Chapter 351 Olive Branches
Ella
The light filtered into the offices as I walked into the open floor plan, and I felt like I was walking into a den of wolves. My coworkers had that shifty, guilty look on their faces that I had become all too familiar with recently. I already knew why.
From the corners of my eyes, I noticed heads quickly swivel back to their desks, computer screens blinking to life as if they had been hard at work all along. But the reality was all too clear: they had been watching. The entire office, it seemed, had been huddled around the window, trying to catch a glimpse of my conversation with Logan.
A weight settled in my stomach. This had been precisely what I had hoped to avoid. It wasn’t just the topic of whispers, I had become the spectacle of the morning. Hell, I had become the spectacle of the year. I had had enough.
“Really?” I said, unable to keep the irritation out of my voice. I planted my hands on my hips, trying to convey both authority and exasperation. “You all don’t have anything better to do?”
The room remained awkwardly silent. Their shared guilt was written all over their faces.
I exhaled, grounding myself, before deciding to tackle the elephant in the room head-on. “Yes,” I began, “I am seeing Logan Barrett. And yes, he is… Well, he is who he is. But that doesn’t mean this place should turn into a scene straight out of a Hollywood movie, with everyone peeking around corners and whispering behind hands.”
A few heads ducked, others averted their eyes, but I wasn’t finished. “It’s none of your business. And frankly, you all should be ashamed of yourselves. Acting like a bunch of gossipy teenagers.”
By the end of my little speech, the atmosphere was thick with embarrassment. Pleased with the silence that followed, I made my way to my office.
Every step felt like a victory, my head held high.
It wasn’t long into the morning before I was called into a meeting with Mr. Henderson and Bryan Fleming, one of the firm’s experienced and rather condescending lawyers.
As soon as the meeting began, I could feel the tension in the room. Bryan, with his graying hair and pinstripe suits, had made it abundantly clear since I started at the firm that he saw me as a green, inexperienced rookie who, in his esteemed opinion, had yet to earn her stripes. His gaze was stern, scrutinizing every word I uttered, every point I raised.
“Ella,” he scoffed, emphasizing my name as if it were synonymous with incompetence, “your lack of experience in the field is painfully obvious. I wonder how you manage to keep up.”
I bristled at his condescending tone but maintained my composure. “I’ve successfully handled several high-profile cases, including the ones with Logan Barrett, one of our most significant clients,” I reminded him firmly, defending my capabilities. My voice was steady, but inside, I was a tempest of indignation and frustration.
“Oh, Logan,” Bryan sneered, an insinuating smirk playing on his lips. “Isn’t he your boyfriend? It seems like a pretty convenient, and dare I say, conflicted arrangement, don’t you think?”
His implication was infuriatingly clear, undermining my professionalism and reducing my accomplishments to mere favors from a ‘boyfriend’. My cheeks burned, and I was about to retort when Mr. Henderson stepped in, his voice like a whip cutting through the tension.
“Ella has proven herself to be an asset to this firm,” he said sternly, fixing Bryan with a sharp look. “Her accomplishments speak for themselves, and it is unbecoming to belittle our colleagues based on unfounded assumptions and petty biases.”
Bryan shifted in his seat, his smugness replaced by discomfort under Mr. Henderson’s admonishing gaze.
“Ella is a promising lawyer,” Mr. Henderson continued, “and we expect everyone to treat her with the respect she deserves.”
I could see Bryan swallowing his words, the subtle tightening of his jaw revealing his suppressed resentment. The meeting continued, but the air remained charged, every exchanged glance a silent battle of wills.
Once the meeting ended and Bryan slinked away, I found myself alone with Mr. Henderson. My gratitude bubbled to the surface, eclipsing my lingering annoyance. “Thank you, Mr. Henderson, for standing up for me.”
Mr. Henderson looked at me, his eyes softening ever so slightly. “I won’t always be there to stick up for you, Ella,” he said, his tone matter-of-fact. “But out of respect for Logan, I’ll do it for now.”
His words were a mixed bag of reassurance and reminder. Logan’s presence was a protective shield, but it also overshadowed my individual merits. It left a sour taste in my mouth, the realization that my ‘boyfriend’s’ reputation might be the only thing warranting respect from some people.
“But what about my skills? My dedication?” I thought as I walked out of the conference room, the feeling of being undervalued gnawing at my spirit. “Isn’t the fact that I’m a competent woman lawyer enough?”
“They’ll all learn soon enough,” Ema said, her voice tinged with annoyance. “I’ll be waiting for that day.”
I managed to hold in a scoff. “Yeah. If that day ever comes.”
A quick trip to my office had me realizing that I had forgotten to pack my lunch.
“Great,” I muttered, pinching the bridge of my nose. “Knew I was forgetting something this morning.”
My stomach was already growling from the eventful morning, and even Ema was getting antsy for something to eat. With a sigh, I grabbed my wallet and headed to the vending machines.
But as I surveyed the options, it seemed as though I wasn’t alone in my search for food. A few moments later, I was joined by Sarah, one of the few colleagues I had occasionally chatted with. Her flustered presence was unexpected, but not necessarily unwelcome.
“That was… quite the scene this morning.” Sarah said hesitantly, avoiding direct eye contact as she made her selection on the vending machine.
I shrugged, trying to sound nonchalant. “Had to be said. I’m not here to be the subject of office gossip.”
She nodded slowly, as if processing what I had said. “You were… brave,” she admitted, looking genuinely impressed. “Standing up to everyone like that.”
“It’s nothing,” I replied, brushing off her compliment even though it warmed me. “But… thank you for saying so Sarah.”
It was surprising to see Sarah, who probably used to hate me more than anyone else in the office, slowly warming up to me lately. As far as I knew, I hadn’t done anything differently. Or maybe I had.
Sarah turned her attention back to the vending machine. After inserting her coins, she pressed the button for a packet of chips. The spiral began to turn but stopped midway, leaving her snack dangling precariously.
“Seriously?” Sarah huffed in frustration, giving the machine a swift kick..
I couldn’t help but chuckle at the irony, considering the kind of day it had been. “Let me try,” I offered, nudging her aside slightly.
Despite my best efforts to shake and prod the machine, the packet remained stubbornly stuck. Sarah sighed, looking even more exasperated. “Just my luck. I didn’t even pack lunch today. I hate eating out alone.”
I looked at her, seeing an opportunity. After all, I was in the same boat.
“Well,” I began with a smile, “how about we go out together?”
