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Finally, the door opened, and the editor walked in, followed by a few other people who I assumed to be reporters. I stood up to greet them, feeling a sudden surge of adrenaline as I prepared to make my case.
"Ms. Davies, thank you for coming," the editor said, shaking my hand. "We're eager to hear what you've discovered."
“Thank you,” I said. Even though I felt nervous, my voice rang clearly. “Before we start, for the sake of transparency, the objective of this meeting is to allow your company to be the first to admit you were wrong. If you choose not to believe me, the very second I leave this room, I will have an article up–with evidence–that you collaborated with someone to undermine MonTech in your article.”
The editor, a tall man who looked to be about forty years old scoffed.
“You have no evidence of any wrongdoing on our part.”
“We’ll see. Just listen to what I have to say before you make your conclusion.”
I took a deep breath and began to present my evidence. I laid out the timeline of events, the witness statements that contradicted the accusations, and the legal documents that proved Jack's innocence. As I spoke, I could feel my confidence growing, my words becoming more forceful and passionate. I knew that what I had found was the truth, and I was determined to make sure that everyone knew it.
I finished with, "I look forward to seeing the public retraction and apology to Mr. Monroe on tonight's 6pm news. If it is not there, I will be issuing my article the moment the broadcast is over." There was a long moment of silence as the journalists processed what I had said. Then, the editor spoke up.
"Ms. Davies, we appreciate the work you've done on this case. It's clear that you've put in a lot of effort to gather this evidence, and we take your accusations seriously. We'll be retracting our previous statements and issuing an apology to Mr. Monroe, immediately. It will be published and reported as soon as possible and we will include it in tonight's primetime broadcast."
There were murmurs and the editor started doling out tasks to the people present.
I felt a sudden wave of relief wash over me. I had done it. I had cleared Jack's name and proven his innocence. I couldn't help but smile, feeling a sense of accomplishment and pride in myself. But I couldn't show it. Yet.
As everyone began to file out of the room, I turned to the editor.
"Thank you," I said, my voice as confident as I had ever heard it. "Thank you for listening to me and for giving me the chance to clear Mr. Monroe's name."
The editor nodded, a small smile on his face.
"You did good work, Ms. Davies," he said. "I hope this brings some closure to you and Mr. Monroe. You’ve given us a way out that won’t damage the company or the man we won’t name, and for that, I’m grateful. If you ever find yourself needing employment, please look me up." He handed me his business card.
I gratefully accepted the compliment, took his cards and shook his hand. As I turned to collect my belongings, I felt tears prick at the corners of my eyes. Jack didn't deserve the accusations that had been thrown at him. But even as I felt a sense of triumph, I couldn't help but feel a lingering sense of doubt and fear. What if this wasn't enough to make things right? What if Jack still didn't trust me, still didn't want to be with me after I had helped him clear his name and reputation? Matters of the heart were far different than just doing nice things for other people. That was something I knew.
As I walked out of the TRA building, my mind was filled with questions and doubts. I didn't know what the future held for Jack and me, but I knew that I had done all I could to make things right.
I settled myself into my car and allowed myself a moment. All the tension had built up and taken its toll. I closed my eyes and just allowed my heart to return to its normal pace. The past few weeks, or had it been months, I don't know, they all blurred into one. We had fallen into a vortex of fear, confusion and it felt like the world was on our shoulders. Now, for the very first time in a long time, everything was sliding off.
It felt so good.
When I got home, I found Jack at the kitchen table, working on his computer. As soon as he saw me, he stood up and walked over, his eyes searching my face.
"Did it work?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
I nodded, tears threatening to spill over.
"Yes, it worked. They're retracting their accusations and issuing an apology."
Jack's face broke into a huge smile, relief flooding his features.
"Thank God," he said, pulling me into a tight embrace. "I don't know how to thank you, Maya. You saved the company and my reputation. I'm forever thankful."
I felt myself relax into the hug, feeling a sense of warmth and comfort in Jack's embrace. But even as I felt his arms around me, I couldn't shake the nagging feeling of doubt and fear that still lingered in my mind.
"Jack," I said, pulling away from him slightly. "What happens now?"
Jack looked at me, confusion written on his face.
"What do you mean?"
"I mean, now that the accusations have been retracted, what happens to us? Are we okay? Can we trust each other again?"
