Chapter 159: Rumors

Arthur

The words hit me like ice water, freezing me mid-stride in the hallway outside Cecilia's office.

Two employees stood by the water cooler, their voices pitched low but not low enough.

A younger woman in a navy blazer leaned in conspiratorially while her companion—older, with her hair pulled back in a severe bun—nodded with the particular eagerness people get when discussing other people's private lives.

"I heard she's planning to quit Winston Corporation entirely," Navy Blazer continued, her voice dropping even lower. "To become a detective. With him. Can you imagine? Throwing away a director position for some man she barely knows?"

I forced myself to stay still, to keep listening even as my hands clenched into fists at my sides.

"You're being ridiculous," the older woman said, though her tone suggested she found the gossip delicious rather than offensive. "Mr. Winston would never allow his fiancée to—"

"That's exactly the point though, isn't it?" Navy Blazer interrupted, warming to her theory with obvious relish. "Why else would she resign? She's got everything here—title, salary, security. The only reason to walk away from that is if she's got something better lined up. Or someone."

The older woman made a noncommittal sound. "I still think you're reading too much into it. Director Locke has always been professional. And that man—the investigator who keeps visiting—he's polite enough. Nothing inappropriate about their interactions."

"Please." Navy Blazer rolled her eyes with theatrical exaggeration. "You don't see the way they look at each other when they think no one's watching."

"There's definitely something there. And honestly? Good for her. Mr. Winston might be gorgeous and rich, but he's also controlling as hell. Maybe she finally got tired of being managed like one of his assets."

"That's an awful thing to say," the older woman protested, though her voice lacked real conviction. "Mr. Winston clearly cares about Director Locke. You've seen how he looks at her—like she's the only person in the room."

"Caring and controlling aren't mutually exclusive," Navy Blazer countered with the confidence of someone who'd never actually been in a serious relationship. "My sister dated a guy like that once. Super attentive, always checking in, wanted to know where she was every second. Seemed romantic at first, but it got suffocating fast. She had to leave him to pursue her dreams."

"And you think Director Locke is in the same situation?" The older woman sounded skeptical now, her professional instincts apparently kicking in. "Based on what? The fact that a colleague visits her office?"

"Based on the fact that she's quitting a job she's amazing at to become a detective," Navy Blazer said with exaggerated patience, as if explaining something obvious to a child.

"Come on, Mia. Connect the dots. She wants independence, wants to make her own choices without Mr. Winston hovering over her shoulder. And that investigator is offering her exactly that. A partnership where she's an equal, not just the boss's pretty fiancée."

The older woman—Mia—let out a long breath. "Even if that's true, it's none of our business. Director Locke's personal life and career choices are her own."

"I'm just saying what everyone's thinking," Navy Blazer defended herself. "And honestly? If she is leaving Mr. Winston for this Daniel guy, I don't blame her. Sometimes you have to choose between love and freedom. She's choosing freedom."

I'd heard enough.

I stepped around the corner, my footsteps deliberate and loud enough to announce my presence. Both women froze, their faces draining of color as they realized who'd been listening to their little gossip session.

"Mr. Winston," Mia stammered, her professional composure cracking completely. "We were just—we didn't mean—"

"You were just discussing my fiancée's alleged affair," I said, my voice coming out cold and flat in a way that made both of them flinch. "Speculating about her reasons for resigning, making assumptions about her character and our relationship based on absolutely nothing but your own boredom and need for drama."

Navy Blazer opened her mouth—probably to apologize or defend herself—but I held up a hand to stop her.

"You know what the real problem is here?" I asked, my voice dropping even lower, more dangerous.

"It's not that you were gossiping—though that's certainly unprofessional enough. It's that you were spreading malicious rumors about Director Locke's character, implying she's the kind of person who would betray her partner and throw away her career for some man she barely knows."

"Sir, I didn't mean—" Navy Blazer started, but I cut her off with a sharp gesture.

"You absolutely meant it. You said it with your whole chest, with obvious relish, like you were enjoying the chance to tear down someone who's worked harder and accomplished more in her time here than you ever will."

Mia's hands were shaking now, her professional mask completely shattered. "Mr. Winston, please, I'm so sorry—"

"Your apology is noted," I interrupted. "Now get out of my sight. Both of you."

The moment they disappeared around the corner, I pulled out my phone and called Ethan.

He answered on the first ring. "Sir?"

"Two employees," I said, my voice still cold and controlled despite the fury racing through my system. "One in a navy blazer, younger, probably mid-twenties. The other older, gray hair in a bun, name is Mia. Find out who they are, what department they're in, and have security escort them off the premises immediately."

"Sir?" Ethan's voice carried a note of surprise—not at the order itself, but at the immediacy of it.

"They were spreading rumors about Cecilia," I said flatly.

A prompt reply came from the other end of the line. "Understood, sir. I'll have HR process the terminations and security will escort them out within the hour."

"Make sure it's documented properly. And Ethan? I want it made very clear to the entire staff that any further discussion of Director Locke's personal life will result in immediate termination. No warnings, no second chances."

"Yes, sir." Ethan's voice had gone carefully neutral in that way that meant he understood exactly how serious I was.

"Good." I ended the call and took a breath, trying to calm the storm of emotions churning in my chest.

Controlling. Managing her like an asset. Choosing between love and freedom.

I pushed the thought away and continued down the hallway toward Ceci's office, my stride purposeful despite the weight sitting heavy in my chest.

When I reached her door, I paused for just a moment, my hand on the handle, steeling myself for whatever I was about to find on the other side.

Then I pushed it open.

The scene that greeted me was... innocuous. Completely, utterly innocuous in a way that somehow made the rage burning in my chest flare even hotter.

Ceci sat behind her desk in that sky-blue dress I'd bought her—the one that hugged her curves in ways that made my brain short-circuit—her hair pulled back in a neat ponytail that left her neck exposed in a way that made me want to press my lips to that soft skin and remind her exactly who she belonged to.

And across from her, in one of the visitor chairs, sat Daniel Brahmore.