Loving Her Was My Only Mistake

My instinct was to hit back.

The moment I raised my hand, a small figure came flying at me, slamming into me hard and knocking me aside.

I caught myself against the edge of the desk, staggering.

When I looked up, Samantha, who moments ago had been hidden in the group chat, was standing firmly in front of Mike, shielding him.

Her eyes were ice.

For a hazy moment, I remembered my first year at the company.

Because I was good at the job and climbed fast, people jabbed fingers in my face and called me a connections hire who'd bought his way up.

Back then Samantha had stood in front of me just like this, her small frame closing me off from all of it, protecting me completely.

Now the blade was turned on me.

Tears slipped down my face.

I looked at Samantha and forced out a bitter laugh.

"You're not going to explain yourself?"

Not just the group chat. This too, right now.

For an instant, her gaze wavered when she saw me.

Then it went cold and resolute.

"Everything my fiancé said is true."

"Mr. James, please stop harassing me from now on."

Her voice wasn't loud, but it carried far enough for everyone nearby to hear.

At once the office erupted into deafening chatter.

"Oh my God, the woman herself came down and said it. That's proof, isn't it?"

"And someone like this is supposed to make Director? Whoever ends up under him has to worry about being harassed."

With her backing him, Mike hid behind her and shot me a look of open provocation.

Samantha stepped closer and lowered her voice.

"You took the promotion that should've been Mike's. He's upset."

"Let him blow off some steam. Once he's had his say, it'll be fine. I'll clear your name later, and you'll still get to be Director."

There it was again. "I'll clear your name later."

I scrubbed the tears away hard and, hands trembling, pulled up my chat history with Samantha to prove myself.

But my phone was wiped clean. Even the photo album had been emptied.

In that instant, it clicked.

Only one person knew my phone password and could have slipped out alone during the sales department meeting to get her hands on it.

To let Mike vent, Samantha hadn't just branded me a homewrecker. She'd sealed off every way out.

Nothing was left in my head but disbelief.

The muttering, the insults, buzzed in my ears.

Another message popped up on my phone.

【HR: Given the talk in the group chat, upper management intends to suspend your promotion.】

The last thread in my mind snapped.

"Enough!"

I heard my own voice, sharp and hopeless.

The room went quiet for a moment.

A thought that had been quietly buried in me came surging up, wild and unstoppable.

I grabbed the mouse, opened the company intranet, and sent in my resignation.

This place, this city, I was done with all of it!