Chapter 3

Maddy's POV

Barely had I settled into my chair, my heart still a heavy lump in my chest, when the summons came. "Maddy, Mr. Harrison would like to see you in his office. Now." It was his assistant, her voice unusually terse. She had a strange look on her face, almost pitiful.

"Okay, sure," I said in a quiet tone. I could feel eyes on me as I got up from my desk. I tried to ignore the smug smirk on Alissa's poisonous face. Alissa, her hands clasped elegantly, was a picture of professional sympathy. The sight of her made my blood run cold. She had the eyes of a shark, gleaming with satisfaction.

Mr. Harrison's door was open, an ominous invitation. Inside, he sat behind his imposing desk, his face grim. Max was there, looking genuinely concerned — a performance I now saw through with chilling clarity.

"Maddy, please, have a seat," Mr. Harrison said, his voice devoid of its usual warmth.

I sat, my spine rigid. I knew what was coming.

"We have a serious situation on our hands," he began, his gaze hard. "Our company servers have been compromised. A significant data breach. Client information, proprietary algorithms... It's all been exposed." Mr. Harrison paused, letting the gravity of the situation hang in the air. "And, Maddy, all evidence points to you and your desk."

"Wait, what?" His words sank into my mind. "That is not possible, Mr. Harrison," I stammered.

"Unfortunately, it is possible, Maddy. And after the way you acted this morning—jumping to conclusions and accusing Alissa that way—I think you need to go home and sort yourself out." Max had the nerve to tell me. I could not look at him. He made me feel sick to the pit of my stomach.

"I've been so careful. I have... downloaded nothing suspicious. I've followed all protocols," I was still trying to get my own words out, fighting to get Mr. Harrison to listen to me.

Max spoke then, his voice soft, almost regretful. "Maddy, I know this is hard to hear, but IT traced the breach directly to your login credentials. Suspicious activity was logged from your machine late last night. And... and a thumb drive was found plugged into your port this morning after the breach was discovered. It contained malware." He gestured to a small, nondescript USB drive sitting on Harrison's desk.

My mind raced. A thumb drive? I hadn't used one in weeks! This was an elaborate setup. "But that's not me! I didn't do any of that! Someone must have planted it, used my login—" My voice cracked in desperation.

Mr. Harrison held up a hand, cutting me off. "Maddy, the evidence is overwhelming. We have system logs and forensic reports. We cannot afford to take any risks. Effective immediately, you are suspended from your position, pending a full internal and external investigation."

"No! Please, Mr. Harrison, you have to believe me! Max! Alissa! You know me, you know I would never do something like this!" I turned to them, my eyes pleading, but Max's face was a mask of feigned regret, and Alissa's held a subtle, victorious glint.

"Max, I'm sorry," Max said, his voice laced with Alissa's sympathy. "But the IT report is pretty clear. I know this is tough, but we have to protect the company."

Mr. Harrison's voice hardened. "I'm not going to argue with you, Maddy. The decision has been made. I expect you to pack your personal belongings and leave the premises immediately. If you refuse, I will have security escort you out."

Suspended? Escorted out? My mind was blown with a brutal blow. Humiliation washed over me, stinging and hot. I was losing my job, the career I had worked so hard for, and now I was being thrown aside for a crime I did not even commit. Surely, Mr. Harrison knew this was not my doing? I was incapable of such a thing.

Defeated, I slowly rose. My hands trembled as I cleared my desk, shoving a few personal items into a small cardboard box. Each item felt heavy, a memento of a life I was now being stripped of.

As I walked out, the office seemed to go silent. Heads turned, whispers followed me. I kept my gaze fixed forward, determined not to crack. But then, as I passed Alissa's desk, her voice, low and venomous, reached my ears. "You belong in the gutter, Maddy." Her eyes, cold and triumphant, had won—for now.

"I will be sorry," I mumbled as I fled the building, clutching the box of my belongings to my chest, my eyes burning with unshed tears. The bustling city streets, once a source of energy, now echoed with my utter defeat. I needed someone—anyone—who might believe me.

My best friend, Sarah, was the only person who came to mind. I called her, my voice hoarse, barely coherent through the sobs. She insisted I come straight over as soon as I finally managed to recount the entire nightmare.

A half hour later, I was sitting on my best friend's sofa with a steaming mug of hot chocolate.

"Those absolute bastards!" she exploded, her eyes blazing. "How could they? And your boss, not even giving you a chance to explain? It's utterly despicable!" She squeezed my hand, her grip firm and reassuring. "Sarah, you can't let them destroy you. You're better than this. You're brilliant, talented, and kind—everything they aren't."

"I don't know what to do, Sarah," I choked out. "Alissa's... Who would hire me now? My reputation is ruined, thanks to that whore and her filthy lies; she really got Max where she wanted him. He is so stupid to fall for her bullshit. He obviously never loved me." I scowled at the raw memory of catching my now ex with that woman of all the women in the world.

Sarah paused, tapping her chin thoughtfully. "You know, it's funny you say that," she began, a spark of an idea lighting her eyes. "My boss, Nate, at Sterling PR... he was just mentioning he's looking for a new PR manager. Someone with a fresh perspective. It's ambitious, not afraid to shake things up."

My heart, which had been a lead weight in my chest, gave a tiny, almost imperceptible flutter. "You're serious?" I whispered, doubt still clouding my mind. "But... after everything...and isn't Nate childhood friends with Max? They hate each other now? I remember Max mentioning him a few times and how he had messed up his chances at deals by getting there first."

Sarah's grip on my hand tightened. "Nate's different, Maddy. He's fair. He values talent above all. And he's known for taking chances on people. He knows the industry and doesn't play by the rules that others follow. You have to try." This could be your chance, Maddy. An opportunity to rebuild, to show them all exactly what they lost."