficulty. At that, Elsa stared at me in shock.

I pushed the other glass toward her. “I’ve finished mine, Ms. Abend. Don’t tell me you’re afraid?”

When I was three, I secretly drank an entire bottle of my father’s treasured Lafite from his wine cellar in France. This Vodka was nothing to me.

Elias glanced at me with displeasure and said quietly, “Ms. Torres, stop joking. Not everyone can drink like you do.”

The moment he said that, I knew he was trying to defend Elsa.

I put down my glass and nodded politely to the executives. “Excuse me, I need to fix my makeup.”

Yet, Elsa followed me into the restroom. “Anne, do you hate me that much? You’ve been with Elias for so long, yet you never won his heart. You’re just a cheap woman he uses for pleasure!”

I ignored her and that made her furious. She tried to push me. Out of instinct, I stepped aside and caused her to miss.

Suddenly, Elsa slapped herself!

I stunned frozen when Elsa burst into tears and ran out.

Sensing trouble, I hurried after her. By the time I reached the VIP room, she had already thrown herself into Elias’s arms.

“Eli, Ms. Torres hit me. I just wanted to apologize to her in the restroom, but she called me your obedient pet and said I wasn’t good enough for you.”

Elias was stunned. His eyes were full of shock and doubt when he looked at me. Elsa cried so much, but she managed to twist the truth with each of her words.

Elias frowned, holding the crying Elsa and asked uncertainly, “Anne, what’s going on?”

“Mr. Weber, do you really believe such a clumsy setup?” I laughed in disbelief and sighed. “There was someone else in the restroom earlier. It's Mrs. Blackwood from Macros Atom Group. Why don’t you ask her?”

Elsa’s crying stopped abruptly. Her face turned pale. “Eli, women understand women best. She only got close to you because she has bad intentions!”

She continued, “Anne looks down on me. She wants to be the one who get the title Mrs. Torres!”

Elias grew more upset by her tears. He looked at me with disappointment. “Elsa is still young and inexperienced. Even if she said something wrong, you shouldn’t have hit her.”

In the past, when another company tried to frame me, Elias had stood firmly by my side. He said that he'd always believe me. But now, it seemed even our strong partnership couldn’t compete with his hopeless romantic.

Seeing that I stayed silent, Elias decided to end things quietly.

He put an arm around Elsa’s shoulders and said tiredly, “Anne, it’s just a small incident. Do you have to make such a scene in front of everyone?”

“You’re my employee. You should know your place—focus on your work and stop thinking about things that don’t belong to you.”

“This matter ends here. Tomorrow, I want a written reflection on my desk.”

With that, he held the crying Elsa and left the room.

I stood on my spot while watching Elias and Elsa walked further away. A long sigh escaped my lips afterwards.

Mr. Port, an old acquaintance, handed me a cup of sober-up tea and said meaningfully, “Ms. Torres, someone with your talent shouldn’t have to endure false accusations. Know that Stars Bright Group will always welcome you.”

For some reason, an image of Elias at twenty flashed before my eyes.

Back then, he was full of confidence. He faced a collapsing company without the slightest fear. His eyes were firm as he pointed to the tallest building in Capitol.

He said, “Anne, I’ll make sure the Weber Group will get it's spotlight again.”

And Elias did it. But in the process, he became someone I could no longer recognize. He couldn’t tell right from wrong anymore. He's no longer worth to be my partner.

I took out my phone and sent a message to my father: [Cancel next week’s partnership with the Weber Group. I’ll announce it myself at the press conference.]

***

The signing ceremony with Stars Bright Group was held in our company’s conference room. Cameras from the media were all aimed at the stage.

I carefully checked the process and contract details, making sure everything was flawless. This was my last project with the Weber Group. I had to end perfectly.

Elias arrived with Elsa. The latter was dressed in a famous brand. She was practically announcing to everyone that she was the hostess.

The ceremony went smoothly until the final step, when the final contract was to be projected on the big screen for signing.

