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The silence that followed felt heavy enough to press against my chest.
Vanessa’s eyes flicked to Andrew. “You said this was handled,” she whispered.
Andrew didn’t answer.
That told me everything.
Daniel exhaled beside me. “So it wasn’t just cheating,” he said quietly. “It was a system.”
I didn’t realize I had been shaking until I looked down at my hands. The gift bag—the watch I had carefully wrapped—was still there, pressed against my leg like something belonging to someone else.
Claire closed her folder.
“Mr. Bennett, you will be escorted out tonight. HR will contact you formally tomorrow. Your access to all company systems has already been revoked.”
Andrew looked at me then.
Really looked at me for the first time since I walked in.
And whatever he saw on my face—hurt, shock, clarity—I think it finally registered that this wasn’t something he could charm his way out of.
He opened his mouth, then closed it again.
No apology came.
That hurt more than anything else.
Vanessa left first, slipping out the side exit without looking back.
Security arrived minutes later. Not aggressive—just final. Andrew was asked to gather his things.
As he passed me, he hesitated.
“I was going to tell you,” he said quietly.
I actually laughed once. It surprised even me.
“No,” I said. “You were going to keep lying until you couldn’t anymore.”
He didn’t deny it.
And then he was gone.
The chair across from me felt suddenly too big, too empty.
Daniel pulled out the chair next to mine instead of leaving.
“I didn’t plan to involve you in all of this,” he said. “But when I saw you sitting there… I realized you deserved to know before they walked away again.”
I finally looked at him properly.