Forsaking the Years of Longing
Forsaking Billionaire 98

Chapter

22

Daphne

was stunned by Matthew's sudden declaration.

Without a word, she fled the car, her heart pounding as she muttered to herself, "Four years? What kind of drunken nonsense is this? I'm not even married!" She hurried upstairs, fearing Jonathan might catch her meeting with Matthew.

Not long after closing her bedroom door, she heard the faint sound of the front door unlocking. Jonathan had returned.

"Daphne..."

His voice carried a hint of exhaustion as he called out her name.

Daphne forced herself to stay composed. Peeking out with a cheerful smile, she replied, "I'm here, Jonathan. I was just about to rest."

Jonathan climbed the stairs, his weariness evident, but his concern for his sister remained undiminished.

"Daphne, how was work today? No troubles, right?"

A mixture of emotions swirled in Daphne's chest, but she maintained a calm facade.

"Everything's fine, Jonathan. Don't worry about me. You should rest-you look exhausted."

Her gentle tone masked the bitterness she buried deep inside, urging Jonathan to go to bed.

"Alright, I'll rest now," Jonathan relented, retreating to his room, though his mind was weighed down. I can't rely on anyone. If no one else will handle this, I'll have to do it myself. Determined, Daphne opened the company forum and meticulously reviewed the gossip posts. It didn't take long for her to spot a pattern.

Under every rumor about her, there was a frequent commenter with the username "BunnyLove," who seemed intent on stirring negative discourse.

Using the corporate account, Daphne searched for employees with a matching username but found no one.

Curious, she clicked on "BunnyLove's" profile. The avatar featured a cat and a yellow bookshelf in the background.

Returning to the corporate system, Daphne combed through employees' avatars until -finally-she found the culprit.

The next day, Daphne walked into the office with renewed confidence, as if the events of the previous day hadn't fazed her.

She had brought coffee for everyone, fostering a warm and harmonious atmosphere.

Entering the office, she smiled and greeted her colleagues.

"Good morning, everyone. I'm sure you've all seen the discussions on the forum."

Her clear, steady voice commanded attention.

"These rumors don't just affect me personally but also the company's reputation, as well as that of Mr. Roberts.

Yesterday, I worked with Roberts Group's legal team to involve the police in gathering evidence.

The individual behind these rumors has been identified, and we've filed a lawsuit. Justice will be served soon."

Daphne's firm gaze swept across the room. Her colleagues, initially tense, quickly rallied in her support.

"I knew Daphne wasn't like that..."

"Exactly! Those posts were clearly nonsense..."

Only the individual behind the rumors-"BunnyLove" - sat silently in the corner, head bowed.

"I've brought coffee for everyone. Let's have a great day!"

Daphne added with a smile.

The room erupted in cheers and gratitude, the tense atmosphere melting away.

Later, as Daphne headed to the restroom, she noticed someone following her. Turning around, she was met by none other than Maia - the very person behind the gossip.

Even now, Daphne found it hard to believe her colleague had been the culprit.

Maia approached nervously, grabbing Daphne's hand.

"Daphne, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have let my jealousy drive me to spread those baseless rumors..."

"Maia, I thought of you as a close colleague. After over a year in this department, I never imagined it would be you trying to undermine me," Daphne said, her voice calm but tinged with hurt. Maia's eyes darted anxiously. "As long as you don't escalate this, I'll apologize however you want. I don't want to lose my job..."

Daphne took a deep breath, steadying herself.

"When you were spreading those rumors, did you ever think about how they might affect me?"

Maia muttered under her breath, "Well, you're just so lucky- getting close to Mr. Roberts and all..."