The Group Chat That Shipped Them, The Application I Sent Chapter 04

The Group Chat That Shipped Them, The Application I Sent Chapter 04

She looked hurt.

“Clara, are you upset about getting demoted? But promotions and demotions are ultimately the CEO’s decisions. I couldn’t exactly change his mind.”

My expression remained blank.

“I’m not upset. Mr. Sterling makes the final call on promotions and demotions. It’s not something an employee at my level gets to decide.”

Sienna’s eyes reddened at my cold tone.

“You say you’re not upset, but you’re refusing the coffee I brought you. Of course you’re angry!”

The coworkers nearby saw her wounded expression and immediately started defending her.

“Clara, are you jealous that Sienna got promoted?”

“She bought coffee for the entire team after the meeting. She specifically saved yours, and you can’t even be bothered to accept it.”

“Sienna, don’t waste your time on her. Clearly, she wasn’t qualified for the position in the first place. Otherwise, Mr. Sterling wouldn’t have blocked her promotion for three years.”

“And let’s not forget how she spent three years chasing after Mr. Sterling. Maybe he got sick of her a long time ago, but she refused to leave the company.”

Their mocking looks and cutting remarks came at me from every direction.

I took a slow breath, forcing myself to stay calm.

“I didn’t take the coffee because I’m allergic to matcha. And have I said one word about being unhappy that she got promoted?”

Sienna’s hand froze around the cup.

Her eyes immediately filled with tears.

“I’m sorry, Clara. I didn’t know you were allergic to matcha.”

The moment they saw Sienna crying, my coworkers turned their hostility toward me.

“What kind of attitude is that, Clara? If you’re allergic, you could’ve just said so.”

“Besides, who’s to say you’re not jealous? Jealous that Mr. Sterling favors Sienna. Jealous that he’s about to propose to her.”

Three years of humiliation and resentment finally pushed me past my breaking point.

I held up the plain band on my finger.

“Ethan Sterling is my boyfriend. Why would I be jealous of her?”

The entire room went silent.

Then someone snorted.

“You’ve got to be kidding me. She actually thinks she’s Mr. Sterling’s girlfriend?”

“At this point, isn’t that basically harassment? She even bought herself a ring.”

Furious, I spun around, ready to find Ethan and make him confirm the truth.

But he had already walked out of his office.

I stared straight into his eyes.

“Ethan, tell them. What exactly are we?”

He frowned and said nothing.

The whispers around us started immediately.

“Mr. Sterling isn’t denying it. Is Clara actually his girlfriend?”

“Then what was going on between him and Sienna?”

As the whispers grew, something in Ethan’s expression hardened.

His voice was cold.

“What are we? Obviously, we’re boss and employee. Clara Hayes, you’re spreading rumors about your superior and refusing to follow management’s direction. You’re suspended for seven days.”

The coldness in his face shattered whatever hope I had left.

My heart went completely numb.

I gave him a faint, bitter smile and slowly slipped the ring from my finger.

“Ethan, we’re done.”

His fingers twitched.

For one second, it looked like he might come after me.

But he stopped himself.

The coworkers around us looked at me with even more contempt.

“The boss literally just said they’re not dating, and she’s still standing here talking about ‘we’re done.’”

“If he were really dating anyone, it’d be Sienna. The second she gets upset, Mr. Sterling comes running to protect his girl.”

“Clara, maybe next time dream about someone who’s actually within your reach.”

They burst into laughter.

I didn’t answer any of them.

I simply went back to my desk and quietly packed up my things.

Ethan, seven days was far too short.

Maybe it was better if we never saw each other again.

From the upper floor, Ethan watched me walk out of the building.

He opened our text thread and typed out an explanation.

[I’m sorry about what happened. Let me explain.]

He deleted it.

Then typed again.

[Clara, please come home. We need to talk.]

He deleted that too.

He kept typing and deleting until the workday ended, but he never sent a single message.

When he got home and realized I wasn’t there, Ethan frowned and grabbed his phone.

He sent me a message.

All he got back was a red exclamation mark and a notice that the message hadn’t been delivered.

When Sienna heard what had happened, she put on a worried expression.

“Do you think Clara’s upset about what happened today? But didn’t you already announce that you’re proposing? Does she really have to keep pushing you like this?”

Ethan frowned.

He couldn’t stop thinking about the look on my face as I’d walked out of his office.

For some reason, a strange sense of panic had started creeping into his chest.

But he forced himself to stay calm.

“She’ll probably get over it. She’s just throwing a fit because of the demotion. Once she comes back, I’ll give her a promotion.”

But seven days passed.

Then eight.

And Clara never came back to work.

Ethan finally had HR reach out to me.

Brenda sounded completely baffled.

“Give Clara a promotion? But she already resigned!”