Chapter 4
The male colleagues, who had been holding me back, exchanged glances. They looked bewildered.
Mr. Cole said nothing. He merely gestured for me to follow him out.
We passed Amaya, whose face was ashen, and Javor, whose eyes darted nervously.
As we passed them, I leaned down to pick up the equipment case that had fallen during the scuffle. I did not want to look at either of them again.
Shortly after returning to the law firm, my phone screen lit up with a message from Amaya. The tone of the text was completely opposite to her earlier aggressive behavior.
[Efim, I was too impulsive today. Javor and his colleagues egged me on, and I lost my head.]
[I’ve booked the restaurant where we were supposed to celebrate our anniversary tomorrow. Let’s have a proper talk, okay?]
I stared at the message. My fingertips tapped the screen as I sent her a reply.
[Fine. Let’s make it the rooftop restaurant at The Peninsula. You pick the time.]
I knew that place was one of the media’s favorite spots to stake out for celebrity gossip.
If she wanted to “talk,” then I would give her a stage she would never forget.
The following evening, at the rooftop restaurant of The Peninsula, the river outside the windows sparkled.
When I arrived, Amaya was already there. She was wearing an elegant dress. She clearly had taken an effort to dress up.
Her face showed a deliberately forced gentleness, like she was trying to salvage the situation.
Both our parents, along with many relatives and friends. Even a handful of financial and entertainment reporters had shown up, blending in as diners while quietly observing everything.
The whole place felt like a belated anniversary celebration.
As soon as Amaya saw me, she jumped to her feet and beat me to the microphone on the podium.
The gentleness faded from her face. It was replaced by righteous indignation that I knew so well from her appearances on camera.
“Thank you all for coming today to witness this important moment.
“But I’m sorry to say, Mr. Efim Gogh, who’s standing beside me, isn’t really the star of the show. I want to reveal the truth today!”
She pointed sharply at me. Her voice boomed through the microphone across the entire hall.
“Just yesterday, this so-called ‘champion of justice’ was driven by ridiculous jealousy.
“He stormed into our magazine office and openly assaulted my colleague, Javor Furey, just because Javor and I work so well together!”
The audience erupted into an uproar. Friends and family stared in disbelief, while the camera flashes went off frantically.
“My God! How could Mr. Gogh assault someone?”
“Is it because Amaya has been getting too close to that intern?”
“That’s just so unprofessional!”
Amaya watched the audience’s reaction and spoke with even greater indignation.
“And that’s not all. He’s been abusing his legal expertise to undermine Javor and interfere with his work!
“All because his pathetic ego can’t handle that my career requires working closely with other men!”
She paused. Her gaze swept across the room before she delivered the most devastating blow.
“As for all those major corporate legal cases he’s landed over the years…
“Everyone knows full well how much of that was thanks to the influence of Metro Frontier!
“I’ve worked tirelessly out there! All to raise a manchild who does nothing but suspect and undermine his partner!”
A wave of murmurs surged like a tide.
My parents’ faces turned ashen, and my phone began to vibrate frantically.
Calls from my law firm partners came one after another.
Right on cue, Javor stepped out from the wings. Dressed in a simple suit, he wore a carefully crafted mix of hurt and defiance.
He took the microphone as his voice slightly choked with emotion.
“My name is Javor Furey. I’m the intern… who was targeted by Mr. Gogh.”
He pulled out his phone and revealed a photo of the “Rising Star Journalist of the Year” nomination certificate he had received.
“I just want to be a journalist with a conscience, like Ms. Shaw, and expose social injustices.
“But I never imagined Mr. Gogh would be so narrow-minded.
“Just because Ms. Shaw mentors me at work, he sees me as a thorn in his side…”
It was a flawless, manipulative performance. The relatives and friends who had hesitated before looked at me with utter contempt.
Amaya leaned in close to my ear, her lips barely moving as she whispered coldly, “Efim, apologize to Javor right now in front of everyone. Admit you were momentarily confused.
“I might still be able to help you salvage some of your dignity.
“Otherwise, your law firm can expect its reputation to be ruined!”
As I watched the two of them play their parts perfectly, I did not feel angry. In fact, I smiled.
I clapped my hands lightly. The crisp sound stood out sharply against the clamor of the hall.
“Finished?”
I spoke calmly as I stepped toward the center of the stage.
“I was actually hesitating to do this, but now it seems there’s no reason for me to hold back.”
As I spoke, the massive LED screen behind me suddenly lit up.
I snatched the microphone from Javor’s stunned hands and scanned the faces of everyone in the room.
“Today, I invite you all to bear witness…
“To the true faces of this ‘conscientious journalist’ and this ‘champion of truth’ behind the scenes!”
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