20
20
The guards hesitated for a moment before stepping forward. Marcus recoiled, holding up his hands as if to ward them off. “Wait, please! This is all a misunderstanding! You can’t do this to me!”
“Actually, I can,” Eleanor said coldly, turning away from him. “And I just did.”
Marcus’s protests faded into the background as the guards grabbed him by the arms and began to drag him toward the exit. He struggled for a moment but quickly realized it was futile. His final words were a mix of desperate pleas and angry curses, but no one listened.
When the lobby was finally quiet again, Eleanor faced Allvar, her demeanor softening just a fraction. “I’m sorry you had to witness that,” she said, her voice much gentler now. “Marcus was out of line, and I won’t tolerate that kind of behavior in this company.”
Allvar, still processing everything that had just happened, nodded slowly. “Thank you for standing up for me. I didn’t expect…”
“You didn’t expect to be treated like a human being?” Eleanor finished for him, a wry smile tugging at her lips. “I understand. It’s not uncommon for people in Marcus’s position to abuse their power. But that’s over now.”
Eleanor turned back to Allvar, her steely demeanor softening a little. “I’m glad you’re joining us at Waterfall Corporation. Don’t let people like Marcus tarnish your first impression.”
Allvar nodded, still a bit stunned by the entire situation. “I appreciate that, Ms. Westwood. I didn’t think things would escalate like that.”
Eleanor offered a small, reassuring smile. “Neither did I, but Marcus has been a problem for a while now. His actions just finally caught up with him.”
At that moment, Eleanor’s secretary, Claire, approached with a deep frown, her eyes flickering between Allvar and her boss. She let out a sharp exclamation, causing Eleanor to frown in response.
“What’s going on?” Eleanor asked, her voice stern with curiosity.
The secretary glanced at her boss with a peculiar expression before handing over her phone. “Ms. Westwood, there’s something you need to see,” she muttered.
Eleanor’s brows knitted together as she took the phone. “What is it, Claire?”
Claire hesitated, clearly uncomfortable, before showing Eleanor the screen. “It’s trending… on social media,” she muttered, her eyes darting between Eleanor and Allvar.
Eleanor’s frown deepened as she read the post, her eyes narrowing with every second. She looked up at Claire with a questioning glance. “Trending? What could possibly-”
Then she froze. The post was a tabloid–style expose, complete with flashy headlines and a poorly lit picture of Allvar. Allvar Falck: Biggest Gigolo of Paramount City.
Eleanor’s eyes widened as the headline sank in. Allvar Falck: Biggest Gigolo of Paramount City. She blinked, then zoomed in on the blurry image attached to the post. Her breath hitched, Behind Allvar in the dimly lit bar stood a familiar figure–herself. It was unmistakable now.
1/2
20
+25 BONUS
She swore under her breath.
“Is this…?” Eleanor’s voice wavered slightly as she glanced at Claire.
The secretary shifted uncomfortably, her fingers fidgeting with the edge of her tablet. “It started circulating this night, Ms. Westwood,” Claire admitted, casting a cautious glance at Allvar. “People are already talking.”
Eleanor pursed her lips, her usual confidence faltering. She turned the phone towards Allvar, her eyes hardening. “Do you know anything about this?”
Allvar frowned, his jaw tightening as he scanned the screen. “This is ridiculous,” he said, his voice steady but with an edge of frustration. “This… This ‘gigolo‘ nonsense? That’s a flat–out lie and-”
“People are already talking about it,” Claire interrupted, her voice tight with worry as he took back her phone in Allvar’s hand. “It’s gaining traction, and… well, you know how these things go. It won’t take long before the board hears about it.”
Eleanor clenched her jaw, pacing for a moment before turning sharply toward Allvar. “I want to know if there’s any truth to this, Mr. Falck.”
“Truth?” Allvar echoed, his eyes flashing with frustration. “There’s no truth to it at all. This is nothing but a smear campaign. Someone’s clearly trying to make me look bad. I haven’t done anything.”
