Chapter 8: That's How Rumors Start

Words : 1747 Updated : Oct 17th, 2025

Bang! Elle Cutmore looked up, heat rising in her chest, and saw Ed Mabre storming into the doorway, his face twisted with anger. She frowned and asked, "What's going on?" "That new bodyguard, Lewis Casson, was gaming on the job," Ed snapped. "I caught him and called him out. He actually talked back to me in front of everyone. I wanted to fire him, but he said I don't have the authority to do that-that only you can fire him. Tell me, can someone who thinks the rules don't apply to him stay in this company?" Elle's expression was hard to read. Lewis had guts. On his very first day, he'd already provoked Ed this much. If Ed found out that just minutes ago, Lewis had knocked Ace Lawes out cold with a single kick in front of everyone, he'd eat his words. Ed saw Elle staying quiet and got even more riled up. He glared and barked, "Ms. Cutmore, someone like Lewis Casson who ignores company rules needs to be fired. Come out with me and announce it in front of everyone, so they see what happens if they step out of line." A glint flashed in Elle's eyes. She replied evenly, "Ed Mabre, you're a VP at Elle Group. With your position, don't stoop to sparring with a bodyguard. Go on. I've got work to do." She wanted Lewis gone too, but not yet. She needed to dig into his background and motives first. If she let him go now, he'd disappear and start playing tricks, and that would be a disaster. Ed thought he'd misheard. He froze, then shouted, "Elle Cutmore, what's that supposed to mean? Are you protecting Lewis Casson? What's your relationship with him?" His voice carried. Nearby employees overheard, and word spread like wildfire. People started looking at Lewis differently. Elle's temper finally snapped. She slammed the desk twice. Thud, thud. "Ed Mabre, watch your tone-remember your position. I don't need you telling me how to run things. Get out of my sight. Now." Ed hadn't expected Elle to stand up to him for a bodyguard. He'd already drawn a line in the sand; if he couldn't get Lewis fired, he'd look like a fool. He drew a long breath and said, each word heavy, "Elle Cutmore, I'm asking you one last time. Are you firing Lewis Casson or not?" "I don't need you to tell me what to do. Go." Ed went so red he nearly fainted. He glared at Elle and ground out, "Fine. Let's see how this plays out." He spun around and strode out. At that moment, he hated Elle, but he loathed Lewis even more. All of this had started with that guy. From now on, Elle Group would have room for either Ed or Lewis-never both. The staff nearby dropped their eyes and held their breath. No one dared cross Ed-not unless they had a death wish. Lewis stepped forward and blocked Ed's path, his tone playful. "Mr. Mabre, I'm ready to be fired. Go ahead and announce it." Ed felt humiliated, as if Lewis had stripped him of his dignity in public. He wanted to crawl into a hole. He snarled, "Don't get cocky. You'll pay for this." "I'll be waiting." Ed snorted, stone-faced, then left, fuming. Lewis rolled his shoulders, glanced around, and waved a hand. "Alright, folks, show's over. Back to work. If your pay and bonuses get docked, don't blame me. Ha!" That drew another ripple of laughter. Maddie Zimmerman shot Lewis a fierce glare. "Come with me. We need to talk." "Sure thing." Lewis followed her, eyes never leaving the sway of her curving hips. He was just enjoying the view. "Hey, who do you think this Lewis Casson really is?" someone whispered. The coworker thought for a second, then shook his head. "No idea. But whatever he is, he's no ordinary guy. And he clearly has a special connection to the CEO. Otherwise the CEO wouldn't have clashed with the VP over him." "Right, right. Looks like a heavy hitter just joined Elle Group. We're in for some real drama." Hearing that, the few staff members who'd just mocked Lewis looked mortified. They cursed their big mouths. They'd hit a brick wall. The more they thought about it, the more they panicked, already scheming how to win Lewis's forgiveness. In the office, Lewis smoked and looked at Maddie with a half-smile. "Ms. Zimmerman, you called me in and didn't say a word. What do you want?" Maddie threw him a glare and said irritably, "Lewis, I don't care what you used to do. Right now, you're the CEO's bodyguard at Elle Group. During work hours, follow company rules. Stop causing trouble for the CEO." Lewis shrugged. "My job is to protect the CEO and drive for her when needed. When she's working, I can't just stand guard in her office all day. If I don't game a little, I'll die of boredom." "And you think that excuses gaming at work?" Maddie slapped the desk hard. The way Ms. Cutmore clashed with Ed over Lewis today meant Ed wouldn't let it go. Just thinking about it gave her a headache. Lewis chuckled, tilted his head, and said, "If you don't want me gaming, I've got options. There are a lot of beautiful women here. I can chat with them about life and dreams. That sounds fun too. Maybe someone will even fall for me. That'd be even better…" She rubbed her temples, exasperated. A thousand expletives ran through her head. No gaming, fine-but flirting would be chaos. The first only nudged productivity; the second could shatter office order and explode into a major incident. "Lewis, get out." Lewis looked at her, amused. "Ms. Zimmerman, then I'll go game. Call me if you need me. I'll come the second you do. Ha!" "Get out of my sight. Now." Maddie shouted, then suddenly flinched at a stab of pain low in her abdomen. She let out a soft groan and sank into her chair, hands pressed to her stomach. Lewis watched her and, in a heartbeat, seemed to become someone else. He strode toward her. Maddie faltered, a shade of fear crossing her eyes. She stared up and said weakly, "Get out. This is a company. If you try anything, I'll scream and people will rush in." Lewis knew exactly what she thought and cursed her foolishness under his breath. Out loud, he said, "You're on your period, and you took a cold shower and ate cold food. You're not taking care of yourself." "What? How do you know?" Maddie blurted, stunned. Lewis came closer and took her hand. "Don't move. Sit still. If you don't behave, I'll spank you."

Chapter 8: That's How Rumors Start

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