I hadn't eaten all day. My stomach was already churning, and hearing her voice made the bile rise in my throat.
I gripped the edge of my desk, knuckles turning white, and fixed a cold stare on Valerie.
"Don't think I don't know you tampered with my computer last night. Once we pull the surveillance footage, we'll see who the disgusting person really is."
Her smirk faltered.
Moments later, Bonnie Barber sent me the security clip she'd quietly retrieved. It captured Valerie clearly—sneaking over to delete my files.
Confronted with the evidence, Valerie didn't even try to deny it. She just lashed out. "Bitch! You're just a damn nepotism hire!"
Something inside me snapped.
I didn't think. My hand moved on its own.
*Smack!*
The sound of my palm connecting with her face echoed through the silent office.
Five years of suppressed grievances erupted. Tears streamed down my face, though my expression remained stone cold.
"I went through three rounds of interviews for this job," I said, my voice trembling with rage. "Every result, every performance metric—I fought for it. I woke up early. I stayed late."
I stepped closer to her.