Chapter 133

Aria’s POV

My co-workers could have been sharing more gossip, but it seemed more likely, judging by the words they said behind my back, that Joanna had been talking about me with everyone.

For that to be true, she wasn’t just on some professional vendetta against me based on my work and work ethic. Professionals didn’t go behind each other’s backs to talk badly about them.

This was personal.

But I still didn’t understand why.

I considered myself more of a direct individual. I didn’t like to let things sit around and fester, not since leaving Liam 6 years ago. Back then, I’d learned the hard way of the consequences of withholding my feelings until they exploded.

So, to keep things simple, I decided to go straight to the source.

Walking up to Joanna’s assistant’s desk, I asked, “Is Joanna in? I need to speak with her.”

Joanna’s office door was open, and the light was on inside. From within, I could hear typing.

Joanna was very clearly in. Still, even as angry as I was, it was professional curtesy to ask before barging into someone’s office.

I was still a professional, even if Joanna wasn’t.

The assistant looked at me coldly and opened her mouth. Yet before she could answer, Joanna’s voice called from inside the office.

“It’s alright. Come here, Aria.”

Ignoring the annoyed look on the assistant’s face, I followed the sound of Joanna’s voice and entered the office, careful to close the door behind me this time. Then I made my way to the same chair I had occupied last time.

Joanna was sitting behind her desk, typing away at the computer off to the side. Occasionally, she would glance at me, but she didn’t say a word. For several long moments, she made me wait while she typed.

She was doing this on purpose, keeping me on pins and needles. This was a power-play, just like everything else she had done to me since she’d arrived here.

I had no idea why she disliked me so, but I was determined to find out. So I refused to give up while she ignored me, instead waiting patiently for her to finish.

After a time, she must have run out of busy-work. She turned away from her computer and finally looked at me. “Well?” she asked. “I doubt you came here to stare at me. What did you need, Aria?”

“What did I do to deserve your professional and personal dislike?” I asked. If she would answer this question honestly, perhaps we could find a way forward, to both do a good job within the company.

Joanna lifted a single brow. “Should I call HR here to mediate this dispute?”

“If that’s what you feel is necessary,” I said. “But I came to you first to avoid all that. Woman to woman, I want to know why you dislike me so that we can fix it.”

“Fix it?” she scoffed. “Aria, you have a very active imagination but in this case, it is landing you in some serious hot water. I have done nothing but give you ample opportunities here. I could have fired you straight out, but I fought for you. I made sure you stayed, so that you could prove yourself.”

She was attempting to manipulate me. I hardened myself, refusing to believe the gaslighting. The opportunities she’d created for me included moving my desk into the boiler room, undermining my authority and trust with the drivers, and talking behind my back.

“I ask again,” I said. “What is your problem with me?”

Joanna eyes narrowed, looking at me. “Perhaps I have been too lenient with you. Would you prefer to lose your other privileges, as well? Maybe we can bar you from the track. Surely if a trainer isn’t needed in person, an assistant trainer is needed even less.”

For the first time since entering this office, a bit of fear rose up in my chest.

This woman didn’t just want to make my day to day life miserable, nor did she just want to talk behind my back. She seemed set on absolutely ruining me. As my direct supervisor, she had the power to do so.

“I think you owe me an apology, Aria,” Joanna said. “These are totally baseless accusations you are throwing at me. They could be harmful to me professionally. But with an apology, I will overlook this discrepancy and not have to bring up this harassment with HR.”

I could go to HR, but who would believe me?

The only person who could help me now was Liam. I needed to track him down and find a way for us to actually talk before Joanna ruined my entire professional career.

First, however, I had to navigate this situation without losing my job or my reputation.

“Apologize, Aria,” Joanna said. “Now.”

Swallowing down my pride, I said, “I’m sorry.” I didn’t have any other choice.

For the rest of the day, I tried to avoid Joanna as much as I could, while also swinging by Liam’s office several times to try to catch him in a moment where I could speak with him. As their offices were right next to each other, I was playing a dangerous game.

Then, finally, in the stairwell on my way up to his office, I nearly walked face-first into Liam’s chest. He hadn’t been looking at me either, texting or emailing on his phone.

“Oh. Aria. Sorry,” he said, then moved to walk around me. Was this going to be the end of our conversation – after days of not speaking?

Not if I had anything to say about it.

“Liam, wait.”

“I’m sorry, Aria. I have to get to a meeting.”

I wasn’t going to give up this time. Even as he started to head down the stairs, I quickly followed along behind him. “Liam, this is important.”

“I’m sure it can wait, whatever it is,” he said.

For weeks now, our family and I had been pushed to Liam’s backburner. With so much going on with the team and the expansion, I had tried to give him the space he needed to complete his work. I’d taken on extra responsibilities at home. I didn’t push overmuch, not even when he’d been disappointing us all.

I had tried to be understanding, even as he promised that he would work harder to be there for me and the kids.

But now, I was at my wit’s end.

Grabbing his arm, I tugged, stopping him when we reached one of the landings in the stairwell. He turned to look at me, exasperation in his gaze. “Aria, I’m going to be late…”

“I’m telling you, Liam. This is important. You’ve been so busy –”

“This expansion has taken so much of my time, I know. I’m sorry for that. But it’s only for a little while longer, Aria. Then we can go back to how things used to be.”

A little while longer? That was so vague. Who knew how long that would be?

“Liam…”

“I miss you, too,” he said, and gave me that same, soft smile that so often gave me butterflies, even when I tried to ignore them.

I’m sure he meant it to be reassuring, but to me, it only made everything worse.

He turned, ready to ignore me once more.

I opened my mouth before he could even take one step.

“Are you and Joanna really engaged?”