Bought For A Baby, Kept For A Lifetime-Chapter 122: Defamation

Cynthia was waiting outside the office in case she would be called in, though her work space was right outside the director’s office she still waited outside the door, all of a sudden she heard loud screams from within.

The sounds were muffled so she wasn’t sure she’d heard correctly, but if her ears weren’t failing her, she could have sworn she’d heard a man scream out in pain.

She looked back at the door for a moment before looking away, why would anyone scream inside the office?

But not too long after, she heard another sound similar to the first.

This time she couldn’t be mistaken, someone had indeed screamed but what was so disturbing was how gut wrenching that scream sounded.

Wait, what was going on inside this office anyway?

She waited to confirm if what she was hearing truly were cries of terror and pain before raising her hand with an urgent urge to knock but stopped herself.

She didn’t know what was going on in there but someone was definitely being tortured by the sounds of it.

Could she interfere?

The next sounds that came made her quickly knock without thinking.

"Mr Sterling!" She called several times from outside but got no replies.

She tried to open the door but it was firmly locked from the inside.

What could be going on in there?

Just as she wondered this, the door clicked open and the sight that met her eyes left her stunned.

...

"Anne, I’m so sorry. I had no idea Brian was that kind of person, I only sent you to him because I trusted him. I’m truly sorry for what he did to you."

Clara noticed how Anne’s expression never changed since she called her into her office.

She neither had a friendly look, nor was there any expression on her face. She only looked cold.

"No worries, what he did wasn’t your fault."

Hearing that from Anne made Clara smile in relief.

"So you’re not mad at me?" Clara asked with her eyes sparkling.

There was something endearing about that look, no one who received it would be able to stay upset with her seeing her eyes look that adorably nervous.

Still Anne’s expression wasn’t moved as she shook her head calmly.

Afterwards an awkward silence filled the room that made Clara narrow her eyes subtly.

Did she suspect something, was that why she was acting this way?

"You guys have a lot to do today, you can go back to your work station now." Clara dismissed her since the latter was being so quiet and distant.

Anne stood up and began to head out of the office but suddenly stopped as if she had something to say. This made Clara alert.

"The other night at the anniversary party, I almost died. Did you know about that?"

This caused Clara’s suspicion to mount.

Ah, so the little rat suspected her?

Nevertheless, Clara continued her Oscar worthy act.

"Oh God! What happened? Why didn’t you tell me something happened to you that night?"

The concern in her voice could fool anyone, but she was surprised it didn’t seem to make much of a difference on Anne.

"I didn’t want to cause a fuss so I said nothing, but..." Anne trailed off and only added a few beats later,

"That is something I won’t forgive, the person who tried to hurt me that night."

A ruthless glint flashed undecipherably past Clara’s eyes before she got out of her seat.

"Of course you shouldn’t forgive them, who could have done something like that to you?"

"I don’t know, but I do plan to find out."

Clara watched as Anne left her office calmly returning to her seat, she rolled her eyes muttering something under her breath.

"We’ll see how you’ll find that out, I can play you in the palm of my hands and you’ll never know."

However, Clara didn’t expect that immediately she sat in front of her computer and checked through the forums, the top post had been taken down. In it’s place something else was gaining popularity.

Before checking that new popular thread, she scrolled down to all of the former threads talking about Anne but there was none.

"How is this possible? I paid that bastard to make sure that thread remains at the top." Clara spouted through gritted teeth, furiously scrolling till she reached posts from long ago but none was about Anne.

She felt the urge to throw something across the wall in her rage, furiously scrolling back up to the top, only now did she notice the thread at the top.

The thread was titled ’Lawsuit’

Clara didn’t think it had anything to do with Anne until she saw snippets of what the post was about.

...

NOTICE FOR DEFAMATION

To: Staff of Sterling Enterprises 𝘧𝘳𝘦ℯ𝓌𝘦𝒷𝘯𝑜𝑣𝘦𝓁.𝒸𝘰𝓂

From: Counselor David Brooks on behalf of Miss Annelise Thompson.

Re: Defamatory Statements Published Online.

Representing Annelise Thompson, who has been defamed through online statements published in Sterling Enterprises company online platform, authored by employees and staff. The statements made are hereby proven false, damaging and have caused harm to her reputation.

DEMANDS

1. Immediate removal of all defamatory content from the platform.

2. Official apology from every company staff member to our client for all emotional distress caused.

3. Payment of fine as compensation for damages.

CONSEQUENCES FOR NON COMPLIANCE.

Failure to comply will lead to further legal action, including but not limited to seeking injunctive relief and monetary damages, along with a query letter from said company which may lead to loss of current position in the company along with an official permanent statement to employee’s CV.

...

As Clara read through the lawyer’s official letter which was posted on the forum, her expression turned uglier an uglier.

What the heck was this?

That bitch actually filed a case regarding this issue? That was what Clara thought at first before looking back to the lawyer’s name and realization dawned on her.

David Brooks from Brooks and associates law firm? That was the best law firm in the country, and this particular lawyer was Andrew Sterling’s personal lawyer.

Clara clenched her fist until her knuckles turned white.

Did that bitch go cry to Andrew for help?

Clara felt a harshly painful invisible sting on her face.

Andrew actually did all this for her?

Released an official lawyer’s statement for her?

That bitch was showing him off right to her face, showing her that she had the ability to get Andrew to do something for her.

The taste of hatred was awfully bitter on Clara’s tongue.

Her hateful gaze directed towards the door as if that gaze could pierce through the walls and reach the person she despised.

When that girl had come into the company, Clara had assumed she would eventually be one of her own minions.

All it would take was a few sweet smiles and friendly gestures and she could get any girl to cling to her like a rat she could use whenever the need for it arose.

Other women idolized Clara, she embodied a successful and confident yet humble woman that many admired and desired to be, that was what made it so easy for them to like her enough to follow her and do her bidding.

But Anne had turned out different, she was aiming for the one thing Clara desired the most.

"Enough fun and games, it’s time I get her kicked out of the company once and for all. If I don’t get rid of her, she will keep coming back to haunt me."

The best thing would be to get rid of a thorn before it could pierce through your feet, that was what Clara wanted to do.

She’d allowed her hatred push her to playing small tricks to hurt Anne, but now it was time to get her out of SE. Once she as out of this company, Clara would like to see just how she would get the chance to slither her way into seducing Andrew again.

Clara hated to admit that she wanted to find out the girl’s methods. She’d been at this for a very long time but Andrew never looked at her as anything more than an employee in his company.

How had that girl done it?

If it was a pretty face she had it too, she had charm, she had beauty, she had everything that Anne didn’t. That fact in itself made her hatred boil over even more.

Soon, official apologies began to pour into the forum. Everyone already frightened by the lawyer’s statement released. Every gossip related thread began to go back down, no one daring to talk about anyone at all after the whole thing.

It led to a point where the latest news about three different male employees were dragged out of the company premises looking all bloodied, with hanging limbs. It was further released that they’d been messing with several young women in the company with dirty offers that were unheard of, but no one spoke about it after they were fined for just talking about an issue posted on the forum.

When many people began to approach Anne to apologize about the whole scandal, she had a suspicion something was wrong.

Even the employees in PR department hadn’t sent a single sarcastic comment her way. When Kendra approached to apologize begrudgingly, that was when Anne confirmed something was indeed wrong.

She looked into the forum only to be stunned by the lawyer’s notice.

What...?

She didn’t file a case, but then who did?