I left them in their little conference of two, pulse hammering in my throat. The coffee did nothing for the tremor in my hands.
All day, I wondered what else they’d discussed. What stories Gabriel would tell, if prompted. If he’d tell the truth thathe’dkissedme.
I was done with my work by five, officially, but my inbox had different ideas. The only thing that kept me vertical was the prospect of unbuckling these heels and ordering Vietnamese on the way home.
I left without a word. Pretty sure no one noticed. That was a win.
The elevator was too slow, the traffic too loud, the sidewalk full of people who existed only to block my path. By the time I reached my apartment, my shoulder ached from my overstuffed tote and my head ached from everything else. I kicked off my shoes at the door, tossed my bag onto the counter, and collapsed into the sofa only to realize, I’d forgotten to pick up dinner. Oh well, I was home, I wasn’t leaving again. I could always order something.
I opened my laptop. There was a new notification: IT had flagged “unusual activity” on my account. I scrolled through the audit log, heart rate doubling. Three login attempts at 2 a.m. Not me. Not even close.
Who was doing this, and why? Leverage? Blackmail? The way the accesses were spaced, the specific directories poked and prodded; it felt almost familiar. Like someone knew exactly where to look to make me doubt myself.
I stared at the screen, waiting for logic to intervene. It didn’t. The more I looked, the less sense it made.
I needed an outside brain. There was only one option.
I FaceTimed Margot.
She answered on the second ring, still in yoga gear, skin flushed from a run or a really good laugh. “Liiiiiiiz! Did you die?”
I snorted. “Not yet. You busy?”
“Just sculpting my ass. What’s up?”
I tried to keep my tone casual. “It’s still happening. And Gabriel kissed me.”
Margot’s face went full drama: eyebrows high, mouth open. “Was it hot? Did you guys fuck?”
I winced. “Yeah. And no. But someone is still hacking into my system and messing things up for me. By now I’d have expected… something. Theft, threats, something. It’s weird.”
Margot’s eyes sharpened. “Tongue?”
I rolled my eyes. “I can’t prove it’s anything, but-”
“Did he grab your ass while kissing you?”
“No. This is serious, Margot.” I hesitated. “I think someone wants me to look incompetent.”
She leaned in, elbows on the table. “Okay, spill. Who do you think it is? Should I make a voodoo doll?”
I laughed despite myself. “No voodoo.”
Margot tsked at me. “You never let me try voodoo.”
I dodged. “Next time. Maybe I’m seeing patterns that aren’t there.”
She shook her head. “You said next time last time. And you only see patterns because they’re there. Remember sophomore year? You called out that guy for plagiarizing your code,everyone said you were paranoid, and then he tried to delete your project from the server?”
I did remember. I remembered every micro-infraction, every time someone tried to undermine me. “Maybe I need new hobbies.”
“You need new coworkers. Or a less sabotage-prone job.”
“Ha. You and me both.”
Margot’s mood did a hard pivot, all business now. “So. Kissed your work husband. Gonna go out of town with him, maybe there’ll be a room mix up and you’ll wind up sharing a bed?”
“Oh my gosh, who’s side are you on?”