Chapter 2 Without Their Help

She stood up, adjusting her jacket. This wasn’t just about clearing her name, it was about finding out who was trying to destroy her and why. And when she did, they would regret ever thinking they could outsmart Elara Hart. As she walked out of her office, heading toward Charles’ door, one thought echoed in her mind: This was war. Her high heels made a sharp clicking sound on the polished marble floor as she walked towards Charles Montgomery’s office, the managing partner. The hallway was quiet, amplifying the mix of emotions she was feeling. By the time she reached the heavy oak door of the managing partner’s office, she had hidden her panic behind a facade of determined bravery. She paused for a moment, taking a deep breath before knocking. “Come in,” Charles’s voice called out, calm and steady, giving no hint of the turmoil that awaited her inside. Elara pushed the door open, stepping into the room with her head held high. Charles Montgomery’s office was a grand room with dark wood paneling, plush leather chairs, and a wall of windows overlooking the city. Behind the massive desk sat Charles, his expression unreadable. Next to him was Margaret Whitfield, the firm’s head of ethics, her eyes sharp and calculating as they fixed on Elara. “Good afternoon, Elara,” Charles said, his tone polite, devoid of the warmth she was used to. He gestured to the chair across from him. “Please, sit.” She took a seat, forcing herself to meet their gazes head-on. “I’m here to discuss these allegations and clear my name.” Charles nodded, his fingers steepled in front of him. “These are serious allegations, Elara. The firm’s reputation is at stake, and so is yours. We need to understand exactly how this happened.” Margaret leaned forward, her gaze piercing. “The complaint is detailed, alleging that you tampered with evidence and intimidated witnesses in the Harris case. The lawsuit has been filed, and the media is already running with the story. You understand how damaging this could be.” “I do,” Elara answered, her voice calm, though her heart pounded in her chest. “But these accusations are completely false. I have never, and would never, engage in such unethical behavior. Someone is trying to ruin me.” Charles exchanged a glance with Margaret before speaking. “We need to approach this carefully, Elara. Until we can conduct a full investigation, we have no choice but to suspend your promotion to partner.” The words hit her like a physical blow, but she refused to flinch. “You’re suspending the promotion based on unverified allegations?” “We have to protect the firm,” Margaret chimed in. “If these claims hold any merit, it could destroy us. We can’t afford to take risks.” Elara leaned forward, her eyes flashing with fury. “There’s no merit to these claims. Someone is setting me up, and the longer we wait, the more damage they’ll do. I need the firm’s resources to find out who’s behind this.” Charles sighed, rubbing his temples. “You’ll have our support, Elara, but we have to tread carefully. Margaret will lead the internal investigation, and we’ll retain outside counsel to ensure impartiality.” The meeting was slipping out of her control, and Elara knew it. “With all due respect, Charles, if you slow this down, it might be too late. My reputation is on the line, and so is the firm’s. We need to act now.” Margaret raised an eyebrow. “What exactly are you suggesting?” “I want access to the firm’s files related to the Harris case, and I want to speak with the team involved. Someone within the firm had to leak information to make these allegations seem credible. We need to find out who.” Margaret’s eyes burned as she said, “Why should we? Tell me, why should we give you access to the Harris case?” “Because I need to investigate this matter, Margaret. I need to clear my name, no matter what,” she fired back. “I want access to the firm’s files related to the Harris case.” Charles hesitated. “We’ll give you access,” he said finally, “but you’ll need to keep a low profile. No talking to the press, no discussing this outside of the investigation team. Understood?” “Understood,” Elara agreed, though her mind was already racing ahead. As she turned to leave, Margaret called her back. “If I were you, I would stay on my best behavior,” she said with a smirk. She had always sensed Margaret’s dislike towards her, but it didn’t bother her. She remembered when Margaret deleted her slides before a meeting to sabotage her presentation. Despite this setback, she persevered and delivered a successful presentation, earning praise from the team. Margaret’s jealousy had been evident ever since then. With a mocking smile, she replied, “If I were you, I’d focus on my work. Use this same energy to concentrate on your job instead of concerning yourself with things that don’t involve you, Margaret.” Her face flushed with anger as she pointed a finger at Elara. “You…” She was about to yell, but Charles cut her off.. “This is not the best time for this, Margaret. Be on your best behavior.” Elara turned and left. She could still hear Margaret’s voice cursing her. A mixture of frustration and sadness welled up inside her. Each step felt heavier than the last as she tried to push Margaret’s words out of her mind. She was about to open her office door when Leah called for her. “Elara, where have you been?” Leah asked as she approached. Leah was her assistant. “What’s up, Leah?” Elara asked, feeling tired. “You need to see this,” Leah replied, following her inside and closing the door behind her. Elara walked to her seat and sat, knocking lightly on her desk. Whatever Leah wanted to show her must be about the fake news. Leah handed her a tablet. “You need to see this. It just hit the news this morning.” “Did you also believe I did it?” she asked. Leah shook her head. “I trust you. I trust that you would never do something like this.” She felt a sense of relief at hearing that. “What should we do? The news is spreading fast. Someone is definitely behind this.” “I know, Leah,” Elara sighed, running her fingers through her hair—a clear sign of frustration. “I need to find out who’s orchestrating this,” she declared. “This isn’t just a random smear campaign. Someone’s trying to take me down.” Leah hesitated. “Elara, there’s more. I overheard some of the partners talking. They’re concerned about the firm’s reputation. If this isn’t resolved quickly, your partnership could be in jeopardy.” She clenched her jaw at her words. “They have already suspended my promotion.” Leah gasped, her mouth wide. She couldn’t believe her ears. “They did what? How dare they! After all your dedication to this firm, have you tried talking to Charles?” “Yes, I did, but the decision was made with Margaret present.” “I’ve always known her to be difficult. She’s a bitter soul and always jealous of you.” “What will you do now, Elara?” Leah asked, clearly concerned. “I don’t know,” Elara replied, burying her face in her hands. “I will get to the root of this matter, even if it takes my life.” “I will always be here with you,” her assistant said. “I’m not sure if I should share this with you, Leah,” she said with a sigh. “I received a call from an unknown number. The caller warned me that this is only the start of my downfall.” “OMG, who could that be?” Leah asked, shocked by what she had just heard. “I don’t know,” she muttered. “I truly don’t know.” Leah moved closer to her. Leah was her assistant, but Elara also regarded her as a sister. “Did you perhaps tell Charles about the call?” “No,” she responded. “I didn’t.” “Why? Why did you miss out on the most important information, Elara? You should have informed him.” “He won’t believe anything I say, Leah. He won’t.” “But you should have tried to tell him,” she whispered. “I wish you had been there to witness his expression. He clearly doesn’t trust me and believes I could bring harm to the firm, especially Margaret. I will get to the root of this matter no matter what, with or without their help.” “I know you will. You are so strong that no one can drag you down,” Leah said with a smile, trying to reassure her. “I trust you, and we are going to find them together.” Elara looked at her assistant with gratitude. “Thank you. How’s your brother?” “He’s fine,” she replied, walking back to her position. Leah should have been with me in the conference room, but she had an emergency call from the hospital where her only brother was being taken care of. “Are you sure?” Elara asked, watching her expression. “Still the same,” she uttered with sadness. “But I know he will be fine.” She stood, momentarily forgetting her worries. “He will be fine. Have faith in the doctors.” “I do, but it’s exhausting,” Leah admitted, her voice breaking. “It is really tiring.” She knew what Leah was feeling right now. She had been there before when her father fell ill. Elara wrapped her arms around her, offering the same comfort Leah had always given her. “I know it is. But he’ll pull through, just like you will.”