Rachel wept as if her heart was going to break. “I will always get what I want. Scarlett does not want him and pushes him away, so isn’t he up for grabs? Who do you think you are to judge me? All because I am beautiful and talented?”
Their argument amused me. Before I could stop myself, I joined in. “Liking somebody is something you couldn’t control. It is not wrong of you to like Ashton. You can continue to pursue him, but I will also keep being in the way. Let’s call it a fair game between two rivals.”
“Scarlett, are you crazy?” Linda gawked at me. “Another woman is after your man, and you’re still this generous?”
“I trust Ashton completely.” I shrugged. “If he does fall in love with Rachel, it’s his choice. If he does not and turns her down without even giving her an opportunity, doesn’t that show that it was worth all of the trouble I had gone through to make him my husband?”
“That’s true…” Linda nodded.
Rachel continued to glare at me fiercely. “Scarlett, you’re too confident with yourself. After the honeymoon phase, we’ll see if you still feel the same.”
She did have a point. “Like I said, fair game amongst rivals.”
Rachel’s screams and sobs had attracted a large group from the base.
When Armond and Ashton arrived, they saw Linda and I standing tall and proud over the wretched figure of Rachel on the floor.
The outcome of the confrontation was obvious at a glance.
Rachel cleverly used this opportunity to weep harder and blubber about how Linda and I were the ones to assault her.
Ashton looked at me sternly. My heart thumped nervously at his impending accusation.
It felt like I had done something grievously wrong just from the way he was looking at me.
“Linda!” Armond called with a frown. “Ms. Zimmer is a director of Fuller Corporation. You two have crossed a line!”
Linda readily admitted her mistake. “Mr. Murphy,” she said as she hung her head. “I am sorry. I acted rashly.”
She sank into a magnificent bow to Rachel, who was still weeping on the floor. “Ms. Zimmer,” she said sincerely. “I would like to beg for your forgiveness for the incidents that had transpired today. I was too irrational. I hope that you could forgive me!”
I was stunned. Linda’s ability to adapt astounded me.
Armond appeared satisfied with her apology. “Ms. Zimmer,” he said to Rachel. “No matter whose fault it was today, Murphy Corporation will bear the responsibility accordingly. We will send you to the hospital to check if you had sustained any injuries. Meanwhile, we will carry out punishment to Linda and Scarlett here. Again, we sincerely apologize for your ordeal.”
I was about to ask why but was promptly silenced by Ashton’s furious glare.
After that, Armond turned to address me. “Ms. Stovall, no matter whose fault it was, this place belongs to Murphy Corporation, and everybody is a guest here. The altercation that you have had with Ms. Zimmer is unacceptable behavior.”
I turned to Linda, and she gave me a wink. Then, I regained my senses and apologized to Rachel as well with the same deep bow.
Now it was Rachel’s turn to be embarrassed. She had assumed the role of the victim to gain sympathy, but now it was backfiring on her.
After we had apologized, Linda rolled up her sleeves to reveal the scratches Rachel had caused.
“Ms. Zimmmer,” she said to Rachel. “You were not the only one hurt from this ordeal. Scarlett and I are hurt too. Your nails are awfully long, you know. Scarlett’s neck and face had been ravaged by you. Besides, you are aware of how hard you’ve pinched and choked us. You’re not the victim just by sitting on the floor and crying about it.”
“As a partner of Fuller Corporation, you are a guest here at Murphy Corporation, which is why Scarlett and I had apologized to you. As for whose fault it was, we are all clear about it in our hearts.”
Linda looked at Armond, all traces of her apologetic demeanor vanishing as she said, “Mr. Murphy, we’re leaving!”
She tugged me by the arm, and we left.
But before I could get far, Ashton grabbed hold of my wrist. He was silent the entire time, but now he had a dark and dangerous look in his eyes.
I did not know what he intended to do with me. “Linda, why don’t you go ahead and treat your scratches. I’ll be right behind you.”
Linda was startled but complied with my request.
Armond shifted his gaze from Ashton to Rachel on the floor but said nothing.
“Did you hit her?” Ashton asked in a low voice.
“Yes, I did.” I nodded with no intention of lying.
He deliberated for a moment and said, “As the wife of Fuller Corporation’s chairperson, you were wrong to be intolerant and to raise a hand against an employee of mine. For that, you owe Ms. Zimmer an apology.”
