Page 79 of Empowered
Chapter 21
The Monroes did not consult Sarah when they informed her she was going on leave with pay. “It’s been a long while since you had a good vacation, anyway.” Alice’s petty attempt to make this sound like a good thing was not appreciated. The fact Sarah’s employers had come toherhome to tell her this was another level.
Nigel stayed out of it. What convenient timing for his former bosses to show up when he had to pop down to the supermarket.
Lucas, on the other hand, did not stay out of it.
“You’re humiliating her even more,” he said directly to Mr. Monroe. “The last thing she needs is…”
“I can speak for myself, thank you.” Sarah knew her boyfriend meant well, but now was not the time for him to come swinging in her defense. This was aboutherjob and what it could possibly mean for her future. “I understand, Mr. and Mrs. Monroe. If I were in your position, I would suspend me too. I’m a liability to your company’s image. I believe you did business with one of the men in the video.”
Alice couldn’t hide her disbelief as well as her husband could.Don’t give me your shocked pity, lady.Sarah needed to approach this objectively. Yes, that was her in the video.Yes,that was something a vast majority of Americans would call “shameful,” especially if it was leaked and now everyone who cared enough knew who she was. But she wouldn’t succumb to the bile constantly tickling the back of her throat. She wouldn’t look into this blond woman’s eyes and feel shame. She had to approach this from the point of a view of someone trying to salvage her employers’ image. They were being generous with offering her pay for at least a little while.
“We did,” Damon Monroe said with candor. “Not for a while, though.” He cleared his throat and averted his gaze from Sarah’s.
Even if Sarah hadn’t walked in on them watching the leaked video, she would still know they had. Their embarrassment every time they looked at her suggested as much.
What was that like? Finding out that your mild-mannered employee who was as no-nonsense as a programmable robot was getting her sexy jollies every weekend? To that extent?
The awkward silence became too unbearable for Lucas. “Please don’t punish her, Damon. You know as well as I do that this was leaked to get back at me somehow.”
“Until this morning I would have never guessed that, no,” Damon snapped. “Ms. Clayborn hasn’t been put on leave simply because of this video coming out. This relationship has played a part as well.” He scoffed.So he really never expected anything?Mr. Monroe only acted like this when caught completely off guard. While it wasn’t difficult for Sarah to keep her private life in the closet, Lucas was exactly the type of boyfriend who wanted to broadcast his new romance to everyone who would listen. Especially to his best friend! “Things must settle down. You know that, Lucas.”
He grunted, but said nothing.
“Your job is not in jeopardy,” Alice reassured her employee. “Please don’t think that.”
“Of course not.” Sarah stood. “I’m going to get more tea.”
She needed to get away from those fools, including Lucas. She needed some space to breathe. Getting more tea was as good of an excuse as any.
Too bad Mrs. Monroe followed her into the kitchen.
“Sarah, if there’s anything Damon and I can do…”
Sarah poured lukewarm water from the kettle into her empty cup.If my mother saw me doing this, she would riot.“If there’s anything to do, I’m sure Lucas is on it. He’s the one with the PR power.”
“Yes, but…”
“Everything else is my private life.”
Alice stepped back, eyes wide and hand clutching her stomach.Yes, Mrs. Monroe, your little baby girl might one day grow up to be a mess like me.Sarah wouldn’t put that out there with her voice, however. Those thoughts were kept in her caustic mind.
“Please, spare me any pity you feel. I’m more worried about Lucas, anyway. It’s more than a little suspicious that both the video and our relationship was leaked only hours apart. Someone’s out to get him, and that video served me up on a platter.” Ouch. That was a line straight from the film.
“Even so, Sarah, you’ve been dragged into this… likethat.”
“I’d much prefer it if you wouldn’t keep bringing it up, thank you.”
Alice bit her lip. When she next spoke, it was to change the subject back to her. “May I please use your bathroom?”
Sarah pointed down the hall. “First door on the left.”
“Thank you.”
Sarah continued to pour lukewarm tea while her boyfriend and his best friend hashed it out in husky whispers out in the living room.
“You’ve lost your fucking mind,” Mr. Monroe informed his friend.
