Cheater Exposed

I'm currently sitting on the company bus, feeling increasingly irritated as I watch a man leisurely sauntering toward us from afar.

"Mr. Jensen, we've been waiting for you for over 40 minutes."

Fletcher Jensen, dressed in a sleek black trench coat, finally hops onto the bus, flashing a casual smile at everyone:

"Sorry, got turned around during my morning run."

With that, he signals to his assistant, Azrael, to bring up several bags from the back:

"Here, I got coffee for everyone."

Our colleagues cheerfully gather around him. Fletcher is the somewhat unreliable partner I found when restarting my business. Unlike us, who started from nothing, he's one of those affluent heirs who decided to break from the family business to pursue his own ventures. His approach is relaxed and spontaneous, but the silver lining is his generosity and lack of micromanagement.

Our small company consists of just over twenty people, neatly filling the bus. As we get moving, I connect my phone to the large screen to present the itinerary for the upcoming days. Just as I start, a video call from Alan Carlson suddenly pops up. To avoid any awkwardness, I quickly decline it. But then, more calls from him come through in rapid succession.

"Looks like your husband is keeping close tabs on you, Carly," Royalty from the office teases.

Laughter fills the bus, though Fletcher cuts through it with a disapproving scoff. Smiling, I lightly tap Royalty's shoulder and inadvertently hit the accept call button.

On the screen, instead of Alan, a glamorous woman with red lipstick and voluminous curls appears, lounging lazily as if expecting this moment.

It's Shelby Lawrence, Alan's little protégé from his university days.

"Where's Alan?" I ask.

"Alan's in the shower; he mentioned that since you’re out of town for a few days, he decided to meet up with me."

Silence engulfs the bus, broken only by Shelby's soft voice:

"Carly, after all these years since graduation, why are you still so stubborn? Don’t you know Alan prefers a gentle, compliant woman? Why work so hard to become his company's competitor? I’ve heard you’ve snagged a lot of his old clients. That won't sit well with him."

Ignoring her manipulative words, my eyes zero in on the gold necklace around her neck.

"Shelby, what’s that around your neck?"

She covers her mouth with a chuckle:

"Oh, this? Recognize it? Alan gave it to me."

My entire body shakes with anger:

"How dare he?"

Shelby feigns innocence, her eyes wide:

"Why not? Isn't it your mother's keepsake? I found it in your dressing room. It's a bit old-fashioned, but I adore it. Alan is sweet; he knew I liked it and gave it to me."

I clench my fists:

"Shelby, I suggest you return my mother's keepsake immediately, untouched."

The woman on the screen laughs even more gleefully:

"Why don’t you try and take it back? Guess which hotel your dear husband and I are in?"

The screen goes black. Closing my eyes, I take a deep breath, grab my bag, and walk to the front where Fletcher is seated.

"Sorry, Mr. Jensen, I need to take some time off. Can we stop the bus?"

Fletcher frowns, "You're going alone? You don’t even know the location!"

"I know."

From the back, a young IT guy fresh out of college, Jaiden, raises his laptop, typing furiously:

"I saw the building outside her window in the video. I did a quick cross-reference with the city skyline of New York and, factoring in the sunlight angles and some details I won't bore you with, the address is—Seaview Hotel, room 3202."

He speaks all in one breath, adjusting his glasses, his eyes shining with that fresh-out-of-college clarity.

"Carly, I'll go with you. I can get into any room at that hotel!"

Santiago from legal quietly raises his hand.

"And me, too. Before I joined this company, I specialized in marital disputes and asset division."

Alondra from accounting, already seething, declares her intention to join:

"That woman! I have to go. I’ve never lost a confrontation. From sales to HR, I have a spotless record."

Kamryn from PR pulls out a set of live-streaming equipment from her luggage:

"Count me in, folks. I’ll ensure their public image is utterly wrecked."

Even Noa from reception won't be left behind:

"Take me along, Carly. I might not know much, but I’m great at setting the mood. I’ll boo them every chance I get."

With the atmosphere at a peak, other colleagues eagerly volunteer.

"I want in too; I can cry on cue. I can make the whole hotel, and even the street, empathize deeply."

"Me too! I’m great at causing a scene!"

At that moment, I can't help but think—who needs team-building activities when the company is this united?

"Enough! Quiet down! What do you think this is, a theater production?"

Fletcher stands up abruptly, his towering six-foot-three frame demanding attention.

The bus falls silent again.

He looks at me and asks, "Are you sure about this?"

I nod resolutely.

"Any regrets?"

"Only fools regret this," I reply through gritted teeth.

Fletcher downs the rest of his coffee in one swift motion:

"Turn the bus around, folks. I'm a Muay Thai champion."

For a moment, there's stunned silence, then an eruption of cheers. And just like that, our entire company, in one grand gesture, takes the bus to confront the situation head-on with me.