From Sneers to Cheers: Anthea’s Ascent (Anthea )

Everyone at the office knew her as Cindy and showed her respect.

"Hi, I’d like to see Cindy," Lizzie announced as she approached the reception desk.

The receptionist looked up and smiled. "Hey, young lady. What do you need Cindy for?"

Lizzie returned the smile. "I'm a relative of hers. Could you please ask her to come out for a moment?"

Charmed by Lizzie's good looks and manners, the receptionist replied, "Cindy's now in the cafeteria grabbing lunch. I'll take you there."

"Thanks. I appreciate it." Text property © Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org.

The cafeteria was bustling, with over a hundred employees scattered around and immersed in their midday break.

Lizzie spotted Cindy instantly and marched up to her. Before Cindy could react, Lizzie landed a stinging slap across her face!

Slap!

Cindy was stunned, not even recognizing Lizzie, frowning as she said, "Who the heck are you? What gives you the right to hit me?"

"Bitch! You disgusting homewrecker! Shameless!" Lizzie slapped her again, shouting furiously, "You old tramp! You seduced my dad!"

At her words, all heads in the cafeteria turned their way, eyes wide with curiosity.

There was a shortage of everything but people who loved a juicy piece of gossip in this day and age.

"What nonsense are you talking about? I'm no mistress! You're slandering me!" Cindy stood up, her face a mask of panic. "Security! Someone call security!"

The receptionist was dumbfounded.

She had genuinely thought Lizzie was Cindy's relative, but that...

That was one spicy piece of drama that no one saw coming.

After all, Cindy had always been super professional, keeping it strictly business with the guys at work.

To everyone, she was a kind-hearted figure.

Undeterred, Lizzie pulled a thick stack of photos from her bag, flinging them into the air. Then she grabbed a megaphone. "Listen up, everyone! Look at Cindy, a shameless woman! She seduced my father, a married man, ruining a happy family! How could your company hire such a disgraceful employee? Here is the irrefutable proof. The man in these photos is my dad, and Cindy is the other woman!"

Amplified by the megaphone, her voice filled every corner of the cafeteria.

Everyone crowded around in the blink of an eye, scrambling to pick up the photos that littered the floor.

The situation had escalated too quickly for Cindy to stop it. She could only helplessly shout, "Don't pick them up! Please, don't do this!"

Lizzie continued her tirade through the megaphone.

Photos in hand, the onlookers started gossiping and pointing fingers at Cindy.

Cindy felt as if she was being stripped bare for all to see.

Priding herself on her reputation, she never imagined she'd be publicly humiliated like this. It was worse than a death sentence.

"Holy cow! Who knew Miss Prim and Proper was like this behind closed doors!"

"Disgusting! What a disgrace!"

"Mistresses will get their comeuppance! She deserves to be in hell!"

Each word was a knife cutting into Cindy, who wished she could disappear into thin air.

Soon enough, the company's executive arrived, accompanied by security, and the onlookers cleared a path for them.

"What's going on here?"

The company executive looked young and authoritative.

Lizzie wasn't intimidated. She stepped forward. "Hi sir, I'm Lizzie. May I ask what your hiring standards are? Does your company condone employing someone who has no moral compass, seduces other women's husbands, and destroys families?"

The executive's eyebrows furrowed as he turned to Cindy. "What do you mean?"

With her eyes rimmed with red, Cindy pleaded, "It's a misunderstanding, boss..."

Lizzie handed a photo to the executive. "This is my dad, and I'm sure you recognize the woman beside him. Because of her, my parents are getting divorced! She's turned our home upside down. I'm supposed to be focusing on my senior year, the most important time of my life, and this woman has ruined it!"

Murmurs of sympathy rippled through the crowd.

"Poor girl!"

"Despicable! Go to hell!"

"How could our company employ such a shameless person!"

After a pause, Lizzie bowed deeply to the leader. "I'm sorry for disturbing your staff today. My mom is too kind-hearted to argue with a mistress, but I can't stand seeing her get hurt! I didn't know what else to do. I trust in justice and believe your company will do the right thing."