11
Amber miscarried.
Gita had a fractured arm. My father gave her two weeks of paid medical leave and covered all her expenses, plus a generous bonus.
As for Mark Evans, he was fired. For mishandling the situation, for letting his personal life disrupt the comp- any, and for nearly getting me hurt.
Amber, still recovering in the hospital, was also terminated.
It turned out that Mr. Evans had bought a Groupon for that buffet at The Grand Astoria. Amber, after spying on my phone, had assumed he was my “tycoon boyfriend.” She’d sought him out that night and thrown herse- If at him. He, disappointed that I’d turned him down, was more than happy to accept a beautiful young wom- an as a consolation prize. He had no idea she worked in the same office as me.
When Alex heard the whole story, she was speechless. She’d rushed back from her trip the second she hea-
rd I’d almost been attacked.
“There’s more,” I told her. “Turns out, Mark Evans is married. He has a daughter.”
“His wife had health complications after the birth and couldn’t have any more children.”
Perhaps he was hoping Amber would give him the son he always wanted.
Just then, a video and a voice message arrived from Gita.
Gita: I’m at the hospital getting my cast checked. Thought you might want to see this.
The video showed a heavyset, middle–aged woman in Amber’s hospital room, beating her senseless. Or rather, she had Amber pinned to the floor and was slapping her, left and right, with a brutal, rhythmic efficie- ncy. Amber, weak from the miscarriage, was helpless, her screams echoing in the small room.
Mark Evans stood in the corner, head bowed, looking like a schoolboy being scolded.
A moment later, hospital security rushed in. The video ended.
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Chapter 2
12:44
Alex let out a triumphant roar. “YES! She called you a mistress? She’s the textbook definition of one!”
I smiled. “After it all happened, I found his wife’s number. Used a burner phone to add her on social media, sent her the office security footage, and then sent her Amber’s room number.”
Alex clapped her hands. “Brilliant! Absolutely brilliant! That woman deserved every single slap.”
