Bought For A Baby, Kept For A Lifetime-Chapter 111: Shameless

"We can’t do anything about it obviously, but it’s a very disgusting thing to do. This company has a very high reputation, don’t assume you can continue to work here while being a disgusting mistress to some man who is helping you pull strings." Jessica remarked.

Anne looked her way, her gaze lazy and unbothered making it evident that she absolutely had no intentions of falling as their prey, crying and begging for them to believe her like they assumed she would.

People who take pleasure in degrading others can be mean and possess a very harsh mouth, but in the end they were human and vulnerable just like her. It was the very reason they derived joy in making someone else fall into a tight spot, with every derisive glance they’d give and every harsh look, it was all to hide their own flaws by magnifying someone else’s. Knowing this, Anne didn’t really allow anything they said about her to bother her.

"If you can prove to the company that someone is pulling strings for me, go ahead. I doubt I’d be fired from mere petty gossip." Anne finally replied without a ripple in her expression.

The confidence with which she spoke silenced them once more.

They all looked at each other in confusion, this whole thing didn’t go as planned at all.

Normally, the person accused of something like this would be heartbroken.

As staff of the PR department, of course they knew the rumors weren’t true because Lukas had been present at the shoot and he had witnessed how Andrew Sterling sent everyone out then made Anne an impromptu model because they no longer had time to find another model, but this was just to ruffle her feathers and poke some fun at her.

Despite knowing everything, they still decided to play along when the rumor was released to the forum. Though none of them had any idea who had made the post in the first place it didn’t matter to them, all they saw was an opportunity to break her and put her in a spot but it didn’t work that well.

The expected reaction was for her to cry miserably and try to prove that she truly had no man, but she was giving the completely opposite reaction.

Her being like this made them all look absolutely stupid.

Honestly, she was the first employee to ever work for this long in the department. Everyone else in the team had worked there for a very long time building a camaraderie between them, making them really dislike the arrival of someone new who couldn’t fit in their midst. The pranks and games had been fun so it became a challenge for how long every new employee could last working with them, but Anne...she just had no vulnerable points they could attack.

"You, are absolutely shameless." Rebecca grounded out furiously. What sane woman would openly admit to having loose morals?

Right in front of them, she was actually admitting that there was indeed someone behind the scenes making things happen for her, but they all wouldn’t be able to do anything about it but gossip?

She should be the one insulted here not them?

"Shameless, and yet my face is sitting on a billboard right now. If you all can get me fired, then by all means go ahead. Otherwise, I have work to do."

The smile currently playing on her lips made her look even more captivating, the fury in Rebecca’s heart suddenly burned more intensely but there was no longer anything she could do or say as Anne confidently walked past her.

The little game they were trying to play had suddenly shattered just like that.

If the accused wasn’t guilty, and they had no concrete proof, then even their taunting words wouldn’t be able to do any damage at all.

It was true that the policy of the company was very strict and no one could get anywhere through back doors, however that didn’t mean that strings couldn’t be pulled by powerful people, but action would only be taken by the company’s administration if there was proof. Which meant a person ascending in rank within the company through someone’s help would instantly be dismissed, but it wasn’t the case with Anne, she only acted as a stand in for a model, even if they could prove she had a relationship with someone in power, they wouldn’t be able to do anything with it.

It was just as she said, they couldn’t get her fired, and if their words didn’t affect her, then they were just wasting their time.

All their faces turned red as Anne walked past them but there was nothing they could say further. They had all seen the billboard and recollection of it made anger and jealousy silence them.

Anne sat in her space beginning to sort out her work for the day. She was tired of this little office bullying and her method had shut them up so she felt good, however before she could even get started on work a sickly sweet scent suddenly permeated the office.

Clara came out of her own private office at this moment, seemingly oblivious to the little debacle that had just been happening a while ago.

Clara’s scent was pleasant, evidently from a luxury perfume and Anne had perceived it on her a few times, however this time it seemed a bit stronger than normal, somewhat irritating to her nose. Anne tried to tolerate it but the scent seemed to become so overpowering that her stomach began to clench, her throat constricting.

Everything she ate for breakfast suddenly threatened to rush up her throat and it all came so fast that Anne had to react swiftly, rushing away with her hand clamped to her mouth.

The sudden reaction drew everyone’s eyes as they all stared at her rush away to the restroom.

"Is Anne okay?" Clara asked worriedly and everyone shrugged carelessly.

Still feeling bitter resentment Rebecca stealthily stood up from her seat and followed Anne to the restroom.

She stopped outside putting her ears out to listen only to hear sound of retching. She frowned suspiciously then shrugged afterwards.

"So bitches can fall sick too, so much for bragging about your face on a billboard." Rebecca muttered to herself before walking away.

She entered Clara’s office and sat down with a plop in front of the latter who was currently working.

"What’s with the sour look on your face Becky?" Clara asked.

"You’re right about that bitch Clara, she’s only putting on a facade all this while. She only looks innocent but she’s a vixen on the inside, she actually bragged about the billboard to my face? God, I wanted to tear her hair out." Rebecca went on ranting. 𝗳𝐫𝚎𝗲𝚠𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝘃𝚎𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝗺

Clara smiled subtly, her face rounding up in a quiet sweetness as she replied.

"I only said something about Anne being a bit suspicious, I never said she was a vixen, don’t call her names yet without confirming anything." Clara’s voice was warm and friendly, harmless to the ear that anyone would let their guard down.

"But that’s what she is! She has no shame at all, can she even call herself a woman when she goes around bringing shame to other women? I’m telling you this now, we need to find a way to kick her out of this department before she brings us trouble. If you won’t do anything about it, I will."

"Becky, don’t do anything rash." Clara warned softly.

"But Clara..."

A stern glance from Clara silenced Rebecca, who promptly lowered her gaze, unable to withstand the sudden sharp intensity of Clara’s stare.

It wasn’t a hidden fact that Rebecca idolized Clara, the latter was beautiful, elegant, immeasurably confident and every man wanted her. She was a vision of softness, and kindness, despite her beauty she was never arrogant nor did she ever look down on others. She was harmless however, when she got strict, the look in her eyes would completely melt away whatever innocence one would initially perceive from her.

Rebecca knew that Clara was a very soft person, but that look in her eyes was very frightening, it was dark and eerie, like a creature of hell lurking beneath her beautiful exterior.

Her aura would change and the air around her would become scary in a way that made one feel the urge to protect themselves, as if beneath Clara’s sweetness was a devil who could destroy anyone.

That was what scared Rebecca about Clara the most.

Noticing Rebecca had gone silent, Clara immediately hid the look in her eyes smiling sweetly once more.

"Becky, you know I don’t want to be unfair to her. I just want to protect our department, that’s why I said that Anne is a bit suspicious, but truthfully I like her and I don’t want to put her in trouble."

Seeing Clara’s smile again, Rebecca relaxed.

"You’re just too trusting Clara, give me a chance to prove to you that she’s nothing but a bitch. She doesn’t deserve your trust."

"Becky..." Clara’s sighed exasperatedly as if unwilling before she finally gave in.

"Alright, but that’s only because I want to prove to you that Anne Is a good girl. She’s doing nothing wrong at all."

"Just let me keep an eye on her for a while and I’ll prove to you that I’m not wrong." Rebecca looked determined.

Clara was becoming a bit tougher to her lately and it was all because of that Anne, she would definitely find something incriminating about her and that bitch would be fired, kicked out of their department once and for all.

After a while, Rebecca left Clara’s office. Clara’s expression instantly morphed like a snake shedding their outer skin to reveal what laid underneath.