Born to Rule, Destined to Destroy Novel 28

Chapter 28
Valeria stood silent, her expression a tranquil mask, though a faint distance shadowed her eyes. Miranda seized the quiet like a predator pouncing on prey, her sneer sharpening as her voice turned cold and venomous. “Can’t muster an excuse, huh? I knew you were full of it! This job clearly means nothing to you. Fine—let’s march to the boss right now and hash out your termination!” Her words crackled with accusation, a triumphant glint in her gaze.
Valeria’s eyes swept over the gathering crowd, their faces alight with the electric thrill of scandal, a murmur of anticipation rippling through them. A shadow flickered across her features—resignation tinged with resolve. She hadn’t planned to peel back the veil on tomorrow’s plans, but Miranda’s relentless aggression boxed her in, a corner she couldn’t evade. With a steadying breath, she lifted her chin, her voice ringing clear and firm. “I’ve got an appointment at the Five-Star Building tomorrow to handle some matters,” she said, the finality in her tone a quiet thunderclap. “The details are confidential—I’m not free to share them with you.”
Miranda faltered, the mention of the Five-Star Building snagging her mockery mid-flight. Her composure wavered, but she rallied with a scornful laugh that burst forth like a breaking dam. “Oh, please, Valeria—the Five-Star Building?” she jeered, her voice thick with disdain. “You’re not even trying to make your lies believable anymore. That’s a military stronghold—locked tight, open only to the elite and the vetted. And you, a nobody, claim you’ve got access? That’s downright pathetic!”
Her derision ignited the room, colleagues joining in with mocking chuckles, their incredulous glances darting to Valeria as if she’d spun a tale too wild to fathom. Valeria remained an island of calm amid the storm, her serene demeanor unshaken by the rising tide of ridicule. “If I were lying,” she said, her voice smooth and deliberate, “don’t you think I’d craft something more plausible? The Five-Star Building’s too specific to pluck out of thin air.”
Miranda edged closer, her posture swelling with bravado as she tilted her head, peering down at Valeria with a scornful smirk. “Sure, if someone else said it, it might hold water. But you, Valeria? Your lies are always absurdly grand—it’s your signature. No shock there; you’ve pulled this stunt before.” Her words dripped with certainty, a predator savoring the kill. “Don’t think I’m blind to your little games to worm your way into this company.”
Valeria recoiled slightly, a flicker of surprise breaking her calm as Miranda’s boldness struck a nerve. Could she know who I really am? The thought darted through her mind, sharp and fleeting. It seemed impossible—Valeria had been meticulous, ordering Diego to bury her true identity deep. Yet Miranda’s victorious grin, sparked by Valeria’s momentary shock, suggested otherwise. “Valeria, I’ve got you figured out,” Miranda declared, her voice booming with conviction. “You’re Dominic Herrera’s wife—soon to be ex, since he’s got no use for you, always cold and aloof. Even before you split, you were stepping out with another man. To cling to your husband, you had your lover play the vice president of Starbright Group, parading it like gospel. I’d bet you used that sham to snag your spot here!”
Her proclamation landed like a thunderbolt, reverberating through the office with unshakable confidence. Gasps rippled through the crowd, their wide-eyed stares bouncing between shock and disbelief. The revelation crackled with scandal, a live wire sparking in their midst.
Valeria’s brow furrowed, confusion knitting her features as she met Miranda’s triumphant gaze. “We’d never met before I started here,” she said, her voice sharpening with a rare edge. “How did you dig up these stories?”
Miranda’s smirk widened, brushing off the question with a dismissive flick of her hand. “A normal person would deny it outright if it weren’t true,” she countered, her tone brimming with smug assurance. “Your silence just proves it—you’re panicking because I’ve hit the mark!”
By now, a throng had swelled around them, drawn like moths to the flame of escalating drama. At first, they’d watched with blank neutrality, but Miranda’s relentless certainty chipped away at their doubt, tilting the tide in her favor. Valeria’s reticence only fanned the flames, whispers weaving through the crowd like wildfire.
“Seriously? Valeria always seemed so harmless—who’d have thought she was hiding all that?” one voice murmured, tinged with awe.
“You know what they say—looks can lie through their teeth,” another replied, a knowing edge to the words.
“Tsk, a double life’s bad enough, but a liar too? Shouldn’t the company catch this stuff?” a third chimed in, frustration lacing their tone.
“Didn’t you hear? The guy she was with faked being our vice president. A good story can fool even HR!” another added, incredulity coloring their voice.
“Who’d have guessed she’d cook up something this bold—and actually pull it off, right under our noses?” a final whisper marveled, half-admiring, half-aghast.
Valeria stood amidst the swelling murmur, her calm facade a stark contrast to the storm of speculation swirling around her, her thoughts racing to untangle Miranda’s web of half-truths and wild leaps.