Three Years Forgotten, Why Go Crazy When I Say Goodbye? novel Chapter 72

Even though she was no longer in charge of any specific projects, Willow still stuck to her usual schedule, arriving and leaving the office right on time. She knew exactly what kind of man Julian Sinclair was, and she refused to give him the satisfaction of using attendance as an excuse to penalize her during the resignation process.

Yet, even this perfectly normal behavior became fodder for workplace bullies. The moment Willow stepped into the department, she heard the snide whispering begin.

"After causing such a massive scene, she still has the nerve to show up on time every day. I honestly admire her thick skin."

"No kidding. Anyone else would have died of embarrassment by now, but she just waltzes right in. It just goes to show how desperately she wants to cling to this company. She's probably banking on Mr. Sinclair waking up in a good mood one day and handing all her projects back."

"Wishful thinking. Did you hear? None of the clients even batted an eye when they found out she was taken off the accounts. A few of them even said it was a positive change and that they were looking forward to working with Vivienne Sinclair. Guess a certain someone wasn't so indispensable after all."

"And here we thought she was some kind of prodigy. Turns out all her time in Seattle was just smoke and mirrors. One little tap and the whole facade shatters."

A chorus of muffled giggles followed. They cast sidelong glances in Willow's direction, clearly raising their voices just enough to ensure she heard every word.

Normally, Willow couldn't care less about this kind of petty gossip and wouldn't have bothered to engage. But today, feeling a sudden spark of defiance—and with absolutely nothing else to do—she decided to play along.

She stood up from her desk, crossing her arms as she leveled a cool gaze at the group. The women instantly tensed up. "What?" one of them challenged. "We're just stating facts. Is it a crime to speak now?"

Willow surveyed them with an icy stare. "You sit there dropping Mr. Sinclair and Ms. Sinclair's titles left and right, but do they even know you exist? And let's say they do. Imagine what they'd think if they found out you spend company time slacking off and gossiping behind people's backs."

The group fell dead silent.

Sensing their hesitation, Willow pressed her advantage. "Besides, considering the situation I'm in right now—with zero responsibilities holding me back—I really have nothing left to lose. So you'd better watch your backs. It'd be a real shame if you pushed me too far and ended up collateral damage."

Seeing the deadly seriousness in Willow's eyes, the women realized she wasn't bluffing. Fear of getting caught in the crossfire finally won out. With a few fierce glares, they scattered back to their desks.

Of course, they couldn't resist one last parting shot. "Let's see how long you can keep this attitude up."

Once they were gone, a peaceful silence settled over Willow's workspace. Dealing with people like that required a firm hand; playing nice simply didn't compute with them.