Page 50 of Ruthless Serenade

I stare at him dumbly. Is he doing what I think he is?

He gives me a sly wink and says, "Let me tell you something, Miss Williams. I know how to persuade my wife to see things my way." His gaze lingers on me. "But, as they say, everything has a price. And I'm sure you understand that well.Being a chief accountant and all." He chuckles at his own lame joke.

I can’t believe he’s doing this. My face is frozen, but inside I feel an overwhelming sense of disgust. Yes, I desperately need this job, but this... this is what they call sexual harassment. And it makes me feel sick to my stomach.

I instinctively withdraw, trying to create distance between us. But he leans in and moves even closer. His face is only inches away from mine now. "You’re not a naive teenager anymore, Miss Williams… I mean, Mindy," he whispers in a suggestive tone. "And those photos you put on display yesterday were… impressive." He then does the unthinkable. He presses his body against mine, making sure that I can feel his arousal through his trousers.

Holy fucking shit!

Seriously?

I have to swallow the urge to puke. Maybe I shouldn’t. Maybe I should just vomit all over him, right into his face. But instead, I hold my hand out in a stopping motion.

"No," I say firmly.

He takes a step back. "Well then, maybe you don’t really need this job after all, Miss Williams."

I lower my hand and finally manage to find my voice. "In case you don’t know, Mr. Solomon, what you're doing is considered sexual harassment."

Albert’s face drains of color. His plastic charm crumbles into a cold, piercing glare. "And what you did yesterday is called public indecency."

I know he’s trying to blackmail me, but I refuse to take the bait. "I will not hesitate to report this to HR, Mr. Solomon."

He stares at me dumbly, and that gives me the courage to get even bolder.

"And let’s not forget about your history, Mr. Solomon," I improvise. I have no clue if it’s true, but I suspect I’m not his first victim. When his expression confirms my suspicion, I continue. "I know I’m not the only employee you’ve approached like this. And I'm sure Mr. and Mrs. Thompson would be very interested to learn about that." I stand to my feet, ready to make a run for it. "And so would Christine."

For a moment, I worry that he’s going to do something crazy, like lash out and attack me, but he doesn’t. Instead, his eyes linger on me, full of hatred. "You’ve made the mistake of your life, Mindy, " he growls threateningly. "My wife will inform you of the next steps. And now, get the fuck out of my office."

"Much obliged, Mr. Solomon," I reply, forcing professional confidence into my tone. "I will work from home until Christine makes her final decision. I trust that’s satisfactory, given the unique circumstance." Without waiting for a reply, I quickly leave his office.

Dear God, what the hell just happened?

Did he just try to blackmail me into having sex with him?

I bolt down the never-ending hallway as far from Albert Solomon’s office as possible. As I approach my desk, my coworkers are still glued to their screens, typing away on their computers like programmed machines. A few of them briefly glance up when they see me gathering my things in a frenzy. My vision is blurred with tears.

"Are you okay, Mindy?" someone asks, but I don’t respond. I pick up all my stuff and storm out of the office without a word.

And I run.

And run.

My legs pump, my lungs burn as I push myself to escape this godforsaken place for the second time in the last twenty-four hours. First, after my professional suicide, and now, after being sexually harassed and blackmailed by my boss. I’m sure I’m going to need therapy after these two days.

When I burst through the doorway and finally feel the fresh air on my face, a surge of emotion overwhelms me. Tears begin to wet my cheeks, fueled by fear, relief, and sheer exhaustion. I don’t hold them back. I let them flow freely, releasing all the stress I’ve been pushing down.

I fumble with my purse, struggling to find my car keys. The sound of a nearby car engine barely registers in my mind as I’m consumed by my own distress and humiliation. It’s not until I’m almost by my car that I see a black Escalade turning the corner. It slows down as it nears me, but in my state of turmoil, I don’t give it a second thought.

All I can think about is getting in my car and driving away from this nightmare.

Chapter Nineteen

Maron

I navigate my car smoothly into the parking lot of Visionary Media Works.

My mind buzzes with ideas about the upcoming meeting with the CEO, Albert Solomon. This company, owned by a British couple, is my top choice to collaborate with on Global Media’s next movie project. After thorough research and going through countless reviews, my team and I selected Visionary Media as the ideal partner to handle production for our upcoming film - a Hollywood blockbuster in the psychological thriller genre. We’ve already secured some A-list actors for the movie, and it’s projected to generate billions in profits worldwide.

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