3: 3
But I hadn't expected Vanessa's revenge to come faster than I'd imagined.
The next morning at work, a coworker rushed over and pulled me aside.
"Your friend reported Director Henson to upper management. She's saying he's got no morals. Chairman Lawrence is furious. He's talking about firing Director Henson."
I walked quickly to Chairman Lawrence's office and knocked before going in.
When he saw it was me, his face went dark.
"Zoe, I know Graham is your fiancé, but this thing has blown up too big."
"Vanessa's out there crying and carrying on like she's ready to die. The two of you owe her some kind of answer!"
I looked at Vanessa, sitting on the couch, sobbing her heart out, and felt a cold weight settle in my chest.
Back then, the only reason Vanessa got hired here at all was because of my connection with Graham. Otherwise, with nothing but a community college degree, she wouldn't have made it past the front door.
I'd thought I was helping some harmless little rabbit. I never guessed she was a wolf in sheep's clothing.
"What answer do you want, Vanessa?"
Vanessa stopped sobbing and lifted her head.
"Zoe, I know you blame me, but I'm the victim here."
"Graham owes me an answer. Raising a kid costs a fortune, and I can't cover it on my salary alone. I'm not asking for any title. I just want you and Graham to give me a hundred thousand up front for the delivery costs, and after that, five thousand a month in child support. That's all!"
Graham sucked in a sharp breath.
"A hundred thousand? Why don't you just rob a bank?"
"That day I dropped you off at the intersection and left. I never touched you."
Vanessa gave him the look of a woman staring down a man who'd done her wrong.
"It's your mouth. You can say whatever you like."
Graham was getting frantic now.
"If you don't believe me, we can go pull the security footage."
Vanessa fixed her eyes on him, unblinking.
"The camera outside my building broke ages ago. There's no surveillance on that whole street. That's the exact reason you thought you could do whatever you wanted with me."
I took out my phone.
"Well, since it's her word against his, let's just call the police."
"No!"
Two voices went up at once, Vanessa's and Chairman Lawrence's.
"The company just went public. A scandal this big, if the police get involved, it'll wreck our stock. Which one of you is going to answer for that?"
Chairman Lawrence scratched his head and paced back and forth, agitated.
"Here's what we'll do, Vanessa. This did happen on company grounds, so the company will put up fifty thousand for Director Henson, and the two of them can cover the rest themselves. How's that sound?"
Graham's mouth hung slightly open, his face bloodless. He didn't say a word for a long moment, but he already had the look of a man about to give in.
Vanessa's smile only grew brighter.
I stood up and slammed my hand down on the desk.
"No. That's just forcing us to admit Graham assaulted Vanessa, plain and simple!"
If we really did it Chairman Lawrence's way, then Graham would be the one falling into a pit he'd never climb out of.
Chairman Lawrence pointed at me and couldn't get a single word out.
I didn't hesitate any longer. I pulled out my phone and dialed 911.
Vanessa's face went white in an instant.
