As the meeting ended, Mark congratulated her, hugging her with a warmth I hadn’t felt from him in a long time. Everyone slowly filed out, but I stayed behind, rooted to the spot, watching as he continued to ignore my presence.
I couldn’t keep quiet any longer. “Mark,” I called softly.
He turned, his expression indifferent. “What?”
“Why her?” I asked, struggling to keep my voice steady. “Why make her COO when she’s barely been here six months?”
He raised an eyebrow. “She deserved it. She’s been gaining experience.”
I forced a bitter smile. “Experience? Or because you wanted her closer to you?”
“You’re ridiculous, Monique,” he sneered. “Pathetic, even.”
Anger flared within me, but I held it back. “I’ve been working tirelessly for three years, yet you never thought of promoting me.”
He scoffed, “You never deserved it.”
The words hit me hard. I wanted to argue, to make him see my worth, but I felt my throat tighten. I blinked back tears, swallowing my pride.
“Stop thinking so highly of yourself, Monique,” he added. “It’s pathetic.”
A bitter chuckle escaped me. “What about Mr. Paul? He’s been here for over a decade. He deserved that position more than anyone.”
His eyes narrowed. “You don’t tell me how to run my company.”
“I’m...I’m your wife, Mark,” I whispered, clinging to the last thread of what we once had.
“And so fucking what?” His voice was cold, indifferent, each word like a blow to my chest.
Quiana stepped in, her expression feigning concern. “Hey, Mark,” she said softly, her arm slipping around his. “You shouldn’t talk to her like that.”
Mark shrugged her off with a huff, “She asked for it.” Without another glance at me, he strode out, nearly shoving me aside.
I bit my lip, tears threatening to spill, but I wouldn’t let them. Not here, not in front of her. I had to keep it together.
Quiana’s gaze lingered on me, pity in her eyes. “I’m so sorry for how he spoke to you, Monique,” she murmured, already moving toward the door.
I couldn’t stop myself. “Really? Like you actually care.”
She paused, a smirk forming as she turned to face me. “What are you implying?”
“You’re the reason he changed toward me,” I shot back. “So don’t pretend you’re some saint.”
Her face shifted from feigned innocence to something colder. Then, she laughed, a sound that echoed cruelly in the empty room. “You’re right, Monique. Everything’s going just as I wanted.”
I felt a chill creep up my spine as she closed the distance between us. “Five years ago, I gave up on Mark. We’d been friends since kindergarten, but you stole him. So I let you have him…for a while. Then, a year ago, I decided to take him back.”
“You’re disgusting,” I whispered. “You should be ashamed.”
“Why?” she sneered. “Because I’ve got your husband wrapped around my finger? Or maybe I should be more ashamed of the fire incident a year ago?”
I recoiled, horrified. “The fire? I didn’t cause it!”
She leaned in, almost whispering, “I know. But Mark still thinks you did. I set it up perfectly.”
“Your…your plan?” My voice shook as realization dawned.
“Yes. And you fell right into it,” she taunted, her voice oozing satisfaction.
My heart pounded as I choked out, “How could you?”
She shrugged, completely unapologetic. “I wanted him back. I used the opportunity of the tiny rift between you guys then.” She laughed sadistically. “He’s never going to know I orchestrated it all.”
I took a shaky breath, my eyes blazing with defiance. “He will.”
Her smirk widened as she reached the doorway. “Do your worst, sweetheart.”
With that, she left, leaving me standing in the empty room, my heart in shreds.
I took a shaky breath, trying to pull myself together. The truth Quiana had just revealed churned in my mind, making it hard to think straight. Quiana—the one who always acted so sweet and innocent—had apparently gone to horrifying lengths to get what she wanted. I’d always known she was manipulative, but to set a fire, risking lives, just to have Mark? It felt like something out of a nightmare.
"Mark needs to know this," I decided, my voice barely a whisper as I left the conference room. I marched down the hall, my heels echoing against the polished floor, my heart pounding with each step. When I reached his office, I pushed the door open, not even bothering to knock.
Mark was behind his desk, glancing over some documents, and there, pouting at him from across the desk, was Quiana. She looked up at me with wide, innocent eyes as if she hadn’t just confessed to something monstrous minutes ago.
"Mark, we need to talk," I said, my voice strained as I met his eyes. “You need to hear what Quiana just admitted to me.”
Quiana gasped, her hand flying to her chest. “What on earth are you talking about, Monique?” She looked at me with such practiced shock, but I could see the smug glint in her eyes.
"Don’t lie, Quiana!" I snapped, feeling anger bubble up. “You just told me you set up that fire. How can you pretend like you didn’t?”
Mark’s head shot up, and he glared at me. “Monique, how could you be so callous as to accuse her of something so vile? Quiana was here just now, asking me to consider making you the COO over her, and here you are accusing her of something unthinkable.”
"What?” My gaze whipped to Quiana.
