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“Homewrecker’s kid—a little tramp!”
The police sternly issued a formal warning on her.
I scooped Lily up,my emotions overwhelming me.
“I’m not a homewrecker!I don’t even know her!I have nothing to do with Frank!”
Turning,I shouted at Frank,who’d been hiding in the crowd.“Deputy Manager Walsh,say something!We’ve have no relationship!”
Neighbors,awakened by the noise,gathered again.
The police calmed me while pulling Frank forward.
“Do the right thing and clear this up!”
Frank’s face turned red with embarrassment,mumbling as he tugged Margaret’s sleeve.
“Honey,stop.I admit it—those poems I wrote weren’t for Helen Carter.They were for Claire Harris,my high school friend who moved overseas.”
Margaret froze,staring at him.
“What?!”
The crowd buzzed,their looks at Margaret shifted.
Her eyes darted,but she quickly regained her arrogance,slapping Frank and yelling,“Lies!Don’t think I’ll buy it.Every poem ended with‘Claire,’and she’s the only‘Claire’in this plant!”
I was speechless.
This was blatant framing.
“Officer,”I ignored her,addressing the police,“I file a formal complaint.My losses can’t just be swept under the rug—they must pay!”
Margaret exploded,cursing.
“You little vixen!Nothing’s settled—maybe he’s lying to protect you!This isn’t over!”
The police frowned,silencing her outburst.
“Whatever their relationship is,you trashed her home.Everyone,to the station.”
The ordeal lasted until dawn and I took Lily home,too drained to deal with damages.
The police told me to tally losses so that they can negotiate compensation with Margaret.
Exhausted,I managed to clean up briefly,sent Lily to school,and headed to work.
At the plant gate,something felt off.
Coworkers pointed and whispered,avoiding eye contact.
I became a spectacle on the assembly line,with distant groups gossiping about me.
“I heard Helen is having an affair with Frank Walsh.”
“Is that true?Was it a misunderstanding?”
“No smoke without fire.The manager said there’s a factory-wide meeting this afternoon—bet it’s about this.”
My hands shook as I operated the machinery.
Even friendly coworkers avoided me.
At the afternoon meeting,the crowd parted as if I had the plague.
At the far end,Margaret smirked,surrounded by supporters.
The manager cleared his throat.
“You all know about yesterday.Here’s the police report.”
He read the findings word for word,Frank cowering beside him.
“You heard it—Helen Carter and Deputy Manager Walsh are just coworkers.Stop the rumors.We’re a team here,focused on that international contract.”
“Margaret,you owe Helen an apology.”
Whispers filled the room and eyes turned toward me.
I sat upright,steadfast.
Margaret shot up,stormed onto the stage,and snatched the microphone.
“I’ve got no proof,but that doesn’t mean she’s clean!Why apologize?Look at her—a single woman with a kid.Doesn’t that look odd?”
I leapt up,eyes burning with anger.“I’m innocent!I’m no homewrecker!Why won’t you apologize?”
As we clashed,the security chief burst in,shouting,“Trouble!The school called—Helen’s daughter,Lily,got beaten up by classmates!”
