Chapter 2

But that was only because Quinn asked me for the project files, and I casually asked, "What does this have to do with Bianca?"

The officer asked, "Is Quinn around?"

Scott answered, "Yeah, I'll get him."

A moment later, Quinn Wilson walked in at the office entrance.

He froze for a second when he saw what was going on.

"You wanted to see me?" he said.

The officer motioned for him to come over. "Quinn, we've got a few questions for you. What's your relationship with Claire and Bianca?"

Quinn glanced between me and Bianca, then settled his gaze on her. "I'm dating Bianca. Claire is just a colleague."

Dating Bianca? I couldn't believe my ears.

Seriously? Just last month he was telling me I was different from other girls, and then he just admitted he was with Bianca?

"Did Claire ever show that she liked you?" the officer continued.

Quinn paused for a few seconds.

"I think so," he replied.

He scratched his head, looking uncomfortable. "I never really told her no, so maybe she got the wrong idea. After I started dating Bianca, she seemed... pretty upset."

The chatter in the office grew louder.

"So it really is a love triangle," someone whispered.

"This is straight out of a soap opera," another person muttered.

I felt a fire burning in my throat.

Quinn was a total bastard. He flirted with me, and then he acted like I was the one throwing myself at him.

I fumed. "You're lying.

"Last month, you insisted on driving me home. You said all those things in the car. I wasn't the one chasing after you."

Quinn admitted with a sigh. "Yeah, I drove you home.

"But that was only because you were drunk and I was worried you'd get into trouble. Honestly, I don't even remember what I said."

He put on such an innocent face, and it was enough to make me sick.

The officer waved him away. "Alright, you can head back now."

Another officer, Mitchell Miller, called me.

He said, "Claire, the test results are in.

"We found diazepam in the coffee. It's a sedative.

"The dose wasn't high, but it would've made people pass out."

My hand shook so hard that I almost dropped my phone.

"What?" I blurted out.

"Diazepam, or Valium. You can't just pick that up at any pharmacy. Most people wouldn't have access to it. Have you come into contact with it recently?" Mitchell asked.

"No, I..." I stammered.

"This makes things tricky," Mitchell interrupted me. "Bianca's got the medicine and a prescription, but her dose hasn't been touched."

I finally understood.

Bianca had the medicine, but none were missing from her bottle.

Then who put the drug in my coffee?

"I didn't do it!" I blurted out, my voice shaking.

"Claire, all the evidence points to you. You admitted you took her cup. If there's something you're not telling us, now's the time to come clean. I'm giving you a chance here," Mitchell said.

Something I wasn't telling? For God's sake, I just grabbed the wrong cup, and that was all.

After the call ended, I just slumped in my chair, totally spent.

"Claire." Scott's voice came from above me.

"Come with me," he said.

Scott, someone from HR, and Bianca were sitting in the conference room.

Bianca looked pale, her eyes red and puffy.

"The police have already notified us." Scott's voice was icy. "The coffee really was drugged. What do you have to say?"

"I didn't do it. I just grabbed the wrong cup," I said.

"So where did the drugs come from, then?" the HR representative demanded. "Are you saying Bianca drugged herself?"

"I don't know," I replied, my voice barely above a whisper.

Scott scoffed, his tone dripping with sarcasm. "So you really don't know anything?

"Have you even thought about what kind of mess this could cause for the company if word gets out?"

So it was all about protecting the company.

"I don't want this to turn into a big deal," Bianca sobbed, her voice shaky. "Maybe Claire just lost her head for a moment. If she resigns, I'm willing to let it go."

What a kind girl she was!

What a high and mighty attitude she had.

I couldn't help but sneer she was a real angel, seriously.

"Bianca, are you sure about this?" the HR representative remarked with a sigh.

"I'm partly to blame too," Bianca said, her voice trembling. "If I'd handled things better with Quinn, maybe she wouldn't have..."

Scott cut in, slamming his hand on the table. "That's enough.

"Claire, you're out. Pack up and leave today. We'll settle your pay, but don't expect any reference. Refuse to go, and I'll call the police."

I stared at their faces.

Scott looked threatening, the HR representative was putting on a fake neutral act, and Bianca's eyes were red with tears.

Each of their faces screamed at me, "Just admit it. You're finished."

"I need some time to think," I said, getting to my feet.

Bianca called out, "Claire..."

"I said I need time," I snapped, cutting her off.

As soon as I locked the bathroom door, I collapsed to the floor, knees pulled up to my chest.

No tears came out. Only dry heaves wracked my body, leaving me empty and shaking.

My little sister Tina Dalton's face came to me, clear as day.

When she was fifteen, someone spiked her water with peanut powder as a "prank."

She was allergic, and she didn't make it to the hospital in time.

They said it was just kids messing around, just a stupid accident.

And that same cruelty was coming for me all over again.

A message popped up in the company group chat.

[Claire is leaving the company for personal reasons. We wish her all the best in her future endeavors.]

I hadn't even signed the resignation papers yet.

But they'd already announced it.

Those assholes couldn't even let me leave with any dignity at all.

Early in the morning, Jenny Kim, the HR manager, slammed the resignation papers onto my desk.

"Do us all a favor and sign it," she said, her voice icy and impatient.

I stared at the so-called "voluntary resignation" agreement, a cold, mocking smile creeping across my lips.