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Within seconds, he is standing in between me and the executive. Protecting me.Again.
“Hey, Carter,” the executive says. He stands up straight, but Carter still towers over him.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing?”
“I-I was just talking with Mia.”
Carter scoffs. “The fuck you were. Go pack up your office and get the hell out. You’re fired.”
My jaw drops. Did he really fire someone for attempting to hit on me? Has Carter heard the rumors, too?
“I’m sorry if I offended anyone,” the executive says, but Carter isn’t having it.
“I saidgo.”
“You can’t be serious—” the executive starts, but Carter points toward his office.
“You have ten minutes to pack up and leave before I call security and have you escorted out,” Carter says, and his sharp tone is a clear indication that his decision is final.
He sets his hand on my upper back and escorts me into his office. Before he shuts the door, he stands in the doorway and faces the open office space. “Amber, Veronica, get in here now.”
I think I might be sick. I understand him calling in his assistant, but why is he asking Veronica to come into his office?
He gestures for me to take a seat in his desk chair until Veronica and Amber join us a few moments later.
“Have a seat on the couch,” he says. “Both of you.”
Amber takes a seat first, followed by Veronica. Judging by the confused expression on Amber’s face, she doesn’t have a clue why she’s been called in. Veronica, however, looks like a deer in headlights. Is it possible she started the rumors? She probably knows who did, at least. She knows everything around here.
Carter crosses his arms and takes a seat on the edge of his desk. “Why did you start that rumor about Mia?” he asks Veronica.
Her eyes widen. I don’t think she expected him to figure everything out so quickly, but Carter has a way of getting to the bottom of things.
Veronica looks at me, then back at Carter. “I met a girl named Kristen when I met up with a friend of mine who interns at Studio 42. We went out to lunch together and talked. She asked if I knew Mia, and I told her I did. That’s when she told me Mia’s been sleeping with executives to advance in her career. She did it at her last job, and she’s doing it now, too.” She glances up at Carter at that last part.
I can feel my blood boiling. I can’t believe Kristen would go to this extent. It makes me wonder if Michael might be behind all of this, too. He seemed determined to ruin me back at the gala. I could tell by the look in his eyes as he was walking away that he wasn’t finished with me just yet.
“I thought you were Mia’s friend,” Carter says. “Why would you believe someone who would say something like that about her?”
Veronica drops her head. “I don’t know. She said she’s known Mia for years. She’s close with her and her ex, Michael. She was in Mia’s bridal shower.”
I rise from the chair.
Carter holds his hand out. “Mia…”
“I doubt she told you the reason why we aren’t friends anymore is because she slept with my ex. And that she sent me a video of them in bed while I was on my way to the church. No, I’m sure she didn’t. But even then, how can you blindly believe something like that? You see how much work I—” I pause at the realization. “You’d believe anything if it’s coming from someone you think might help you rise to the top, wouldn’t you? You’re no better than Kristen, and it’s such a shame. I was really starting to think we could be friends.”
Veronica looks away from me, tears welling up in her eyes.
“Mia,” Carter repeats.
It’s only then that I realize I just revealed too much. Now everyone is going to find out why I quit my last job, and if word gets out, Michael will have no reason not to release those photos of Carter and me.
I run my hands over my hair. How could I be so stupid? I start toward the door, but he catches onto my arm.
“There’s no reason for you to leave, Mia,” he says. “Veronica, I have no other choice but to fire you.”
She stands up. “What? But I’m one of your best interns. You said so yourself.”
