Adeline's POV
My clock said 6:45 AM. I'd been awake for hours. My stomach felt like a washing machine. I got to the office before the sun was even up. I just sat at my desk, pretending to type. Really, I was just waiting.
At ten o'clock exactly, Mr. Evans walked in with a security guy. Sarah, our manager, followed them. She looked nervous.
"Listen up, everyone," Mr. Evans said. His voice was quiet but everyone heard him. "We're missing an important company flash drive. We need to check everyone's desks. This is normal procedure. Please step away from your work areas right now."
My hands were sweating. This was really happening.
I stood up and joined the crowd of coworkers. I spotted Chloe. She had this little smile on her face. She looked so sure of herself. She thought she'd won.
The security guard started on the far side of the room. Open a drawer, look, close it, move on. He was getting closer to my desk. Chloe's smile kept getting bigger.
Then he was at my cubicle. He opened my top drawer. Moved some pens around. Nothing. He checked the second drawer. Still nothing. He shook his head at Mr. Evans and moved to the next desk.
Just like that, I was in the clear.
Chloe's smile vanished. She looked completely confused. She stared right at me. I gave her the smallest smile back. Her eyes got huge.
The guard moved to her desk next. Her top drawer was a mess. He pushed aside some candy wrappers and a tube of lipstick. Then his fingers found something. He pulled out the silver flash drive.
"Ms. Park?" Mr. Evans said. His voice was ice. "Is this yours?"
Chloe turned pale. "That's not mine! I've never seen that thing before!"
"Then how did it get in your desk?" Mr. Evans asked.
"Someone planted it!" she screamed, her voice shaking. She pointed right at me. "Her! Adeline did this! She's setting me up!"
Everyone looked at me. I didn't look away from Mr. Evans.
"Sir," I said, my voice steady. "You saw me leave last night when you offered me a ride. I went straight home. I couldn't have put anything in her desk. And I didn't know anything was missing until now."
It was the truth. Mr. Evans nodded. He remembered. He looked back at Chloe, his face angry.
"Chloe, get your things. You're suspended. We'll be investigating this further."
She looked like I'd hit her. Tears filled her eyes, but they were angry tears. As the guard led her out, she gave me a look full of hate. I just kept smiling. This was only the beginning.
Later, Sarah called me into her office. "Well," she said, smiling. "That was unexpected. But the promotion is yours now. Congratulations, Team Lead."
I felt so good. My first win.
But I couldn't celebrate yet. I had bigger plans. I needed to get Mark and Chloe together.
Mark came to my desk. He looked confused.
"I can't believe Chloe would steal anything," he said. "It doesn't seem like her."
I kept typing. "Really?" I asked. "She always wanted to get ahead. Maybe she wanted that promotion too much." I paused. "You know, she asked about you all the time, Mark. What you liked. What kind of girls you dated. I thought she was just being friendly. Now I wonder if she was using you as part of her plan. You know, to make herself look better."
I glanced at him. I could see him thinking. He looked hurt, but I could see his ego getting bigger. He liked the idea of being someone's prize. I'd planted the seed.
"Nah! You're just overthinking it. She's knows I only have eyes for you. She's your Best friend and wouldn't do that to you."
If I didn't know the truth, I'd have bought it hook, line and sinker. But I did and now I just found him irritating.
"Do you want to have dinner with me tonight? It's been a while we had fun." He said, winking.
I felt bile rise in my throat but I suppressed it. I have to keep the pretense up even if it's going to be hard. But really, I didn't want to.
"I'm sorry babe, I have to work late today but I'll make it up to you, I promise." I said, offering him my cutest smile.
The next day, everyone was shocked. Chloe was back. She walked in like she owned the place. An email said the investigation was "inconclusive." She got her job back, but I kept my promotion.
Watching her, I remembered something from before. A rumor I'd heard. People said Chloe was seeing Mr. Henderson from Finance. He was married. That was how she got out of trouble. She had her own secrets.
That afternoon, she came to my desk with a fake sad face.
"Adeline," she said, her voice sweet. "About what I said... When I blamed you... I just panicked. You know how I am. I thought you'd understand and cover for me. Like you always do."
I just stared. I didn't say anything. The silence made her uncomfortable.
She fake-laughed. "Okay, you're still mad. Let me make it up to you. Let me buy you dinner this weekend. My treat! We can go to that Italian place you like. For old times?"
I knew what she was doing. She wanted to control me again. But I had my own plans now.
"Fine," I said, my voice flat. "Saturday. Seven o'clock."
She smiled big. "Perfect! Just like old times." She walked away, thinking she'd won.
I watched her go and remembered that dinner from before. The last time we went there, something terrible had happened. This wasn't just dinner, she has something planned. But I have the upper hand. I know what's going to happen. She's in for one jolly ride.