CHAPTER 4:THE EMAIL.
762 Words
My hands were shaking.
"Open it," Adrian said quietly. "The email. From the unknown number."
I sat on his couch, his blazer still around my shoulders, and pulled up my email with trembling fingers.
There was one new message.
Subject: `RE: Meridian Deal - Proof`
Sender: `anonymous7823@protonmail.com`
My thumb hovered over it.
"Do you want me to—" Adrian started.
"No," I cut him off. "I need to do this."
I clicked.
The email loaded.
And my world tilted.
There were attachments. 3 of them.
The first was an email chain. From 6 months ago. Between Adrian and the board.
`Adrian: We need to take the fall for Meridian. If the board finds out it was my approval, my father will remove me. Suggest we blame the secretary. She's new. No one will question it.`
My breath caught.
The second attachment was a contract. A draft. With Adrian's signature at the bottom. Approving the Meridian deal. Dated 2 days before I was fired.
The third was a photo. Me. Leaving the office at 11pm. With files in my hand.
"That's not—" I started. "I never—"
"I know," Adrian said quickly. He was standing by the window now, looking out at the city. "I know you didn't do it."
"Then what is this?" I whispered. "Because this looks really bad, Adrian."
He turned around. His face was pale. "It's fake. All of it."
"Fake?" I laughed, but it sounded hysterical. "The email has your name. The contract has your signature. The photo is me."
"I know," he said. "Because I made them."
The room went silent.
"What?"
Adrian closed his eyes. "Six months ago, when I realized I messed up, I panicked. I created fake evidence to protect myself. In case the board ever came after me. I told myself I would never use it. That I would confess instead."
"But you didn't confess," I said. My voice was flat. "You fired me instead."
"I know," he said. "And I'm sorry."
I stood up. "Get away from me."
"[Name]," he said. "Please listen—"
"No!" I shouted. "You lied! You created fake proof to ruin me and you just sat there and watched me suffer!"
Adrian flinched like I hit him. "I never used it. I swear. Someone else must have found it and sent it to you."
"Who?"
"I don't know!" he ran a hand through his hair. "But the point is, I never wanted you to get hurt. I was going to delete those files. I just—"
"You just what?" I demanded. "Got busy being CEO? Forgot about the girl whose life you destroyed?"
Adrian took a step toward me. "No. I think about it every day."
"Well it's too late!" Tears were burning my eyes and I was furious that they were. "You had 6 months to fix this. To clear my name. And you did nothing!"
"I was scared," he admitted. "Of my father. Of losing the company. Of—"
"Of me?" I finished.
"Yes," he whispered.
The honesty knocked the air out of me.
My phone buzzed again.
Unknown number: `See? Told you. Now run.`
I looked at the message. Then at Adrian.
He saw the screen. His expression hardened. "Give me your phone."
"No."
"Someone is trying to manipulate you," he said. "Let me see who it is."
I backed away. "You want to see so you can delete it? Like you tried to delete me?"
"That's not fair," Adrian said. "I'm trying to help you."
"By lying to me again?"
Adrian was quiet. Then he nodded slowly. "You're right. I lied. And I don't blame you for not trusting me."
He walked to the kitchen and grabbed a piece of paper and a pen. He wrote something down and came back.
"This is my personal number," he said, holding it out. "And this is the name of my lawyer. If you want to sue me, you can. If you want me to publicly clear your name, I will. Today. Right now."
I stared at the paper.
"Why?" I asked.
"Because it's the right thing to do," he said. "And because I owe you."
I took the paper. My fingers brushed his.
"I'm leaving," I said.
"I know," Adrian said. "But can I drive you?"
"No."
I walked to the elevator. Pressed the button.
The doors opened. I stepped in.
Before they closed, Adrian said one last thing.
"I never stopped being sorry," he said.
The doors closed.
I made it to the lobby before I broke down.
- Writer
