TRENDING
1176 Words
Backstage*
The velvet curtain swallowed them hurriedly.
Whoosh!
The stage lights had gone off too. Applause muffled and murmurs roared.
Elena's voice was quite small but enough to do some damage to the event thankfully. Or maybe… just unfortunately.
The backstage reeked of sweat, perfume, champagne, and pure panic.
THE EVENT WAS ON HOLD!
Adrian’s hand was still on Victoria’s waist. But victoria’s were around Elena's wrist.
Victoria’s silk gown whispered against the floor. As she struggled to move at a pace the outfit wasn't made for.
Jerome stood with his golden aearf clutched like a weapon, taking long slow strides behind them.
And Elena? Elena was shaking with an instant fever. From fear. Her knees threatened to buckle again.
Adrian’s green eyes locked on her flat and cold. The same look he’d given her with the lilies.
“What on earth was that you just pulled off?”
He didn’t wait for an answer. Turned to Jerome instead. Voice sharp enough to cut glass.
“How can you allow such a person to work under you?” Adrian gestured at Elena with two fingers, like she was trash he’d stepped on. “Every single day in here, there must be a calamity happening and she must be involved in it. Is this how you guys have been running my company and giving me only the good reports?”
Jerome’s face twisted with fake regret. “Sir, I’ve tried. I really have. She’s... enthusiastic. But clearly…” be turned to her looking her in the eye. “unstable.”
Elena’s stomach dropped. He had no sympathy whatsoever. And she couldn't blame him. Only if…
She bowed her head.
Everything just felt so wrong. She had given up already.
“People are waiting,” Adrian continued, glancing at the stage where the MC’s voice echoed. “That’s the only unclaimed award. Fix this. Now.”
Victoria stepped forward then. Her hand came up and rested on Adrian’s shoulder. Gold rings glinted under the backstage lights.
“Darling, calm down,” she said in her soft, soothing voice. “The lady might be innocent.”
Elena looked up at her slowly.
Victoria’s fingers on Adrian’s shoulder.
Her chest tightened instead.
The way the touch looked so casual. It broke her heart more than the trophy.
If she got the trophy, would it at least get her a friendly dinner with the CEO? She wondered.
Jealousy boiled under her skin like hot acid.
She couldn’t speak. Her throat was locked. All she could do was stare at Victoria’s hand like it was burning him.
Adrian didn’t look at Elena again. He just sighed.
“Tomorrow. 10 AM. Gather before you move to your office post. Meet with me to defend this.” His eyes flicked to Elena for half a second, then to Jerome. “If you have anything to defend.”
Then he turned. Victoria’s hand slid down to his, and their fingers laced together.
They walked out. Back to the stage, cameras and to being the perfect couple they were.
Immediately the curtain fell behind them, Jerome’s shadow hovered over Elena.
She looked up. He was standing right in front of her now. So close she could smell his cologne and the champagne on his breath. His eyes were scornful and utterly ugly. Such a deceptive fool. He wanted full glory for a Junior's work. How shameful.
He lifted his hand and poked her forehead with a finger. Hard enough to snap her head back.
“Stupid girl”
Elena’s vision blurred red.
“Ingrate!”
Spit!
It landed right on his cheek. Disgustingly good. Oh, how she wished it got into his eyes and maybe caused him to go blind.
Jerome froze. His hand rose. About to slap her.
“Try it,” Elena’s voice came out low. It was shaking but clear. “And spend the rest of your deceitful life behind bars. You cunt.”
His hand stopped mid-air, shaking with anger.
She shoved his chest with both hands. “You better let this case die. Just say it's the marketing department. Say it was all of us.”
Jerome wiped his face with his sleeve. His lips peeled back in a smile that wasn’t good. “Is that so?”
Elena’s mind flashed back. Two minutes ago. On stage.
Her voice was lost in the roar of the crowd. She’d opened her mouth and whispered, “The work isn’t his.” No one heard. Or only a few did.
But then the cameras zoomed on her terrified face instead. All eyes on her. But it didn't feel good. No one was smiling.
So… she ran away like a child caught stealing.
Humiliation. Again! She wanted to sink into the floor.
Jerome flicked his suit jacket. Straightened his lapels. The golden trophy caught the backstage light and blinded her for a second.
“You’re doomed, Marshall,” he said, smiling with his teeth. “Tomorrow at 10 AM, Adrian’s gonna ask for proof. You know what I have? Server logs. Original PSD files. Email drafts dated 3 months ago. All under my name.”
He leaned in, voice dropping to a whisper only she could hear. “You know what you have?” He chuckled , “A new file you made last night after you decided to cry about it. A copy. With yesterday’s timestamp.”
His finger poked her forehead again. “Silly.”
“Fraud. Forgery. That’s jail time, Elena. 2 to 5 years for corporate theft. 'Hope you like orange outfits.”
Then he left confidently, like he’d already won. The curtain fell behind him.
Elena’s breath hitched.
Less than 16 hours.
She had just 16 hours. If she didn’t find proof Adrian would believe, timestamped, undeniable, un-fakeable proof, she wasn’t just losing her job.
She’d be dragged out of this building in handcuffs. “Vale employee arrested for attempted assault and intellectual theft.” Headlines. Mugshot. Her mother seeing it on TV!
Hell no! That would break her heart.
Jail. Her hands started shaking so hard.
Somehow... running on stage had made her visible. The clip was already uploaded. #ValeGate. #GirlVsCEO._ Comments flooding in: “She’s crazy.” “She’s a stalker.” “Lock her up.”
She was still going to prove the work was hers. She had to.
But Jerome had the server. The backups. The cloud. He could delete, edit, plant anything in 10 minutes.
Who would believe her when she walked into Adrian’s office tomorrow with a USB and tears? A copy of work he’d already seen Jerome present?
Adrian would hate her.
Worse, he’d think she was pathetic. A liar and a criminal.
And Victoria... Victoria had touched Adrian’s shoulder and said “The lady might be innocent.”
Elena scoffed. It came out broken, like a laugh and a sob tangled together.
As if she wanted Victoria Vale’s pity. Yenyenyen.
She paused, staring at the wall blankly.
“Wai…” the voice died down in realization.
She froze to a sudden realization.
- Writer
