4

VIVIAN’S POV

"So what does that even mean? I mean what you are saying and what you are showing us are different. Right?" Eve's voice cut through the tension in the boardroom like a knife. She sat in her chair, a sly smile playing on her lips, her eyes fixed on me. The meticulously prepared board was unfolding before us and Eve was leading the rebellion against me. When she whispered to me yesterday, I never believed that Nate could give an acute position in the company until I saw Eve in the same boardroom with me.

“This is not my data, let me jus--”

“It’s not your data? What is the meaning of this, Nate? Do you allow all substandard employees to deliver presentations with wrong data and then admit her callousness outright? Is this some form of a joke?” Another board member’s accusatory tone cut me off mid-sentence. Panic surged within me as I fumbled through the colour-coded folders, desperately trying to salvage my credibility.

“What are you searching for, Hun? Evidence of your failure or just your sense of bearing?” Eve’s voice dripped with malice, my panic worsening. The folders slipped from my trembling hands, scattering color-coded chaos across the floor.

“This is nonsense!” another board member barked.

“Sirs, if you would just give her one minute to find herself, I am sure she would do very well, she is one of our best for a reason” Ethan suddenly defended me and i looked up towards him. He smiled at me reassuringly, one that managed to dry the sweat on my forehead..

“The meeting and presentation has been adjourned for thirty minutes,” Nate suddenly harshly as he cleared his voice and i arranged myself “Lets have drinks and refresh, everything is on me” Nate finished with a fake cherry attitude saving the day but then a new form of dread settled in my soul.

“In my office. Now” he said it so slowly, Pinning me with the weight of his cold glare.

I trailed behind him, the tension thick in the air, whispers swirling in the wake of our failed presentation. I suspected Eve’s involvement but how?

Nate ushered me into his office, locking the door behind us with a sharp click. I stood before him, head bowed, feeling the weight of his disappointment like a physical blow.

“You were supposed to handle this, Vivian,” his voice was a bitter rebuke, unforgiving. “I trusted you with something so important. How could you?” He asked and my voice vanished. Wait, he didn’t think this was my fault… right?

“You let me down, Vivian” his words cut deeper as I struggled to maintain composure.

“I don’t know how it happened,” I answered,my mind in confusion. “I never make mistakes, you know this'' i said and i watched as Nate dragged his tie, exposing the tip of his chest as he began to pace “And even if i wanted to make mistakes, its not as low as this.” I said, my voice gathering as my mind circled on all the events that led to the presentation, suddenly I gasped.

“Wait! Could it be…” I started and wanted to shake my head but Nate had stopped his pacing, his eyes holding deathly glares “I was framed Nate. Yesterday, Eve came to the office and i found out that my bag was ope…” 

 “Enough!” Nate’s voice boomed, cutting through my explanations. “Are you not tired of refusing to accept the consequences of your own actions? Blaming others for your own ill-preparedness is pathetic. You failed, Vivian. Own it.” and I flinched, a coldness spread in my chest.

 “Wait. You think I did this? On purpose?” I asked in anger lacing my words.. 

“The evidence speaks more, don't you think?” he asked, pouring himself a drink and I scoffed in anger. This was totally him! 

“Eve did this,Nate!” My voice was bold not even masking the anger that I felt at his obvious betrayal but Nate’s eyes stretched to slits but I was just as mad. How could he not didn’t believe me! 

A knock sounded and Ethan walked in, his eyes brimming with questions as he analysed the tensed air between Nate and I.

“I found this,” he said, ignoring the heated glares that Nate and I passed across each other. I rushed towards him as i grabbed the broken CCTV camera, i recognized it as the one positioned close to my secretary desk and i wasnt anywhere close to my desk today because of the presentation!

“I think, Vivi was framed Nate,” Ethan said slowly and i corked a brow at Nate, I mean even Ethan could see the connection but instead of Nate to see reason with new substantial evidence, he took a swing of his drink.

“Nate, this means that Vivi didn’t intentionally sabotage the presentation and all of this was set up” Ethan drawed out and Nate brought his glass heavily against his glass table, startling me.

