Chapter 119: An accident

Words : 1171 Updated : Sep 19th, 2025

Chapter 119: An accident "What? Me?" Luke’s eyes widened, then gleamed with pride. "Thank you, ma’am." Anne’s lips curled into a bitter smile. Megan had played it cleverly. If she resisted now, she’d risk turning him into a rival. The atmosphere would only grow more toxic. But if she stayed quiet, she’d become the target of passive digs and subtle bullying, day in and day out. A part of her wanted to lash out—to put Megan in her place, to scream that she saw through her schemes. But what good would it do? Megan had Augustine’s shield. Fighting her now would only end in more pain. And the last thing Anne wanted was to break further. She drew a deep breath, forced a gentle smile, and turned to Luke. "Congratulations," she said evenly. "I hope you lead the team better than I did." "Thanks, Anne. No hard feelings, right? It’s just the situation," Luke said, puffing up with self-importance. "I understand," Anne replied softly. Before she could retreat, Rose stepped up, her face etched with disbelief. "Anne, why are you letting this happen? You should fight back. This is not fair." "She is right," Lily added urgently. "You can’t just walk away like this." Anne looked at them both, a shadow of pain flickering in her eyes. She appreciated their loyalty, but her decision was already made. She wasn’t just giving up the role of team leader—she was ready to walk away from the company altogether. Still, before making it official, she needed to confront Augustine face to face, to get the answers she deserved. "Luke is capable. He’ll handle the team well. Just support him," she said calmly despite the storm inside. Then, without looking back, she collected her belongings and strode out of the office. Megan watched her leave, a cold smirk curling on her lips. ’This is only the start,’ she whispered under her breath. ’Soon, you’ll lose everything.’ ~~~~~~~~~ The office was buzzing with murmurs and gasps as employees gathered around screens, all fixated on the same video. Lorie’s face filled the frame, her expression stiff as she delivered a formal apology. In the video, she admitted everything—how she had spread false rumors about Anne, driven by a personal grudge. She owned up to manipulating the narrative to ruin Anne’s reputation. The confession hit hard. Those who had slandered Anne earlier felt ashamed. "Unreal," Rose muttered, her jaw tight. "Because of her lies, Anne got dragged through the mud and lost her position. How is that even allowed?" Lily slammed her mouse down in frustration. "Anne should have fought back. Why didn’t she defend herself?" "It was the manager," someone else cut in. "She made a hasty decision and didn’t even verify the facts. Anne didn’t stand a chance. The whole thing is a mess." "But it’s not too late," Lily said, her eyes lighting up with hope. "This can still be fixed. Luke—" She turned toward a quiet young man nearby. "You should step down. Anne deserves that role. She earned it." Luke shifted uncomfortably, surrounded by a room full of expectant faces. "I know what happened to Anne wasn’t right, and I do feel bad about it," he said, his tone measured. "But the decision wasn’t mine. The manager gave me this position. If she wants Anne reinstated, I won’t stand in the way." His words sounded fair, but inside, resentment twisted in his chest. He had years more experience than Anne. Anne, though talented, was younger—she only got the role because she had worked on that project before. In his eyes, that wasn’t enough to lead a team. He thought he was the more deserving candidate for the post. Meanwhile, across the office, Rose stared at the video in a daze. "Anne looked so heartbroken," she said softly. "She should see Lorie’s confession." "She just walked out," Lily replied. "She is probably still in the building. We need to get her back." "Right," Rose nodded quickly, pulling out her phone. "I’ll call her." She dialed Anne’s number, pressing it to her ear. But the call wasn’t answered. She checked the screen, frowning. "Why isn’t she picking up?" She tried again. Still no answer. Anne, on the other end, stepped out of the office building, her mind numb, her vision clouded by unshed tears. She didn’t hear the phone ringing in her bag. The bustling city around her faded into a blur as waves of heartbreak crashed over her. Everything had seemed perfect—she had believed she had found real love in Augustine, even dared to dream of a happy life by his side. But Megan’s cutting words had shattered that illusion, leaving behind doubt and pain. A cold ache settled in her chest. Was she wrong about Augustine? Did he ever truly care? Or had she simply been a fool caught in a beautiful lie? As those questions swirled through her, a darker thought crept in—’Maybe I’m just not enough. Maybe I was never meant to be loved.’ Her confidence crumbled under the weight of betrayal. Lost in thought, Anne didn’t notice the path her feet were taking. She wandered off the sidewalk, stepping into the street without realizing it, blind to the world, her heart too heavy to see the danger ahead. Augustine’s car slowed to a halt just as he caught sight of Anne exiting the office gate. A smile curled his lips—he had missed her, and now that he saw her, he couldn’t wait another moment. "Stop the car," he instructed, and Gustave obeyed. "I’ll head home with Anne. You go on ahead," Augustine added, already stepping out and starting toward her. But the smile vanished in an instant. His eyes widened in horror as he saw Anne walking into the street, completely unaware of the speeding car barreling toward her. "Anne!" he shouted. The sound jolted Anne out of her fog. She blinked and looked around, suddenly realizing she was standing in the middle of the road. Her gaze snapped to the car hurtling in her direction, but her body wouldn’t move. Her feet were frozen, locked by fear, haunted by the memory of a car hitting her and killing her on a stormy night. Her mind screamed at her to move, but terror rooted her to the spot. Was this how it would end? And then, in a blur of motion, Augustine reached her. A firm grip clamped around her arm and yanked her backward with such force that they both tumbled to the sidewalk. Anne landed hard, but not on cold concrete—she landed on Augustine. A choked scream left her lips, her eyes clenched shut. A sickening crash echoed behind them—the car had slammed into a post on the other end of the road. Anne’s eyes flew open, wild with panic, only to find herself lying atop Augustine. His face was contorted with pain, but his arms were still wrapped protectively around her. He had shielded her. "Augustine..." she whispered, voice trembling in fear and shock.

Chapter 119: An accident

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