Chapter 312: Rumors
Abby walked into the office with her usual air of confidence, the sharp click of her heels echoing in the wide, marble hallway. But something felt off today. As she passed by her colleagues, she couldn’t help but notice the way their conversations seemed to abruptly stop, only to start again in hushed whispers the moment she moved past them. Eyes followed her, curious and probing, as if she were an exhibit in some twisted display.
Her gut tightened with unease, but she kept her expression calm, her posture straight. She had worked too hard to let a few whispers shake her. Whatever gossip was going around would fade—it always did. People loved to speculate about powerful women, and Abby had learned to steel herself against it. But today, the tension in the air felt different, thicker, almost suffocating.
When she reached the glass doors to her private office, she noticed that even her secretary, Emma, looked on edge. Emma quickly averted her eyes, pretending to be busy with paperwork, but Abby had caught the nervous look on her face.
Abby stepped inside her office, closing the door behind her. "Emma, come here."
Emma hesitated, her face pale as she slowly stood and approached the desk. There was something in her demeanor that immediately put Abby on edge. Emma was usually professional, collected—but today, she looked rattled.
"What’s going on?" Abby asked, her voice cool but sharp. "Why is everyone staring at me?"
Emma shifted nervously from foot to foot, her eyes darting around the room as if she were looking for a way out. "It’s... it’s nothing, Mrs. Quinn," she stammered. "Just some silly office rumors."
Abby narrowed her eyes, her patience wearing thin. "Rumors? What rumors, Emma?"
Emma swallowed hard, clearly reluctant to continue. "I—I don’t think it’s anything important, really. People just like to talk."