They Thought I Was Just Staff

The day before the long weekend, I stopped by the branch office to deliver a file in my capacity as chairman.

I had barely stepped through the door when I saw my old college classmate, Whitney Sims, surrounded by her usual circle of admirers.

One of them said enviously, "I heard your fiance, Shane, is taking you home for the holiday? That's basically meeting the family, right?"

"And tomorrow night at the corporate gala, he's bringing you out for the first time? Looks like the position of Mrs. Wilson is already secured!"

I didn't react. I lowered my gaze and walked straight toward the office.

Whitney called out behind me, "Skylar? I sent you my wedding invitation this morning–why didn't you reply?"

"Oh–right, I almost forgot. The wedding's at the Grand Bellevue. You need at least a million in assets just to get in. I'm guessing you don't qualify?"

She tapped my shoulder lightly, a faint smile on her lips.

"Tell you what–I'll have my fiance speak to your supervisor and get your name on the guest list for tomorrow's gala. You can come watch me have my moment. Think of it as a preview of my happily-ever-after."

I didn't even look up.

"I'm busy that night. I won't be going."

The moment I finished speaking, the woman beside her shoved me.

"Who do you think you are? You're just a clerk running paperwork between offices–what are you putting on airs for?

"Our Whitney is engaged to the CEO! She's being nice offering you a seat–don't push your luck!"

"And don't think we don't know–if you hadn't stolen Whitney's college thesis, how would you have even gotten hired?"

I almost laughed.

I was the only daughter of the Reed family.

Before I had even finished college, my parents had already handed over Reed Group to me.

I was the chairman.

What interview would I ever need?

Whitney's smug little smile was working on me, and not in the way she thought.

"Tomorrow night, right? I'll be there. I'll come give my regards to you and the CEO."

Whitney's smile widened. She liked that one.

She tossed her hair. "I'm not even angry that you stole my work. You used to steal from me in high school, too. It's habitual at this point."

The other women joined in.

"I heard about her in college. She'd hook anyone with money. Anything that wasn't bolted down."

"Right. If she'll steal a man, she'll steal a thesis."

"Whitney is too kind. She knew what kind of person Skylar was, and she still didn't ask the CEO to have HQ fire her."

I looked at Whitney like she had grown a second head. Why did she like making things up about me this much?

In college, I had caught her doing it more than once. I had reported it to my advisor.

The advisor had given me a sympathetic look. "Whitney came up in a single-parent home. Her mother is disabled. Some of her habits, you have to understand."

So I had let it go. I had told myself rumors were a hundred mouths and one fact, and that I had better things to do than fight with someone who lied for fun.

That had been the mistake.

I lifted my chin. I let my voice go cold.

"Tell me. The work I supposedly stole–what was it about? The man I supposedly stole, what was his name?"

Whitney went still for a second, then she laughed.

"Skylar, I am not going to engage with this. You'll embarrass yourself."

She paused. "Honestly, thanks for stealing the thesis. Otherwise, I wouldn't have been assigned to the Crestwood branch, and I never would have met Shane."

"You have no idea how much he loves me."

I let out a thin laugh.

"A branch manager noticed you, and now you're looking around for somebody to bow to?"

"Skylar Reed." Her brow snapped down. Her voice picked up. "Excuse me? How dare you speak to me like that?"

Behind me, somebody pulled at my arm.

"Skylar Reed?"

I turned. It was Lisa Nash, my college roommate. We had been close.

She knew that everything Whitney was saying was a lie.

I had paid Lisa's tuition once when she had been short. I assumed she would say something on my behalf.

Instead, she stepped to Whitney's side and dropped into the simpering tone women use when they want approval.

"Skylar. Wake up. The CEO is about to be promoted to corporate VP. Whitney is about to be Mrs. Wilson. Why are you still doing this dramatic clerk thing?"

"What?"

I stared at her.

"What did you just say?"

Lisa stepped in front of Whitney, finger an inch from my face.

"I said, stop pretending."

"You poached enough boyfriends in college. You know it. I know it."

"I have had enough. I am vouching for Whitney here. You're a thief."

My ears were ringing.

Just because Whitney was about to marry Shane Wilson, Lisa was now this?

Whitney decided to play the bigger person. Her voice softened. "Lisa, let it go."

"We were classmates. Let's not make it ugly."

She nudged a piece of trash on the floor with her toe. "If we're done here, get to work. While you're walking out, take the trash with you."

I almost laughed in her face. I started to answer.

Lisa flipped her hair at me first. "Whitney, don't worry. The CEO asked me to take you to your dress fitting for tomorrow."

"He said, pick whatever you like. First time in front of the company. He's putting it on the corporate tab."

The corporate tab? With my company? Without my signature?

We would see who reimbursed her.