Headquarters had assigned me a new role, so for once I wasn't running around the way I usually did at these events. I sat off to the side, one thought circling through my mind：
When was Ken going to make his move?
He didn't disappoint.
Right when the atmosphere was at its liveliest, he stood up and addressed the room：
“Excuse me, sorry to interrupt. I'm Ken Mason from Marketing Department 2. There's something I need to get off my chest.”
The moment he finished, confused looks shot his way from every direction.
Ken ignored them and pressed on：
“I'm grateful to the company for giving me this opportunity. I've learned a lot here, and I genuinely love working with all of you. But today, there are things I can't keep inside any longer.”
“I, Ken Mason, am formally reporting Flora Pruitt, head of Marketing Department 2. Since the day I started, she has subjected me to ongoing sexual harassment. She made it clear that if I didn't do what she wanted, she'd have me fired. She coerced me into marrying her.”
Every pair of eyes in the room snapped to me.
When I said nothing, Ken cleared his throat：
“Fortunately, I was lucky enough to meet the most important person in my life: Ms. Curry. When she heard what I'd been through, she was deeply sympathetic. It was her encouragement and guidance that gave me the courage to finally say this to you today……”
He slapped a set of divorce papers onto the table.
“Flora Pruitt! I want a divorce. And I'm demanding you walk away with nothing.”
“If you have any objections, you can take it up with Ms. Curry's legal team.”
Contemptuous stares hit me from every angle.
I looked at Ken and asked：
“Nice story. Funny thing is, I've got a story of my own I'd like to share with everyone.”
I held up my phone and waved it at him：
“How about we start with a certain post that's been making the rounds online?”
“Enough! Flora, this is the company's trade conference, not storytime. Just sign the divorce papers and stop holding up Ms. Curry's deal.”
A colleague who'd never liked me jumped in immediately.
Ken leaned close to my ear and dropped his voice：
“Ms. Curry already promised me a position at her company. I'll be handling the contracts with your firm personally. For old times' sake, I might even throw a few orders your way. All you have to do is sign the papers and walk away with nothing.”
I straightened up, locked my eyes on his, and spoke slowly, word by word：
“Ken, are you really that certain Ms. Curry is on your side?”
The question caught him off guard. He blinked, then let out a quiet laugh.
“Flora, do you still not understand the situation you're in?”
“Think about what I am to Ms. Curry, and what you are to her. You really can't figure that out?”
“Ms. Curry told me herself: if my demands aren't met today, she's not signing the deal.”
The room erupted.
A male colleague who'd always had it out for me was the first to pounce.
“Director Pruitt, just sign it! Don't drag the rest of us down with you!”
Others piled on：
“Seriously, Director Pruitt, think about the bigger picture here.”
“If Ms. Curry really pulls out, and headquarters comes looking for someone to blame, who's going to take that hit?”
Someone muttered from the back：
“Always said it. Women just can't be rational. Can't believe she'd actually pull something like this.”
Whispers rippled through the crowd, and more than a few faces twisted with scorn.
Ken surveyed the scene with visible satisfaction, the corner of his mouth curling upward. He leaned in close and murmured.
“Hear that? Nobody's on your side.”
