LORI

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Lori's POV.

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.Today was the day I had been waiting for. The day everything changed. I wasn’t the same Lori who used to come here, shop, and leave without a second glance. No, today I was walking in with a new title; a title that would make me choke Cynthia for betraying me.

I walked into the mall with a grin plastered on my face, the corners of my lips curling upward as I took in the familiar surroundings.

The moment I stepped through the ornate doors, I spotted some of the staff whispering among themselves, stealing glances at me as they tried to piece together what was happening. They didn’t know it yet, but they would soon find out.

A part of me revelled in the fact that my ex-friend Cynthia was still clueless. She had no idea I was the new manager—their new boss. I couldn't wait to see her face when she found out. I could only imagine the shock, the anger, the disbelief.

I could feel it coming, the moment when I would confront her. When I would remind her of everything she had done to me and let her know I wasn’t the weak, naïve Lori she had once known. No, I had climbed higher, and now I held all the cards.

The first person to approach me was a man from the accounting department, his eyes wide as he hesitantly walked up.

" Are you the new manager?" He stammered, clearly unsure of how to address me.

I smiled, pretending not to notice his discomfort. "Good morning,” I said smoothly. " Yes!'

His eyes furrowed in confusion, but he simply nodded muttering something about notifying the rest of the staff. As he sauntered away, I made my way to the elevators, my heels clicking at a slow pace.

But it wasn’t until I entered the administrative wing that things started to get interesting. As soon as I stepped through the glass doors, all eyes were on me. The office buzzed with activity, but the moment I walked in, all seized.

"Is that Lori?" one of the secretaries whispered loudly enough for me to hear. " Is she the manager now?"

"No, she can't be. She has a very low credit score. Mr. Knight would never employ her," another added, her voice filled with curiosity.

I ignored the taunts and kept walking, my gaze focused. I wanted them to talk. Let them wonder. They would find out soon enough. But first, there was someone I needed to see.

Cynthia.

She was the reason I was here, after all. The friend who wasn’t a friend at all. The one who betrayed me when I was at my lowest. She fucked my boyfriend and still disguised to be innocent while I cried my eyes to sleep every night. She must pay for this.

I stepped into the perfume department, where Cynthia worked. Several of the employees raised their gazes from their desks, eyes brightened when they saw me. Some were too shocked to even pretend they weren’t staring.

And there she was. Sitting at her desk like she hadn’t a care in the world, as if she hadn’t stabbed me in the back. Her blonde hair was pulled back into a neat bun, her perfectly manicured nails tapping away at her keyboard. She hadn’t noticed me yet.

I approached her desk slowly, savouring the moment. I wanted her to feel my presence before she saw me. When I was just a few meters away, she finally flanked up and froze.

Her eyes widened, her fingers halting mid-tap on the keyboard. "Lori?” she said, her voice laced with frustration. "What are you doing here?”

I smiled, the kind of smile that didn’t reach my eyes.“Oh, you didn’t hear?” I tilted my head slightly, enjoying her confusion. " I forgot to tell you I accepted the Job offer. I'm now your manager."

She froze, her eyes glistening in surprise.

“You… you’re joking,” she finally spat, her tone sharp, defensive. “You can’t be the manager. You’re just a—” She stopped herself, her eyes narrowing. “You’re just a debtor with a low credit score. It’s not possible. You’re not capable of managing anything. All you’ve ever been good at is seducing men to get what you want.”

There it was. The snide, venomous Cynthia I knew so well. Always trying to cut me down, to make me feel small. But not today. Not anymore.

I stepped closer, locking eyes with her. "If anyone here should be called a seducer, it’s you.” I kept my voice low and controlled, but there was no mistaking the edge in my words. "Tell me, Cynthia, what kind of ‘friend’ sleeps with her friend’s boyfriend?”

Her eyes bulged in shock. But there was nothing she could say to that. We both knew the truth.

" What do you mean?" She asked.

" Of course, you know what I'm talking about, Cynthia."

" I didn’t—” she started, but I cut her off.

“Don’t even bother trying to deny it,” I said, my tone cold. “You and Connor were in on it together, weren’t you? You both thought you could get rid of me, embarrass me, and leave me to pick up the pieces. But here’s the thing, Cynthia.”I leaned in slightly, watching as she shrank back in her chair. “I’m still here. And now, I’m your boss.”

She blinked, her face twisting into an ugly scowl. “This isn’t over,” she hissed, her voice low and full of venom. “You think you can just waltz in here and take control? You’re nothing but a manipulative little—”

"Enough,” I snapped, straightening up. "You don’t get to talk to me like that anymore. I’m done playing your games, Cynthia. From now on, you’ll answer to me. So, I suggest you start getting used to it.”

Her face flushed with anger, but there was nothing she could do. She knew it. I knew it. Everyone around us knew it. The power dynamics had shifted, and she was no longer in control.

I turned away from her, addressing the rest of the staff who had been watching the exchange in stunned silence. “In case anyone else is wondering,” I said loudly, “I am the new manager. I expect things to change around here. Starting today.”

The employees exchanged nervous glances, clearly unsure of how to react. I could feel the tension in the air, but I didn’t mind. Let them be uncomfortable. I wasn’t here to make friends. I was here to do my job—and make sure people like Cynthia never got the chance to walk all over me again.

As I made my way toward the manager’s office, I could hear Cynthia muttering angrily behind me, but I didn’t care. I had won. I had the upper hand now, and nothing she said or did could change that.