Chapter 257: Who Is The Victim?

Claire returned to the marketing department with swollen eyes and a carefully controlled expression.

The moment she stepped out of the elevator, several employees looked up from their desks.

The atmosphere changed almost immediately.

Whispers traveled through the open office like a breeze.

"Is that Claire?"

"Why does she look like that?"

"Did something happen?"

Claire heard every word.

She lowered her head slightly and walked toward her office without answering anyone.

Inside, she closed the door.

Only then did her carefully maintained composure crack.

She sank into her chair and stared blankly at the desk she had occupied for years.

Her fingers trembled as she opened the drawer. One by one, she began packing her belongings.

A trophy for winning the employee of the year three years back.

A small crystal award from the company’s annual marketing summit.

A framed photo of the department taken during the last year-end event.

A few personal items and trinkets she had accumulated over the years.

Each object seemed to carry a memory.

Claire paused when she picked up the photograph.

In it, she was smiling brightly.

Confident. Elegant. Untouchable.

She looked exactly like what success was supposed to look like—a woman who had finally climbed high enough that nothing could bring her down.

Claire stared at the woman in the photograph for a long moment.

How different she looked now. Her career was ending. Her reputation was in pieces.

And the future she had so carefully built inside the company was slipping through her fingers.

Did she regret what she had done?

Perhaps she did. Perhaps she didn’t. Even Claire wasn’t sure anymore.

Her fingers tightened around the frame.

Her eyes burned as she fought back the tears.

Morgan had taken everything from her.

At least, that was the story she intended to tell.

A soft knock came at the door.

"Claire?"

She quickly wiped her eyes.

"Come in."

The door opened.

Several members of the marketing team stood outside.

Their expressions were filled with concern.

"Are you really leaving?"

Claire looked down.

For a moment, she said nothing.

Then she forced a sad smile.

"Yes."

"What happened?"

Another employee stepped forward.

"We heard you resigned."

Claire lowered her gaze.

"I didn’t really have a choice."

The words immediately caught their attention.

"What do you mean?"

Claire slowly closed the drawer.

"I made a mistake, and Morgan decided that was enough to end my career here."

Her voice trembled.

"I tried to explain myself, but he wouldn’t listen."

The employees exchanged glances.

One of the younger marketing associates frowned.

"But you’ve been here for years."

"I know."

Claire gave a bitter little laugh.

"That’s what hurts the most."

She looked around the office.

"I gave this company everything. Late nights. Weekends. Campaign launches. Crisis meetings. I stayed when everyone else went home."

Her eyes glistened with tears.

"And in the end, none of that mattered."

A woman standing near the doorway stepped closer.

"Claire, what did you do?"

Claire hesitated.

That hesitation made her look vulnerable.

"I can’t really talk about it."

She quickly shook her head.

"I don’t want to cause trouble for anyone."

The statement only fueled their curiosity.

"So Morgan just fired you?"

"No."

Claire shook her head.

"He gave me a choice."

"What choice?"

"Resign..."

She swallowed.

"...or be fired."

A murmur moved through the group.

"That isn’t fair. There must be a misunderstanding. We can help explain to the Boss."

Claire immediately shook her head.

"Please don’t say anymore."

Her voice was soft, almost pleading.

"Morgan is the CEO. He can do whatever he thinks is necessary."

Yet the slight tremble in her voice suggested otherwise.

One of the senior employees stepped forward.

"You’ve worked here longer than some of us have. You helped build this department."

Claire’s eyes filled with tears again.

"I thought this company was my home."

She looked down at the box sitting on her desk.

"I never imagined I’d leave like this."

The employees grew quiet.

Claire reached for the framed photograph and held it against her chest.

"I made mistakes. I’m not denying that."

She paused.

"But I never meant to hurt anyone."

It was carefully worded. She didn’t deny everything.

She didn’t confess anything either.

She simply allowed them to fill in the blanks themselves.

And they did.

A few employees moved closer.

One hugged her. Another squeezed her shoulder.

"We’re going to miss you."

Claire closed her eyes as tears finally rolled down her cheeks.

"I’ll miss all of you too."

She looked around the department.

"This place gave me some of the best years of my life."

Her voice cracked.

"And I hate that I’m leaving because of one person’s influence."

Silence.

No one needed to ask who she meant.

Then someone spoke up.

"Is it related to Isobel?"

Claire wiped her tears and forced a smile. She did not answer the question.

"Please don’t let this affect your work. Keep doing your best."

She picked up her box.

"I don’t want anyone getting into trouble because of me."

The employees watched as she walked toward the door.

Several looked genuinely heartbroken.

But not everyone was convinced.

At the far end of the department, one senior marketing manager remained seated behind her desk.

She had listened to everything without saying a word.

Her eyes followed Claire carefully.

Something about Claire’s story didn’t add up.

Claire had said she had made a mistake.

But she had never said what the mistake was.

And somehow, Morgan had gone from being the company’s respected CEO to the villain of the story without Claire ever actually accusing him of anything.

The manager narrowed her eyes.

There was more to this.

Much more.

Claire stopped at the elevator.

She turned around one last time.

Her coworkers stood behind her, watching.

She gave them a tearful smile.

Then the elevator doors opened.

Claire stepped inside.

The doors slowly closed.

The moment they sealed her away from the department, the sadness disappeared from her face.

Her jaw tightened. Her eyes hardened.

Morgan had fired her. It must be because of Isobel.

He had destroyed everything she built.

And she wasn’t going to let him get away with it.

If Morgan wanted a war...

Then he was going to get one.