He picks up the top piece of paper and holds it up to the light from the full-length window overlooking the city. I can see the “Satan’s signoff” indent still impressed on the paper. My cheeks heat as he studies it for a beat.
Damian shifts his eyes to me with a knowing look, but I stay silent.
He puts the paper down and signs his name at the bottom, flipping through the small packet to each of the signature tabs that Rui put in place.
He doesn’t pick his head up from the paperwork when he speaks. “Do you have plans tonight?”
“What? No. Why?” My brow furrows at this left-field question.
His phone rings before he can respond. He glances down at it and picks his phone up from his desk.
“I need to take this. We’ll talk later,” he says, handing me back the signed packet and dismissing me.
During the entire walk back to the accounting office, my mind is fixated on what Damian was going to say before his phone rang. It isn’t until Rui jumps up at my arrival that I pull my focus back to work.
“Is HR right behind you?” he whispers.
“No.” I turn and spin around like someone could have been surreptitiously following me down the hallway without me noticing. “Why?”
“Satan didn’t fire you?” Rui cuts a glance to Erica with a look of incredulity. In unison, they both snap their gazes back to me.
“But his door was closed,” Erica adds, confusion painted across her face. “He always closes his door when he’s firing someone.”
“Oh, um. Nope. Still employed.” I shrug. “I got the signatures you asked for,” I say, changing the subject before this can escalate into a full-blown incident. That’s how rumors get started, and I’ll be damned if I let that happen again.
“He signed them on the spot? And here I was thinking that was the end of you.” Rui expels a heavy breath, falling back into his chair.
I laugh. “It isn’t like he was going to banish me to the underworld.” It’s on the tip of my tongue to tell them that it’s just a job, but I don’t want to sound ungrateful for this opportunity, even though it isn’t what I really want to be doing.
“Must be because you’re cute,” Erica chuckles.
My stomach drops. I don’t need people thinking I’m getting any special treatment based on my looks. It’s a quick downhill battle from innocuous comments like that to hurtful gossip and an undermining of respect. I know about that well enough.
I smile softly all the same, trying to mask how uncomfortable I am.
“Let’s hope that’s not the case,” I say through my teeth.
“Well, I’m just glad you’re still here,” Rui cheers.
I sit at my desk, renewed and ready to work twice as hard as everyone else. Ready to prove myself as a competent, reliable, accurate accountant. Whatever it takes, I’m not going to let people think I don’t deserve to be where I am, because I do.
And no one is going to be able to doubt me.
Chapter 9
Brielle
Myfootsinksintothe snow with a cringe-inducing slurp. This weather is the worst. Small flakes continue to fall around me as the wind forces them into my eyes.
I put my head down and trek along the desolate streets cursing each step when a car slows down and puts their blinker on. It’s too damn cold and wet for me to give them a second thought other than to make a mental note that they are there for my own personal safety.
Just as I’m passing by, I hear a voice talking. I glance around to see if there is anyone else on the road with me, but it’s primarily deserted on this small side street. I look back at the car to see the passenger-side window down.
“What are you doing?” Damian snaps from the driver’s seat.
I stop but don’t move any closer to his car.
“Going home,” I call back.
