Chapter 5
“Come on, Marlene, just let us check. If you didn’t take anything, you’ve got nothing to hide. Or… are you scared because you’re hiding something?” one man drawled.
“Yeah, Marlene, no need to be shy,” another chimed in, his tone laced with crude amusement. “It’s not like your body’s some secret. We’ve all
the footage before, haven’t we?”
seen
A chorus of snickers erupted around the room, sharp and mean, each sound stabbing into Marlene’s chest.
Across from her, Kenyon merely frowned, as if this were a trivial
inconvenience rather than her humiliation.
“Marlene,” he said slowly, “I trust you wouldn’t betray the company. But right now, we need to shut down the gossip and suspicion. You must understand.”
Tears welled in Marlene’s eyes, her lower lip trembling as she fought to keep her voice steady.
“Fine,” she whispered, her voice quaking. “I’ll do it.”
Under the weight of their stares, Marlene began to undress, peeling off her clothes one by one.
The room’s eyes slithered over her like cold, venomous snakes. Humiliation seeped into every pore, a suffocating tide she couldn’t escape.
Marlene stood there, stripped down to her bra and panties.
She clutched herself tightly as she forced back the tears threatening to
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spill.
“Is this enough?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
“Not quite,” one of the men jeered, his tone more taunting than suspicious. “You could still be hiding something under there.”
Kenyon’s voice cut through, cold and final. “Keep going.”
Marlene’s jaw clenched, her fingers trembling as they reached for the clasp of her bra.
Just then, the door burst open with a frantic knock. A colleague rushed in.
“Mr. Burt, we found the flash drive! It wasn’t stolen. It just slipped behind the projector screen!”
Marlene barely registered how she picked up her scattered clothes from the floor. Her hands shook violently, her stomach churning with a sickening urge to retch.
As she stumbled out of the office, whispers trailed behind her, sharp and
insidious.
“So that was really Marlene in the video,” someone muttered. “Didn’t peg her for the type. But damn, that body is something else.”
“Talk about shameless,” another voice scoffed. “If I’d been exposed like that in front of everyone, I’d rather die.”
“Wonder how much she charges for a night,” a third added, snickering. “Bet a used–up thing like her isn’t worth much.”
Kenyon approached, grabbing her wrist.
“Marlene, you know I didn’t have a choice,” he said, his tone almost casual. “With everyone watching…”
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Chapter 5
Marlene yanked her arm free, her eyes blazing, brimming with tears that felt like they could burn.
“You’re heartless, Kenyon.”
As she turned away, the tears finally broke free, streaming down her face.
It had taken her five years to see him for what he truly was.
Now she felt Kenyon had never been the hero she’d painted him to be. She’d been the one to drape him in a halo of false virtue, blinded by her own devotion.
She thought back to the year she graduated from college. Her father had fallen gravely ill, and medical bills loomed like a guillotine.
When she was desperate, Kenyon had swooped in. Without hesitation, he’d wired her 80 thousand dollars.
Back then, she’d seen him as a savior, generous and kind. Because of that, Marlene had let herself believe she could be the one to matter to him, to be his exception.
What a fool she’d been.
Marlene wiped her tears away with a fierce swipe of her hand. She only had one week left at this company.
Once the resignation paperwork was done, she would never have to see Kenyon again.
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Lateefa Khanam is a spirited writer who finds freedom in horse riding. She cherishes her mare and the newborn foal, calling them her little happy family.
