Chapter 3
The next morning, Reuben and I arrived at the office with our fingers interlaced.
I went straight to the HR department and said, "Isabel's not really cut out for this. Is there any position she could handle?"
"Mrs. Read, we just had a cleaner quit," the manager replied.
I nodded. "Perfect. That sounds just about right for her. Not much brainwork involved anyway."
A few minutes later, the HR manager loudly announced Isabel's transfer in front of everyone.
Under the sympathetic stares of the crowd, Isabel clenched her fists and asked, refusing to back down, "Mrs. Read, according to labor law, you need a valid reason to transfer a full-time employee, otherwise..."
I scoffed and cut her off. "Isn't it normal for rookies to start from the ground up?
"If you don't want to, that's fine. Just pack your things and leave. Tons of people would kill for a spot here."
Just then, I heard familiar footsteps behind me.
Isabel's eyes were red with emotion as she looked at Reuben. "Mr. Read..."
"Mr. Read, any objections?" I asked.
Reuben just gave a relaxed smile, totally unfazed.
"People like her and things like this don't matter. You decide," he said.
Isabel looked like all the fight had gone out of her.
"Mrs. Read, I'll do as you say," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.
With that, she changed into the cleaner's uniform and went off to scrub toilets.
People started gossiping and snickering.
"Well, look at her now. She used to act all high and mighty just because Mr. Read favored her, always looking down on everyone. Now she's stuck scrubbing toilets."
"Should I go drop a big one just to mess with her?"
"Hell yeah, do it. Just thinking about how she bossed me around when she first got here makes me so mad. We gotta make her miserable."
I kept sneaking glances at Reuben out of the corner of my eye.
He didn't even bat an eye.
Relief washed over me. I gave a little clap and went to get a beauty treatment with Bailey.
The HR manager knew how to play the game and loaded Isabel up with all the grunt work.
Reuben completely tuned it out.
Everything was calm for a month, and soon our third wedding anniversary was coming up.
I made a point to pull Bailey along for a shopping spree at the mall.
From afar, I caught sight of Reuben making his way into a jewelry store.
"Reuben is really something. I heard he's been crazy busy lately, but he still remembered your anniversary," Bailey said.
"No wonder he's the five-star hubby everyone in our circle talks about," she added.
Bailey couldn't stop hyping him up.
My heart was doing happy flips listening to her.
When I got home, I prepared a candlelit dinner myself and changed into the maid costume Reuben likes best, waiting for him to come back.
But as eight o'clock rolled around, Reuben still hadn't shown up.
I called him, but at first, he didn't answer, and then his phone was turned off.
Reuben never ignored my calls. Even if he was busy with something important, he'd always pick up and explain.
My heart clenched. Did something happen to him?
Panicked, I called Reuben's new secretary.
He stammered and couldn't give me a straight answer about where Reuben was or what he was doing.
It didn't take a genius to figure this out.
Reuben wasn't at the office, and it wasn't because he was caught up with work or dealing with anyone above board.
Unless... it was Isabel.
My heart sank as I quietly ate the candlelit dinner I'd prepared, all by myself.
Just as I was about to finish the last piece of steak, the door suddenly burst open.
Reuben stormed in, his face dark with anger.
He shouted, "Julia, I used to think you were just spoiled, but now you're cold-blooded.
"Isabel messed up, sure, but she's already paid the price. She got dragged through the mud online, bullied at work, demoted, and ended up scrubbing toilets. Why can't you just leave her family out of this? Do you really want to push her whole family over the edge before you're satisfied?"
"You really get a kick out of tormenting some powerless nobody, huh?"
Seeing me just sitting there, cool as a cucumber, sipping my wine, only made him angrier.
His rage boiled over.
He swept the table clean, sending plates and bottles crashing to the floor.
The sound of shattering porcelain filled the room.
Reuben warned, "I'm telling you, try being a little kinder. And don't cross my line again."
With that, he stormed out, slamming the door behind him.
The room settled back into silence.
I did a quick search online and soon tracked down Isabel's new account.
She was flaunting a gorgeous necklace in her latest post.
She posted: [Mr. Read gave me this beautiful necklace for my one-year work anniversary.]
[He said things have been rough lately, so he gave me a break to cheer up. He hopes when he sees me again, I'll still be his cheerful little secretary.]
[Honestly, all I want is just a little comfort from him.]
I couldn't help but laugh, both annoyed and amused.
She's showing off their romance so blatantly. How could I not give her a little boost?
I forwarded the link to Bailey.
"Bailey, get all your company's marketing accounts working overtime. By tomorrow morning, I want this boss-secretary drama blowing up the internet," I said.
I had warned Reuben before. I was not some harmless little angel. I was Julia Nunez, and I didn't play nice.
Cross me, and they would pay for it.