One Night Stand Gone Wrong

**Two weeks later**

The second last Monday of Arielle’s contracted time in PGI proved to be a difficult one.

Emma and Sophia had managed to collate some ‘evidence’ against Arielle and were determined to push her to the abyss.

As soon as lunch break started, the main LCDs on the reception hall and the cafeteria blew up.

A video, composed of a few small clips strung together, was played in a loop.

Emma and Arielle were having an altercation in the break room that ended with Emma dumping hot coffee on Arielle. Arielle left the office without informing anyone.

Since there was no audio, people only saw Arielle ignoring Emma and being disrespectful.

Emma was, after all, a Payne, former CEO of PGI, and current Managing Director.

Arielle was just a specially recruited contracted employee. Worse still, she seemed to be dating the CEO, sleeping her way to the top.

The next video showed Sophia apologizing and begging Arielle while the latter only had a disdainful, indifferent expression on her face.

The video was from a surveillance camera, and whatever Sophia had said quietly could not be heard. As such, everyone saw arrogant and shameless Arielle, who was unapologetically rude and third-party.

Moreover, it did not show Thomas’s intervention, so it worked well against Arielle.

The third video showed a KTV inside which a man with a blurred face was trying to bribe Arielle to leak information about a project of PGI.

It made everyone gasp in shock.

While the first two videos showed Arielle’s bad character, it was just gossip fodder.

However, the third was a corporate theft that could get her banned from the industry. Moreover, it was something that would affect PGI and all its employees.

It agitated everyone as they grew anxious, and some started hurling insults at Arielle loudly.

However, that was not the end.

Another video showed Arielle leaning against a hotel room door with a man as they laughed and smiled. The strange man said something, and they both entered the hotel room together.

This video was aimed at Thomas as Sophia meant to show Thomas that Arielle had another man in her life.

The employees, however, took it as validation of Arielle’s rotten character.

Lastly, there was another video where she slapped one of the vice managing directors of PGI.

The managing director had been in PGI for ages and was well known and well-liked.

Those five short videos were hardly ten minutes in entirety. It was in a loop, so no employee missed it.

The rumors started, and many employees cursed Arielle.

Thomas was outside the office for a meeting. He rushed back immediately after John informed him.

John had someone turn it off as soon as possible, but Arielle’s reputation was already in shambles.

Thomas rushed back to the office, barely controlling his emotions and expressions, and went straight to Arielle’s cabin.

However, he was dumbfounded to see her working intently while playing loud rock music on speakers.

As soon as she spotted Thomas, she smiled at him and turned down the volume.

The gossiping employees had stopped talking as soon as they had seen Thomas, so it was eerily quiet on the floor.

“I was about to text John to pencil me in for later today. Please come in! Here, let me show you this!” Arielle said excitedly.

Thomas finally heaved a sigh seeing how unaffected she was.

However, with relief came the realization that she must have suffered worse over the years to be that calm.

Thomas had clenched his fists until his knuckles turned white. Arielle looked away from the emotions in his eyes.

They had broken up.Content (C) Nôv/elDra/ma.Org.

She no longer had the right to affect or be affected by him.

She drank some water and calmed down.

“Check this out!” Arielle pushed a chair in his direction. She pointed at the large monitor hooked to her laptop.

The monitor displayed a bunch of graphs, histograms, statements, a hierarchical table with lots of highlights, and so on.

Thomas and Arielle spent more than two hours pondering over the slides as she explained everything to him.

Thomas had John cancel everything on his schedule as he wanted to use that opportunity to stay close to Arielle.

Thomas had not gotten any chance to spend time with Arielle over the past two weeks after their breakup.

He had seen her lost in thought and melancholy on her face several times, but she would always spring back to normal, making it hard for others to see through her.

But Thomas could read her well. It hardened his resolve to get her back after stabilizing himself.

Arielle drank a glass full of water after she had explained everything to Thomas and made notes based on his suggestions and questions.

“I think I am all set here. It will take me one more week to finalize everything. Why don’t we push the banquet to Sunday and give Monday off to everyone? That way, I can present the non-confidential version at the banquet. I can also take the chance to clarify my name. I must get my revenge.”

Arielle said nonchalantly.

“Alright, I will make the arrangements.” Thomas agreed without any hesitation.

“Do you mind if I deal with your sister and your would-be fiancé in front of all your employees?” Arielle asked bluntly.

Thomas smiled bitterly, “No, I don’t. She is not my fiancé. I have never agreed to it.”

Arielle felt a lump in her throat, “Thank you!” She said hoarsely.

“I was worried. I am glad you are fine. Call me if you need anything.” Thomas said as he stood up to leave.

Thomas wanted to leave before he confronted her.

They had broken up, and he had no right to ask her anything. Moreover, he could tell from the pictures that she did not have an unusual relationship with that man, but it did not prevent him from being jealous.

Arielle heaved a sigh after he left. She had barely contained her urge to hug him and lose herself in the security of his arms.

She shook herself and kept herself busy.