CH21

"What? No way, that can't be true! Kissing our boss? C'mon, you're pulling my leg, right?" 

Rita's voice trembled with disbelief and her cheeks flushed with embarrassment upon hearing Emma's accusation.

"Look, Rita, I've heard whispers like this before, and you know I've always had your back. I'd tell anyone who'd listen that you'd never mix work with... that kind of stuff. But this time, it's different. I'm actually buying into the gossip! Linda's got proof, or so she claims," Emma said with a hint of concern.

"Linda? You're kidding me!" 

Rita's mind raced back to the moment earlier that day when she and Jefferson had shared an innocent embrace. 

Linda had been lurking around then. 

"But, Emma, how on earth could Linda spin a tale out of thin air?"

Rita's frown deepened as she implored Emma, "You gotta trust me on this one, like you always have. I swear, I'm gonna make Linda regret ever starting this rumor. She's smeared my name one too many times! I can't just let it slide!"

"Rita, you know I'm on your side," Emma replied with a firm nod, her thoughts aligning with the idea that Linda deserved to face the punishment for stirring up trouble.

---

Rita marched straight over to Linda's desk, her eyes blazing with a mix of anger and determination. 

"Linda, what's your deal? Why do you keep dragging my name through the mud?"

Linda, noticing the growing crowd of coworkers, flashed a sly grin and said, "How can you deny it when I've got the proof right here?"

"Then bring out this so-called proof! Let's see it!" Rita challenged, her hands on her hips.

Linda raised an eyebrow and taunted, "What's to stop you from just erasing it, huh?"

"Guys, don't listen to her! She's full of it. She doesn't have any proof because nothing happened!" Rita's voice rose above the murmurs of the onlookers.

Linda clenched her jaw and spat back, "Fine, if you all wanna see, I'll show you. But just a snippet. I can't trust this woman. She might just delete everything."

The crowd leaned in, eyes wide with curiosity. 

Linda held up her phone, showing a photo of Rita in Jefferson's embrace. 

"See? This is where it all starts. You all believe me now, right?"

Rita was seething. "That's your evidence? A hug? How dare you spin a story about me sleeping with the president from a single photo!"

Linda's smile grew wider, her voice dripping with malice. 

"Isn't a hug enough? I told you, that's just the beginning. I'm not showing the video. But you heard her, folks. She thinks a hug isn't enough. Clearly, she's done way more!"

Some coworkers seemed swayed by Linda's words, while others remained skeptical, their eyes searching for the video that wasn't shown. 

Rita, however, was focused on one thing only. "Linda, you owe me an apology. Now."

"And what if I don't?" Linda shot back, her voice cold. "You think because you're cozy with the boss, you can make demands?"

Rita's heart raced, her words tumbling out in a mix of fear and frustration. "No... I just... I just want you to say sorry for lying..."

"Oh, shut up! You know what, Rita? You'll never be with Jefferson. You're not his type, not in a million years!"

Rita, provoked beyond her limit and not understanding why, jabbed a finger towards Linda's face. "Oh yeah? And you think you are, Linda? Jefferson wouldn't look twice at you, I'd bet my life on it!"

Linda's face twisted with fury. 

That was her deepest fear, spoken out loud for all to hear. 

She lost her composure and lunged at Rita, her hand connecting with a sharp slap. 

The sound echoed through the room, leaving everyone speechless. 

Some coworkers, sensing an opportunity, whipped out their phones to capture the drama.

Rita stood frozen, her face a mask of shock as she stared at Linda, who was smirking triumphantly. But the office drama took a sudden turn when Jefferson himself walked into the fray. 

The crowd of onlookers, sensing the gravity of the situation, quickly dispersed, leaving a clear space around the trio.

Without a word, Jefferson raised his hand, and the sound of a slap rang out once more. 

This time, it was Linda who was left holding her cheek in stunned silence. 

Jefferson's eyes were like ice as he looked at her and said, "Rita's telling the truth. I'll never have feelings for you, Linda. You really should've kept a lower profile around here."

Linda's eyes filled with tears, the sting from the slap nothing compared to the pain of Jefferson's blunt rejection. 

As she sobbed, Jefferson showed no sign of sympathy. 

He turned to Neo, who was standing nearby, and gave a simple command to call HR. 

Linda's fate was sealed- she was fired on the spot.

Desperation took hold of Linda as she realized the consequences of her actions. 

"I'm sorry! Oh, President, I know I messed up big time! It won't happen again, I swear! Please, just give me another chance!" she pleaded, her voice laced with panic.

But Jefferson was unmoved by her tears and pleas. 

He turned his back on her, signaling to the security guards. 

"Make sure she leaves the building immediately," he instructed, his voice devoid of emotion.

Linda's cries echoed through the office as she was escorted out, her pleas for mercy ignored by the president she had hoped to win over.

In stark contrast to his icy demeanor with Linda, Jefferson's approach to Rita was filled with a softness that seemed out of place in the tense office atmosphere. 

With a gentleness that caught everyone's attention, he reached out to Rita, who was still reeling from the confrontation. 

His fingers delicately lifted her chin, tilting her face up to inspect the reddening mark left by Linda's slap.

His voice, now tinged with concern, broke the silence. 

"Does it hurt? Do you need to go to the hospital?" he asked, his eyes searching Rita's for any sign of serious injury. 

Jefferson's gaze lingered on Rita, his expression a mix of regret and apology. 

"I'm real sorry I wasn't here sooner to put a stop to all that nonsense," he said, his voice low and sincere. 

"And that slap... I should've stepped in before things got out of hand. It's on me that one of my team had to go through this mess."