When Lucinda said she'd call the police, I couldn't help but laugh.
"Fine. Call them."
"If the officers show up and actually haul me away."
"Then I'll hand it to you."
I looked at the young, ravenous little intern in front of me the way you'd look at an idiot.
I'd started noticing things a while back.
Jacob and her, trading looks across the office.
At the time I told myself I was seeing things.
Or that it was just two people making ordinary eye contact.
That I shouldn't doubt my own boyfriend.
But now, looking at it.
It seemed the worst thing was happening.
"Heh."
"You think I don't dare?"
Lucinda actually pulled out her phone, ready to call.
Jacob saw it and quickly stopped her. "Lucinda, this is an internal company matter. Don't blow it up."
"Boss, with someone this shameless, you have to come down hard."
"Otherwise she won't learn, and she'll just keep pushing."
Jacob pressed her hand down. "There'll be another way."
Just then.
The veteran employees chimed in one after another to talk her out of it.
"No need to call the police."
"We can talk this out."
"Right, just have Silvia turn over the car keys and that's enough."
"Blowing this up would hurt the company's reputation."
Seeing that no one backed calling the police.
Lucinda could only turn to Jacob. "Boss, since nobody agrees on the police, then have her quit on her own."
Jacob thought that was a fine idea.
So he turned to look at me. "Silvia, what do you think?"
"You want me to quit?"
I asked Jacob.
He gave a small nod.
It felt like someone had drawn a knife across my heart, a spasm of pain running through it, but on the surface I stayed calm. "You're serious?"
"Silvia, it's not good to make a big thing of this."
"Besides, just think of it as a break, a little time off."
Lucinda cut in suddenly. "Boss, no need to be polite with someone like her."
"When it's time to be decisive, you can't go soft."
Jacob was like a man possessed.
He told me at once, hard and flat.
"Don't come in to the company tomorrow."
I pulled back my disappointed gaze.
Swept it once over the room.
I rose slowly and dropped the car keys.
"I hope you won't regret this."
With that, I turned and walked out.
Lucinda sneered and curled her lip. "Tch, who are you trying to scare?"
"Company resources are for everyone to use."
"What gives you the right to hog them?"
"From now on, any car under the company's name is free for anyone who wants it, just a simple request."
Applause broke out across the private room.
All of it praising Lucinda.
Little did they know.
They were about to pay the price for their own stupidity.
