Chapter 52 June’s POV

Chapter 52 June’s POV
June’s POV

What Lucien did could only help me to concentrate for that moment but I didn’t get anything out of my mind. I had only thought that being a survivor has to do with being quiet, but it was nothing compared to it. 

Being quiet and trying to do everything all by myself did not help. I remembered how many times I tried to keep my head down, smiling in pain, and agreeing to do so many things that I was not comfortable with. And sometimes I would want to scream, but I just choose to stay calm.

I could have turned back and just decided to look for another alternative, but there was no going back. 

The general office was being too quiet even with so many people that were present.
Whitney stood near the window, arms folded, her lips curved into that same fake smile she always wore. The kind that never reached her eyes.

I have looked at her several times and imagined how my own cousin could be so wicked and mean towards me. This was all just because of one person. And that was Declan.

He was still in the general office and was just sitting behind his desk, like a king on a throne with so much confidence much more like he was the owner of the company. 

Not just the owner, he always acted like he could control everyone and sometimes he speaks to me like he still has a say over me.

They really had no idea. I almost laughed but I immediately controlled myself. 

“June,” Declan said smoothly, tapping his fingers on the table. “I heard you’ve been… telling stories.”

I was completely confused with what he was saying, especially the fact that he said I was telling stories, what type of stories, and to whom I was telling them. I really didn’t understand.

I stood up from my desk and walked towards him, my heel clicking against the floor. But my mind was still beating and it was very fast. But then, my face was calm like nothing was going on inside my mind.

“I’m not telling stories,” I said. “I’m telling facts and that includes what has been going on here.” 
But Lucian was the only person I spoke to. How did Declan hear about it? Something was wrong somewhere and I didn’t want to believe that Lucien had possibly told Declan about everything that we discussed. 

“Is there a problem?” I quickly asked, staring at him.

Whitney let out a soft, mocking laugh. “Facts?” she repeated. “You mean your imagination?”

I turned my head and looked at her fully.

Really looked at her because she was the originator of all the trouble and she doesn’t even know that. Maybe she needs someone to tell her that and it’s definitely not going to be. 

If it’s going to be me, then probably not today because I was not ready for her trouble and everything that was going on with it. 

For so long, she had stood behind me, smiling, pretending to be my friend. Whispering lies into people’s ears while acting innocent.

But today… I could see it clearly.

Her face was a little bit covered with fear. “You should be careful, Whitney,” I said quietly. “You’re not as good at lying as you think.”

I didn’t know when I let that out of my mouth, but I was glad that I said something to her. She probably needs to hear it and it was nice that it was hard for me to come. Someone that she least expected would say it to her.

That was going to bring a high level of self-satisfaction, and she wouldn’t have to say a lot of bad things about people, especially when she didn’t really have anything good to offer. 

Her smile dropped for a second and it was just the second, but I saw it before she tried to put her face together again. 

Declan leaned back in his chair. “Enough of this,” he said, his tone colder now. “You’re making accusations without proof.”

How was I even making accusations without proof when it was obvious that she was just trying to make trouble anytime she came to my desk? She wasn’t even my original supervisor and out of nowhere, she just decided to take charge.

But the fact that Declan was still seeing me like somebody who could maltreat me was his biggest mistake. He thought I had actually come here unprepared.

I reached into my bag and placed a small flash drive on the table.

The sound it made when it hit the surface was soft.

But in that silent room… It sounded loud.
Very loud.

Declan’s eyes dropped to it, then back to me.

“What is that?”

“This,” I said, “is your downfall.”

Whitney scoffed, but her voice was not as strong as before. “You’re being dramatic.”

“Am I?” I asked.

I picked up the remote on the desk and turned on the large screen behind Declan.

The video started playing and at first, it was just the hallway that everyone could see. They didn’t know what was coming, and since nobody was going to believe me that they were the ones trying to cause trouble, I was going to show them everything.

Then everyone will say that I am the victim. 

It did not take long before we heard voices. It was their voice. Whitney and Declan. It was sharp and cruel.

“I told you, just push her. It’ll look like an accident.

She’s already weak anyway.”

The room froze and immediately Whitney’s face went pale. Declan sat up straight, his calm breaking for the first time. 

I knew that he was not expecting me to put that video up in the presence of everybody. But he had actually crossed his boundaries and somehow I managed to get the video from the CCTV room. I didn’t know how they managed to capture the sound, but I was grateful to Lucien for helping out.

It was just his own way of making me get the courage that I had always wanted. 

The video continued.

There was another clip and this time it was Declan‘s voice. “If she refuses, threaten her mother. That always works. She has nowhere else to go.”

My chest tightened for a second when I heard that.

“None of this is real,” Whitney shook her head quickly. “This is fake,” she said. “It’s edited…”

“It’s not,” I cut in. “And I have copies. Many copies.”
Declan stood up slowly, his jaw tight. “Where did you get this?”

Does it really matter where I got the clips from? It shouldn’t matter to them because the most important thing was for them to adjust and write an apology letter. I’ll probably apologize to myself in the presence of everyone. Although I knew that they would never do that, I didn’t care.

A small part of me was already satisfied that I was able to tell the general public that I was constantly harassed by these two people. 

“I don’t owe you any explanation and please leave me alone,” I muttered.