Elsa eagerly volunteered to run the PowerPoint. But the next second, a series of indecent photos appeared on the screen!

In those photos, a woman who looked exactly like me was naked, tangled up with different men in suggestive poses.

The conference room fell dead silent before breaking into an uproar.

Elsa gasped and sobbed, pretending to panic. “I—I pressed the wrong button! Ms. Torres, I’m so sorry! I don’t know why your computer has so many… private photos!”

Her words sounded like an apology, but I know she was framing me. She made it look as if those photos were mine.

She even went and tell a fake medical report showing my name, claiming I had a shameful sexually transmitted disease.

Elsa dramatically gasped, “Ms. Torres, I’ve heard rumors about your messy private life, but I didn’t think they were true! You’re not spreading that disease around the business circle, are you?”

This woman was trying to destroy my reputation in the dirtiest way possible!

A wave of humiliation crashed over me.

Elias’s face darkened as he ordered the staff to turn off the screen. But the whispers and disgusted glances around the room still cut into me like knives.

“Didn’t expect Ms. Torres to be that wild in private. Nice body, though.”

“No wonder she climbed the ladder so fast—she must have her methods.”

“Mr. Weber’s company just lost face. She really did sleep her way up.”

The ceremony ended abruptly. I straightened my back and walked to my office amid the murmurs.

I didn’t have many personal belongings. Most of them were documents and work notes. Calmly, I packed them into a box. I had nothing left worth holding onto.

Then, the office door swung open. Elsa walked in proudly, chin raised high. “So, you’re packing up already? How does it feel to fall from grace?”

Her fingers slid across the trophy on my desk., the one Elias and I had earned together when we brought a near-bankrupt company back to life. It was the Emerging Entrepreneurs Award and Elias had insisted my name be engraved beside his. He’d said the honor belonged to both of us.

Elsa picked up the crystal trophy while smiling viciously.

“You’re still keeping this useless thing? Don’t tell me you’re hoping it’ll make Eli remember old times with you.”

Elsa raised the trophy as she spoke, pretending she was about to smash it on the ground.

My pupils shrank. I instinctively stepped forward to stop her. “Put it down! Elias and I are just colleagues—”

Before I could finish, Elsa lifted the trophy and slammed it hard against my forehead.

A sharp pain shot up form my temple and warm blood instantly blurred my vision.

When Elias rushed in after hearing the noise, Elsa was already sitting on the floor, crying hysterically.

“Eli! Anne said I ruined her reputation and went crazy trying to hit me!”

Elias didn’t even seem to notice the deep cut on my forehead or the blood running down my face.

Instead, he scolded me, “Anne, what are you trying to do again? Haven’t you embarrassed us enough today? Starting tomorrow, report to the cleaning department. You need to be taught a lesson!”

He added, “The company doesn’t lack talent. Don’t think we can’t manage without you!”

I felt too numb even to be disappointed. Expressionless, I said, “No need to trouble yourself, Mr. Weber. I resign. I wish you and Ms. Abend a long and happy life together.”

Then I picked up my box of belongings and walked out without looking back I left the place I had devoted five years of my life for good.

The biggest difference between Elias and me was simple: I would never let emotions cloud my career.

***

The next day was the press conference announcing the major partnership between the Weber Group and TorrWares Group.

A bandage covered my forehead. I wore a neatly tailored business suit and walked into the venue.

When Elsa saw me, she screamed, “Anne! How dare you show your face here? Are you here to beg Elias for forgiveness?”

She waved to the nearby security guards. “Throw this woman out! She's been fired and doesn’t belong here!”

At that moment, my father entered the hall, surrounded by reporters and senior executives.

Elsa immediately forced a flattering smile. “Director Karl…”

Before she could finish, my father smiled and reached out his hand—to me.

“Everyone, let me introduce my daughter, Anne Torres. She will officially take over as CEO of TorrWares Group.”