My Corporate Affair

Chapter Twenty-Four

Elliot....

Sitting alone in my office, I scrolled through the news on my tablet, half-expecting to see another wave of bad press about myself.

But instead... I saw her.

Sophie.

A clip of her standing in the cafeteria, facing down the interns with fire in her eyes. Her voice was steady but fierce, defending me like no one ever had. I watched it once. Then again. And again.

I couldn’t stop the small smile tugging at my lips.

Something warm stirred in my chest, something I hadn’t felt in a long time. Not just gratitude—something deeper. Something more.

The headlines were everywhere:

'Intern Stands Up for CEO in Viral Video!'

'Sophie: The Heart of Ellix Corp?'

I leaned back in my chair, still staring at the screen. She didn’t have to do that. She barely even knew me. Yet there she was, speaking like she knew exactly who I was behind all the noise.

The door creaked open slightly, and I looked up to see one of the senior HR managers, Thomas, passing by.

“Thomas,” I called out sharply.

He stepped in immediately. “Yes, sir?”

“That intern,” I said, keeping my voice steady. “The one who spread lies and said such disgusting things about Sophie. Find out who she is... and dismiss her immediately.”

Thomas nodded without hesitation. “Already handled, sir. She was let go this morning after the full video surfaced.”

Good.

I didn’t want people like that in my company.

I looked back at the video one more time, the image of Sophie standing tall in front of a crowd flashing before me.

God…

She didn’t even know it, but in that moment,

She didn’t just defend my name.

She made me believe I wasn’t as alone as I thought.

The day finally ended. I packed up my things, feeling heavier than usual, and made my way toward the elevator. As I passed by the hallway, I noticed a light still on inside one of the smaller offices.

Sophie.

She was sitting at her desk, typing away, completely lost in her work. I found myself stopping without thinking. For a moment, I just stood there, watching her. She looked so focused, so determined. It pulled something deep in me.

Before I could change my mind, I walked over to her. She looked up, a little startled, then smiled softly when she saw it was me.

"Still working?" I asked, my voice sounding quieter than usual.

"Yeah," she said with a small nod. "Just trying to wrap up some things."

We both hesitated. There was a nervous energy between us that neither of us seemed to know what to do with. I shifted awkwardly before finally speaking.

"I just wanted to say... thank you," I said. "I saw the video."

Her eyes widened slightly, then she looked down, almost shy. "You don’t have to thank me," she said. "I just... I don’t think people should judge someone for their past. Especially when it’s not even who they are anymore."

I stared at her, feeling something in my chest tighten. She made it sound so simple, but to me, it meant everything.

"I don’t even know what to do anymore," I admitted, my voice low. "It feels like no matter what I say, people have already made up their minds."

Sophie looked at me, her expression thoughtful. "You could hold a press conference," she said carefully. "Explain what really happened. Tell them the truth that the video was from years ago and you're not the same person anymore. Apologize if they felt misled because of the way it was spread, but don’t apologize for having a past. Everyone makes mistakes. You didn’t hurt anyone. You were just... young."

I was quiet for a long moment, her words sinking deep into me. She wasn’t judging me. She wasn’t looking at me with disgust or pity. Just understanding.

"And remind them," she continued, her voice firm now, "that anyone who tries to tear you down because of who you used to be has probably made their own mistakes too."

I looked at her, really looked at her, and something inside me softened. I nodded, slowly.

"Thank you, Sophie," I said, my voice rough. "Really."

She smiled again small, but real and somehow, it gave me the strength I hadn’t realized I needed

.

I got home later than usual. Tossing my keys onto the kitchen counter, I loosened my tie and ran a hand through my hair, feeling the weight of the entire day pressing down on my shoulders.

Without thinking too much, I grabbed my phone and dialed my mother’s number.

She picked up on the second ring.

"Elliot! Thank goodness. How are you?" she asked quickly, her voice still tense but with a touch of hope.

"I'm fine," I said, though I wasn't sure I believed it. I sat down heavily on the couch, leaning my head back against the cushion. "Listen, I called to tell you... I'm holding a press conference tomorrow morning."

There was a beat of silence before she let out a breath. "Oh, thank God," she said, relief flooding her tone. "I’ll call the media houses tonight. We can get the best ones there. It’s good you finally decided to apologize. We need to show them you’re taking responsibility."

I closed my eyes briefly, feeling the words boiling up in my chest.

"I’m not really apologizing," I said firmly.

The line went quiet.

"What do you mean you're not apologizing?" she asked, sharper now. "Elliot, you have to. Your father and I have been fighting all day trying to control the damage. The company's image..."

"I know," I interrupted. "I know what’s at stake. That’s why I’m doing the press conference. But I’m not going to stand up there and apologize for something I did when I was a stupid, naive twenty-four year-old. I didn't commit a crime. I didn't hurt anyone. I was just... young."

"Elliot...." she started, but I didn’t let her finish.

"I’ll explain the truth," I said. "I’ll make it clear that the video was from years ago and has nothing to do with who I am now. But I’m not getting up there to beg for forgiveness from people who have probably made worse mistakes in their own lives."

There was another long pause. I could hear her breathing, could imagine the way she was probably pinching the bridge of her nose like she always did when she was frustrated.

Finally, she spoke, quieter this time. "So... you’re doing this for the company's reputation, then."

"And for the people who look up to me," I said. My throat tightened slightly as I thought about Sophie, about the team. "They deserve to know the truth. They deserve to see that mistakes don’t define a person forever."

She was silent for a moment longer before finally sighing.

"Alright," she said. "I’ll make the calls. Just... be careful with your words, Elliot."

"I will," I promised, before hanging up.

I dropped the phone onto the coffee table and sat there for a long time, staring into the dark, gathering the strength for tomorrow.

Sophie....

I was at my desk when Mia hurried over, looking like she could barely keep the excitement in.

"Sophie! Did you hear?" she said, catching her breath. "Mr. Elliot is holding a press conference today. In the conference room!"

I stared at her. "Today? Seriously?"

She nodded quickly. "Yes! I just heard it from one of the managers. It’s happening in a few hours."

I was shocked. I honestly didn’t think he would act so fast after what we talked about. I thought maybe he would take a few days to think it through. I sat there feeling a little nervous but also proud.

The office felt different that day. Everyone was curious. People kept whispering about it, peeking toward the conference room like they were expecting something big. I tried to stay focused on my work, but I kept checking the time.

Finally, a few hours later, Elliot arrived at the building. He wasn’t alone , a few executives were walking behind him. As he passed by, I stepped out of my office with some of the others, pretending to be busy but actually just wanting to see what was going on.

When he walked past me, he gave me a small, quick smile. It was so fast that if I wasn’t paying attention, I would have missed it. My heart skipped a beat. Luckily, no one around me seemed to notice.

A few minutes later, there was an announcement. Elliot’s team and some of the high-level staff were invited to the press conference. Mia and I were part of the invited group.

We walked into the conference room and took our seats. The room was packed with a few employees and several reporters holding cameras and recorders. The energy was tense. I could hear the clicks of cameras, the soft murmurs, the shifting of chairs. Reporters were getting ready with their notebooks and microphones, clearly preparing to ask tough questions.

Everyone was waiting for Elliot. I felt my palms get a little sweaty. I wasn’t even the one speaking, but somehow, I felt nervous for him.