Page 92 of Dirty Judge

“Oh, okay…” She smiled, but it didn’t reach her eyes. “I’ve spent the past days working on a long-form article about working under you, your obsession with the Jenkins case, and the offshore payments.”

“You better be fucking lying to me.”

“It’s the only way I was able to fully put it together and figure it out,” she said. “And you still have yet to deny it…”

“There’s nothing to deny,” I said. “Your allegations are baseless, and if you even think about publishing your drivel?—”

“You’ll find a way to get me sent off to prison on fake charges, too?”

Silence.

“I would like to discuss this on the record some time this week.” Her voice was cold as ice. “I would also like for you to accept my resignation without suing me for breach of contract.”

“You can have my words right now,” I said. “No comment.”

“Just tell me…” Her eyes were watery. “Am I right about this? Is any of it true?”

I said nothing, but I couldn’t help but notice her hands were shaking.

“Is it true, Liam?” She raised her voice. “Is any of it fucking true? Did you really make me fall for a monster?”

“What I did hardly makes mea monster.” I glared at her. “If you did your “research” as you claim, you would know that.”

“These are simple yes or no questions, Liam. Yes or no.”

“I don’t have to answer to you.” I walked past her and opened the door. “I meant what I said about you going home.”

She hesitated a few seconds before walking my way.

“For what it’s worth,” she said, “I don’t think it’ll take that many years for someone else to discover what you did. All they have to do is look in the right place.”

“Are you threatening me, Olivia?”

“I’m asking you a question.”

“I didn’t hear any inflection.”

“I hate that I ever slept with you, Liam.”

“That’s still not a question.”

“I hope you wrestle all your demons before everything catches up to you one day.”

“Your resignation is officially accepted.” I was done with this bullshit. “I won’t sue you, but don’t expect a recommendation letter for your next job.”

“I would never.” She stepped into the hallway. “I’ll never ask you for anything.”

“Glad we’re ending things on the same page,” I said. “I don’t ever want to see or hear from you again.”

“I’ve felt the same all week.” A stream of tears fell past her cheeks. “Fuck you,Liam.”

“We’re not on a first-name basis anymore.”

“Even better. Fuck you, Judge Ashton.”

I debated taking the last word, but I let her walk away with it.

It was stupid of me to ever get this close to her—to think she and I were anything more than coworkers—so her leaving me now was a good thing.