“I know what it means.” Nate said sounding pissed “Saying she was framed or that Eve had something to do with it or was even near you is a stupid thing to even say! You failed and you should accept the failure, not blame innocent people or coincidental happenings and then have people defend your stupidity, that is pathetic.” he finished and I struggled with the realisation that even in the moment of truth, Nate still chose Eve. 

“ Do you know what I don’t need Vivian?” he asked, snapping me to reality, making me realise that he had not turned around once to even look at me and he was oblivious of the turmoil I carried in my chest.

“Your presence. Your duties will be transferred to a temp for a month, shut the door.” he barked, my eyes widening at his judgement. He had defeated my pride, diminished and embarrassed me.

As I turned to leave, Eve stood at the door, intercepting me, a knowing smirk playing on her lips while I bit back a sob, feeling defeated and humiliated.

I moved quickly away from his office and cleared my desk, angry tears stinging my eyes as I moved to the garage where I planned to drive home.

   I struggled for deep breaths but the more I tried to take in air, the more my stomach hurt and soon the pain intensified.

 I was a few paces away from my car but my body knew something was wrong, my skin was suddenly clammy and pale, the pain was tearing through me and fast.

My breaths were ragged now and in a split minute i knew i wouldn't be able to drive, I needed help! I mustered up strength and dug my hand into my bag to find my phone quickly, I called Tracy but her phone went straight to voicemail “ I need you, pleas—” my voice cut as the pain cut through me again, the phone falling on the ground and a pained groan escaping my lips as i bent over, my bag falling to the ground files spreading out in chaos as strange hands suddenly touched my shoulders.

 “Vivian! Are you ok?” worry etched on Ethan’s face.

I opened my mouth to lie but the next wave of pain knocked the breath out of my lungs, “Ethan, I —” i was about to speak when suddenly i felt something trail down my legs and my eyes caught the trail.

Ethan gasped in horror as he followed my line of sight to find that i was bleeding, the air was knocked out of me as he suddenly swinged me over his hands, carrying me like a bride.

I tried to clutch onto his neck for support but i had no more strength, the world spun and I blacked out.

I woke up later to find Ethan and the doctor in my hospital room. I tried to sit up, drawing their immediate attention as the doctor came towards me and helped me sit up.

“Nothing to worry about, Mrs Stuart. I told your husband that you and the baby were fine” the doctor said and my eyes widened with shock, the doctor nodded her head and left the room and an unwanted wave of shame washed over me as Ethan came close to me.

I gave a small laugh “She thought you were Nate, sorry about that” i said, trying to feel less of the shame that was viciously tearing through me.

“Has he always been an asshole, to you?” Ethan asked me ignoring my early joke , a lie trying to form in my mind but he placed a hand on mine, letting it rest there.

“Why are you still with him?” he asked me, surprising me and I snatched my hand away from him.

I swallowed hard, my mind racing. "You can't tell him, Ethan. This baby is mine." I whispered, my eyes pleading with him to keep my secret.

“Wait,” he started looking confused “Nate doesn't know?” he asked and i suddenly realized that i had released a can of worms, he stood up abruptly refusing to meet my eyes as i swallowed huge lumps of saliva.

My silence made him scoff —

                 “Why doesn't he know, Vivian?” he turned around and looked at me square in the face, my mouth was dry and i was at a loss for words. What was I supposed to say? Even though he was my brother in law, I was still under contract.

  “Does he hit you?” he suddenly asked, his eyes wide with shock and anger lacing his voice, my eyes widened and I shook my head trying to stop whatever this was but Ethan was pacing now, a trait I was realising he shared with his brother.

            “I swear it, Vivian, if he put you in this hospital, I am going to make Nate Pay.” he growl through gritted teeth and a crash followed, making our heads turn in shock.

Tracy stood at the doorway, her phone on the floor and her hands trembling. Her eyes were wide and glazed, taking in the scene before her. "“Nate…did this?” she asked, her voice trembling with a mix of confusion and anger.

Ethan turned to face her, his expression a storm of emotions while my heart beat twice as fast, he opened his lips to speak and everything happened in slow motion and I knew that this was the moment, my carefully curated world of lies came undone.