CHAPTER 11 - FRAMED
1040 Words
The bed was cold.
Not just empty… cold.
Like it had forgotten what it felt like to be lived in.
I stared at the space beside me for a moment longer than I should have, my fingers brushing over the sheets as if they could somehow bring him back.
They never did.
A sigh slipped past my lips as I pushed myself up, dragging my body out of bed. Another morning. Another reminder that nothing had changed.
Still no calls.
No messages.
No Josh.
“Another day,” I muttered under my breath, running a hand through my hair. “You’ve survived worse, Ash.”
The words felt hollow, but I held onto them anyway.
I made my way to the bathroom, letting the shower run longer than necessary before stepping in. The hot water hit my skin, but it did nothing to wash away the heaviness sitting in my chest.
For a moment, I closed my eyes… and all I could see was him.
The way he looked at me.
The way he held me.
That night.
I exhaled sharply and opened my eyes.
“Get it together,” I whispered to myself.
By the time I stepped out, dressed and ready for work, I had already built my walls back up.
Or at least, I thought I had.
My phone rang just as I reached for my bag.
I frowned at the screen.
Anna?
That was strange.
“Hey, Anna”
“Ashley… have you seen your mail?”
Her voice wasn’t normal. It felt like she was nervous.
My grip on the phone tightened slightly.
“No… why?”
There was a pause.
Then…
“They’ve dismissed you.”
Everything in me stilled.
“…What?”
“They’re saying you were involved in… in theft. Company assets are missing and your name is on the report.”
For a second, I couldn’t breathe.
“That doesn’t make any sense,” I said, my voice sharper now. “Anna, what are you talking about? I didn’t…”
“I know,” she cut in quickly. “I know you didn’t. Just… just come to the office.”
The call ended.
And just like that, the fragile balance I had been holding onto shattered completely.
***
The moment I stepped into the building, I knew something was wrong.
Conversations died mid-sentence.
Eyes followed me.
Whispers rose like smoke in the air, impossible to ignore.
“That’s her…”
“I heard she stole from the company…”
“Marketing department, right?”
“Wow… you really can’t trust anyone these days.”
Each word hit harder than the last, but I kept walking.
Head up.
Steps steady.
But by the time I reached my floor, my boldness began to crumble….
like the walls were closing in around me.
This wasn’t a mistake.
This was planned.
And somehow… I had just walked straight into it. I took the dismissal letter from my desk and walked straight to the director's office.
Without knocking, I pushed the door open.
The room fell silent instantly.
A meeting, of course.
All eyes turned to me, but I didn’t care.
I took out the dismissal letter, and I threw it onto the table.
“What is this?”
No one spoke.
I let out a dry laugh, shaking my head slightly.
“No, seriously… I’d love an explanation. Because last time I checked, accusing someone of theft usually requires actual proof.”
The director leaned back in his chair, studying me like I was something mildly interesting.
“Miss Ashley,” he said calmly, almost amused. “I admire your confidence.”
“Then you should admire my patience too, because I’m running out of it. Explain. Now.”
A faint smile touched his lips, but his expression still read irritated.
“This situation is… unfortunate,” he continued. “But I suggest you don’t make it harder for yourself than it already is.”
I let out a bitter laugh.
“Harder for myself? You accuse me of stealing, try to throw me out quietly, and I’m the one making things difficult?”
“You don’t seem to understand,” he said, his voice dropping slightly. “This is bigger than you.”
“Then make me understand,” I responded.
He leaned forward slightly, his gaze locking onto mine.
“Walk away,” he said softly. “While you still can.”
Silence filled the room,
Cold,
suffocating.
I stared at him, disbelief turning into anger.
“And if I don’t?”
His smile returned, slower this time.
“Then things may become… complicated. For you.”
I felt it then.
Not fear.
Not yet.
But something close to it.
“You fabricated this,” I said, my voice steady despite the storm building inside me.
“And now you’re threatening me to stay quiet?”
“No one is threatening you,” he replied smoothly. “We’re offering you a way out.”
I let out a breath, shaking my head.
“Incredible.”
For a moment, I just stood there, staring at him, at all of them.
People I once worked with. Trusted. Respected.
And not a single one of them could even look me in the eye.
That’s when it hit me.
I was alone in this.
Completely.
A small, humourless smile crossed my lips as I reached into my bag again, pulling out another paper.
“You know what?” I said quietly.
I placed it on the table.
“I quit.”
That got their attention.
I straightened slightly, my gaze hard.
“And since you’re so confident in your little story, why don't we take this to court”
For the first time, something flickered across his expression.
Brief.
But it was there.
I turned before anyone could say another word and walked out.
I didn’t stop until I was outside.
The air hit me hard, but it wasn’t enough to steady the chaos inside me.
No job.
No protection.
No safety net.
Nothing.
I let out a shaky breath, staring ahead without really seeing anything.
And in a long while…
I realised something far worse than losing my job.
I had just made myself a target
- Writer
