Forced to Clean Public Toilets Chapter 2

Victoria's hand remained frozen in the air, her eyes wide with sudden terror.

The bravado vanished, replaced by a desperate, pleading tone.

"Brooke... how could you be so sensitive?"

"I was only joking with you. I wanted to see how you handle high-pressure situations."

"Did you honestly think I’d make you clean a public restroom?"

"Come on, just message Mr. Harrison back. Tell him it was a mistake, or... tell him we were playing truth or dare and you lost!"

"That wasn't funny, Victoria."

I grabbed the handle of my suitcase, bypassed her completely, and walked toward the exit without sparing her another glance.

"By the way, you still owe me the fifteen hundred dollars for my canceled plane ticket."

"That's company money, after all. Right?"

Behind me, I could hear Victoria stamping her high heels in frustration, muttering a string of hushed, venomous curses under her breath.

"Unbelievable... that little brat!"

Two hours later, I was sitting comfortably on a plush leather sofa in the lobby of the Grand Hyatt.

The Chairman's personal assistant handed me a cup of hot tea, his manner incredibly polite.

"Miss Brooke, Mr. Harrison is currently upstairs. He wants you to rest here for a bit. The dinner with the client tonight will proceed as planned."

Audrey, the secretary, added, "Mr. Harrison also wanted me to tell you that this company does not tolerate its employees being mistreated."

Suddenly, the heavy revolving doors of the lobby spun violently.

Victoria burst into the room, panting heavily. Her hair was a wild mess, her makeup was smeared, and she was clutching the heavy gift bags intended for the client.

The moment she spotted me sipping my tea, the fury in her eyes flared up. She marched over, stopping inches from my face.

"You think you’re so clever, don't you, Brooke?"

She hissed the words, her teeth clenched so tightly her jaw trembled.

"Running to the CEO to whine like a child! Do you honestly think Mr. Harrison is going to take your side?"

"I've been with this firm for eight years. You think a little nobody like you can bring me down?"

I slowly set my teacup back on the glass table, looking up at her.

"I simply stated the facts. If you consider that backstabbing, then what do you call what you did to me?"

"You don't know a damn thing!"

Victoria glared at me, checking her surroundings. Seeing that the CEO was nowhere in sight, her voice rose another octave.

"When your superior gives you an order, you follow it! Having you mop that floor was a lesson in humility, a way to build character!"

"What did you think you'd gain by dragging the Chairman into this?"

"The satisfaction of not having to clean toilets," I replied smoothly.

Victoria’s chest heaved with rage, her finger practically touching the tip of my nose.

"Fine! Just great! Let's see how you handle yourself when Mr. Harrison gets down here. Without me to guide you, you won't last five minutes in that meeting!"

Just then, a quiet chime echoed from the elevator bank.

The doors slid open, and Chairman Harrison stepped out.

He wore a sharp, tailored charcoal suit, his posture straight and commanding, flanked by several senior executives.

The venom on Victoria's face vanished instantly, replaced by a subservient, almost sorrowful smile.

"Mr. Harrison! I didn't expect you to come down yourself!"

She rushed forward, bowing so low she was practically folded in half as she presented the gift bags.

"The traffic on the highway was dreadful, which is why we arrived so late. I apologize sincerely."

Mr. Harrison stopped in his tracks. His gaze bypassed her completely, landing on me. He gave me a brief, reassuring nod before turning his attention back to Victoria.

"Is everyone here?"

His voice was calm, completely unreadable.

Victoria nodded eagerly. "Yes, everyone is here. Brooke arrived safely as well."

"The poor girl had a little temper tantrum on the road and insisted on taking her own transport. I was worried sick about her the entire way..."

As she spoke, she shot a warning glare at me from the corner of her eye, silently demanding that I play along.

I stood up, completely ignoring her unspoken threat, and walked over to the Chairman.

"Good evening, Mr. Harrison," I said warmly.

I didn't say a single word about a "temper tantrum."

Mr. Harrison studied my expression for a second before turning back to Victoria.

"A temper tantrum?"

"Victoria, why don't you tell me exactly what she was throwing a tantrum about?"

Victoria blinked, caught off guard by the direct question. She scrambled for a recovery, offering a sheepish laugh.

"Oh, you know how delicate the younger generation can be."

"I was simply offering some constructive criticism regarding her attention to detail, and she took it personally. I only have her best interests at heart. I want to see her grow..."

"Is that so?"

Mr. Harrison cut her off, his tone flat.

"Was it for her own good, or was it to clean a toilet for you?"

The lobby fell into an instant, freezing silence.

The accompanying executives suddenly found their phones incredibly fascinating, staring down to avoid the tension.

The smile on Victoria’s face shattered. She stood there, her mouth hanging open, unable to utter a single syllable.

"Mr. Harrison... that was... because..."

"Enough. Let's eat first."

Mr. Harrison raised a hand, cutting off her stammering explanations as he led the way toward the restaurant.

"The client is waiting, and we aren't going to make a scene in public. We will handle this after dinner."

Victoria remained frozen in place, her face shifting between a furious red and a ghostly white. The paper handles of the gift bags in her hands were nearly shredded from her grip.

She turned her head and threw a look of pure, unadulterated hatred at me.

You're going to pay for this, her eyes screamed.

I held my head high, smoothed down my blazer, and followed the Chairman.