If Your Heart Doesn’t Lean Towards Me I Don’t Want It Chapter 13
Every eye in the room turned to me.
Tessa wasn’t wrong.
Few people can resist the pull of salacious gossip, especially when it’s close to home.
I looked at her, my voice even.
“When that video was filmed, Ellis and I were in a committed relationship.”
“The video was leaked. I did not consent to it being made public.”
I could see tears welling in the eyes of a few of the women I was closest to at work.
But I finished what I had to say.
“That video does not define who I am.”
“And it has absolutely no bearing on my competence as an employee.”
The office was quiet for a long moment.
Then, the woman at the desk next to mine started to clap.
Slowly, more applause joined hers.
Tessa stood there, rigid with shock.
I looked at her.
“My choice not to let this destroy me is my business.”
“As for you, what you need to face is the law.”
I picked up my bag and walked out.
Behind me, I heard Tessa’s tearful shouts.
“Coralie Ricci! You stop right there!”
I didn’t turn back.
On the day of the hearing, Tessa stood at the defense table and cried from beginning to end.
The evidence was irrefutable. The lawyer Lucian had found for me was a shark.