chapter103

“This is my final day,” Joie whispered to Thalassa as she exited the office. “You might have uncovered the rumor, but the damage to your standing is already done.”

Thalassa entered Noreen’s office, determined to set the record straight. But the Director looked tired, her expression skeptical.

“Thalassa, do you know why I assigned you to the top floor instead of Joie?” Noreen asked. “I saw a focus and a simplicity in you that I thought would be immune to office politics. But instead, you’ve become the center of a corporate-wide distraction.”

“Director, Joie just admitted to spreading the rumors to frame me,” Thalassa explained urgently.

“She has resigned and apologized for her role in the ‘misunderstanding,’” Noreen interrupted, closing a file. “As far as the department is concerned, the matter is closed. I suggest you return to your duties and let the noise die down.”

But Thalassa knew that ‘letting it die down’ meant living with a tarnished reputation. If the Director wouldn't seek the truth, she would have to find it herself. She needed Lysander.

She called his assistant, David, who informed her that Lysander was currently attending a high-stakes fashion show—the centerpiece of the Sinclair Group's current quarter. It was an event of immense strategic importance, and Thalassa realized she couldn't disrupt him with her personal crisis.

She decided to wait. She returned to her work, sanitizing every floor, channeling her frustration into her performance. By the time she returned to the top floor, the executive elevator chimed.

Out stepped Lysander. He looked formidable, his presence radiating a cold, focused authority. Beside him was a tall, muscular gentleman with silver hair and an aura of absolute command—Zephyr Sinclair, the patriarch of the family. David followed behind, his posture tense and cautious.

The stakes had just been raised. Thalassa stood by her cleaning cart, knowing that clearing her name in front of the Sinclair patriarch would be the greatest challenge of her life.