Sweet Divorce

Rita’s line brought the bustling office into dead silence.

Everyone looked over to Jason in unison.

Jason lifted his gaze to meet Rita, fingers tapping the tabletop, as if considering something-

Tap.

Tap.

Everyone remained quiet, and the tapping against the table was especially crisp.

Rita and Jason stayed there, testing each other to see who would be the first to crumble and speak.

The room seemed quiet, but undercurrents roiled.

Especially those who’d had their eyes on the assistant general manager’s position for a long time – they really had it in for Rita now.

“The responsibility of the assistant general manager’s position is too great, Mr. Snow. I feel like it should be left to someone more capable.” Matthew spoke first, prodding Charlie with a nondescript gesture. “What do you think, Mr. Powers?”

“That’s right. Assistant general manager is an important spot. You can’t hand it over to someone with an unknown background just because they resolved one crisis for the company!”

Charlie shot a glance at Rita, then muttered to himself, “Much less a young girl like this.”

Jason ignored the two, turning to Connor Trent, who’d maintained silent throughout. “What do you think, Mr. Trent?”

“I’ll leave the decision up to you, Mr. Snow. I have no opinion on the matter.” Connor gave up his say.

Charlie glared at him. “Brownnose!”

Connor smiled, as if he hadn’t heard that.

The position had been one that Charlie and Connor were competing over. Now that Connor had given up, Charlie was obviously slated to be the one to get said position.

As his personality went, of course Charlie was feeling resentful as all heck.

He looked coldly towards Rita, leering, “Listen, girlie…”

“Rita Brown.”

Halfway into his sentence, Rita interrupted him with two words.

“W…what?” Charlie jolted.

Seriously, Rita replied, “My name, gentlemen, is Rita Brown.”

Hearing that, everyone paused for a second.

Other than a bit of disquiet flashing across Jason’s eyes, the rest of them didn’t seem to register anything. At least, they didn’t connect that name to the Brown family.

Rita didn’t have Amelia’s favor, so she’d never been let into the company.

Furthermore, none of the Brown family had ever been allowed to mention Rita’s existence in the bloodline.

So it wasn’t strange that people here didn’t know her.

“You say you solved this issue for us, but where’s the proof?” Charlie cocked an eyebrow, putting the ball in Rita’s court again.

“Yeah, this was all Mutt’s exposure piece at work, what’s it got to do with you?” Hearing that, Matthew chimed in. “Show us proof that you were responsible, and we’ll hand you that position.”

Matthew’s doubts resonated with the other managers of the company, who started talking amongst themselves.

“Mr. Powers and Mr. Gray are right, Mr. Snow. We have to have Ms. Brown prove that she did resolve this issue and it wasn’t a coincidence.” Connor spoke as well.

everyone place pressure on her,

known that they weren’t good people, but he’d never thought they

the assistant general manager’s position, but now they

a band

enough. He stood up for Rita. “What do you mean proof; you’re just going

turned fiery. “Quit speculating wildly. I feel like

“You…”

else, but Rita stopped him with a

jolted, looking at her,

she lost her

Charlie and gang didn’t

Charlie and the rest of them thought, of

wouldn’t

expected everything to

said mildly,

Mutt? But Mutt is saying on social media that it was the Starpath

else checked Mutt’s social

admitted outright that he’d bought

everyone looked contemptuously at

“Can’t round out the lie now, can

to give up his

speak, only looked mildly

their doubts, Rita still didn’t panic. “Then why don’t have ask Isabelle over, and we can talk? See what

the lie,” Charlie

tucked his glasses and chuckled. “What a coincidence. After I saw Mutt’s post, I had someone get in contact

as always, Mr.

he’s the best bet

praise on

and bearing were all mild-mannered, but to Rita,

it up to Jason, he was probably the one who

it like that, she wasn’t

silent treatment? Afraid?” Matthew glanced at her and mocked. “You can still back

can still salvage your reputation.”

have nothing

moment,

walked in from

all smiles. “Hello, Ms. Anderson. I’m Connor Trent. I asked

Mr. Trent,” Isabelle

pleasantries and returned to the subject at hand. “So as far as my knowledge goes, you sold the information to Mutt, which is why we have the tabloid headlines for today, and why Nathan’s

how it went,” Isabelle

Connor’s confidence grew

in his throat and placed the focus straight on Rita. “But this

I dug up the info myself!” Hearing that,

temper, some of the people there grew even

had her back to Isabelle all the time, and turned her forcefully over to face Isabelle. “How would you explain it away

with her back straight. “What… do you have

and

the middle of saying

Boss?!

Connor froze. “!!!”

him was froze to the spot, but everyone

Isabelle, then at

That was some twist…

you just called her…?” Unwilling to accept it, Connor confirmed it

Isabelle took out a Starpath investor’s sheet from her pocket and handed it to Connor. “Rita Brown, investor in