Chapter 5 - 05-Rebirth Through Fire
Janet had never felt so restless and on edge. She could feel the glances—some curious, others mocking—from her coworkers all day.
Still, she kept her head down and focused on her tasks like she always did. But the scene that had unfolded earlier that morning had already made her the number one target of office gossip—and every woman’s imagined rival.
She didn’t bother defending herself. The moment work ended, she rushed into the elevator and darted out of the building. That’s when she saw the familiar Lotus sports car parked at the curb.
"Janet! Get in!" called Peggy, her longtime friend.
They had met back in school—Peggy, the bold and spirited daughter of a wealthy family, had taken an unexpected liking to the quiet, unassuming Janet, who despite her privileged background, had never been favored at home. With Peggy’s protection, the two had once been the talk of the campus, a duo everyone knew.
Janet hadn’t waited until graduation to start working. She’d struck out on her own early, driven by a desire to prove herself—and to avoid the constant jabs from her so-called stepsister, who loved to flaunt her "superior" education and status.
"What are you doing here again?" Janet asked, running toward the car. As soon as she saw Peggy dressed head-to-toe in a chic, ladylike outfit, she knew her friend was up to something again.
"You disappeared last night right after my brother showed up! Did you drink too much or what? How’d you even get home?" Peggy asked with genuine concern. Janet’s pale face betrayed nothing, which only made her more worried.
Last night had been a rare occasion—Peggy had finally convinced Janet to come with her to a masquerade party at her private club. She’d just wanted Janet to meet new people, to breathe a little.
Peggy knew better than anyone what kind of home Janet came from: a mother who didn’t care, a sister who scorned her, and a useless father who never stood up for her.
Peggy had tried more than once to get her friend to leave that cold, loveless house, but Janet had always refused.