So It's My Fault Her Daughter Flunked?

My sister-in-law, Denise Snyder, sends a 60-second voice message in the family group chat with all my relatives in it. Through tears, she accuses me of being a bitch who destroyed her daughter's future. She claims I abused my power at work, deliberately kicking her daughter, Erica Cortez, off the final list of new hires and replacing her with someone else closer to me. All my aunts and uncles in the group chat gather like vultures, lashing out at me and calling me names. They flood the group chat with hundreds of messages. Even my elder brother, Simon Cortez, who has always been a man of few words, tags me and demands an explanation. I look at the insults constantly pouring in and feel all the blood drain from me. Firstly, I'm not working in the HR Department in charge of recruiting the new hires. Secondly, and most laughably of all, Erica never even made it past the first round of interviews. Chapter 1 By the time I woke up to my phone going off, the family group chat had already exploded with hundreds of messages. I tapped into the group and scrolled all the way to the top. The first message was from my sister-in-law, Denise Snyder, sent at 5:00 am. She had sent a screenshot first, followed by an extremely long essay underneath. The screenshot was of a recruitment system interface from a well-known company prominently displaying the words, "Sorry, your application has been rejected." The name on the application belonged to her daughter, Erica Cortez. Denise's message was very accusatory. "I can't believe that the top student from the best university in the country actually lost out to shady dealings like this! "Siobhan Cortez! You're a successful manager at that company! How can you have absolutely no conscience when it comes to your own family? "Erica ranked first during the preliminary interview! How could she possibly fail to get hired? You deliberately struck her off the list of new hires, all for the sake of your old classmate, didn't you? "Don't you know how hard Erica prepared for this? Don't you know she cried all night because of what you did?" Aunt Melanie was the first to respond to the chat, sending a sticker of an angry-face emoji. "How could something like this happen? How could you do this to your own niece, Siobhan? How dare you ruin Erica's chances for some outsider?" Aunt Melissa chimed in next. Her tone was angrier than that of Aunt Melanie's. "Exactly! We're family! You're supposed to take care of your own family before anybody else! Blood is thicker than water! Have you never heard of that saying? "How could you do this? Don't you know that your behavior is akin to humiliating Denise in front of everyone else? You're humiliating the entire Cortez family!" Uncle Morgan then sent a long voice message. I tapped on it in frustration, and his loud, booming voice immediately blasted through my speaker. "Siobhan! Come out and speak for yourself! Did you do it or not? If you did this, then you'd better make it up to Erica no matter what! Don't you know that she hasn't had it easy?" I read the rest of their messages and felt my hand shaking in rage. How could they accuse me of something like this? I didn't know which department Erica had applied to. In fact, I didn't even know that she'd applied to my company until Denise mentioned it in passing over lunch a week ago. I took a deep breath and tried to suppress the fire in my chest. "Do you have any proof, Denise Snyder? How can you accuse me of shady dealings and messing with Erica's recruitment based on nothing but your word? "I work in Business Development. The HR Department handles all recruitment and hiring processes. Did you think I would know what was going on in HR?" Nobody in the group chat cared about my explanation. Denise didn't even bother arguing with me. She just sent another voice message into the chat. I could already guess her teary and resentful voice without even playing the voice message. The group chat buzzed back to life again with even more messages. Aunt Melody said, "Just admit you did it, Siobhan. You know, I always thought that you were a little proud and arrogant. I see now that you're not just arrogant but also vengeful." Uncle Memphis added, "That's the problem with society nowadays. People think that they can step all over everyone else just because they're richer or more influential. I feel so sorry for Erica. Poor girl." I watched as the rest of my relatives, who usually treated me politely, continued attacking me in the group chat. None of them cared about the truth. They just wanted an outlet to vent, and I was the unlucky victim they had chosen. I'd done quite well for myself—I'd moved to a big city, drove an expensive car, and received large year-end bonuses from the company. And so, they all thought that I deserved to take the blame and be slandered like this. I tossed my phone onto the bed and got up to wash up. The woman looking back at me in the mirror had a pale face and faint dark circles under her eyes. I splashed cold water on my face, letting it stimulate me and wake me up a little more. I couldn't afford to act impulsively. The more hasty I was to clarify myself, the more it would appear as though I was guilty. However, after coming back out of the bathroom, I saw another dozen or so new messages on my phone that made my blood boil all over again. Denise sent another photo in the group chat. It showed Erica sitting on the floor—her hair disheveled and her eyes hollow—clutching a crumpled-up copy of her resume. The text after that said, "Erica's now suffering from depression. Are you happy now, Siobhan?" Chapter 2 I stared at the photo, but it didn't make me feel anything at all. I wasn't even the least bit amused. Erica? Depressed? Was Denise talking about the same person who had just posted pretty photos on her Instagram stories last week with the caption, "Looking forward to starting my new job soon! All the best to all working people!" Now, she was suddenly suffering from depression? I bet Denise had a hand in directing Erica on how to pose for that photo. I picked up my phone again, not wanting to continue fighting with my brainless relatives. I tapped on Denise's profile photo and sent her a direct message. "What do you want, Denise Snyder? I know you're upset that Erica didn't get the job, but you can't blame me for it. I don't have anything to do with this matter at all. Stop talking nonsense in the group chat." A few minutes later, I finally saw that she was replying to my message. Then, she sent me a super lengthy voice message. "Stop playing innocent, Siobhan Cortez! You know very well you did it! Louis Steele in HR is a friend from my hometown, and he told me that a 'Ms. Cortez' from Business Development told the Head of HR to replace Erica with someone else! "And how many Ms. Cortezes do you think work at your company? He was clearly talking about you! "You always appear glamorous on the outside, but you're actually vicious and rotten to the core! If you never said anything to the Head of HR, why didn't Erica get the job after acing the first interview?" I was so mad after listening to her that I burst out laughing. Who did Denise think I was? Did she actually believe that I had the authority to tell the Head of HR what to do? Sure, I was a manager at the company, but I was just one of the many junior managers. I certainly didn't have the authority to influence a department head's decision! Besides, when had I even spoken to the Head of HR? I didn't even have their office number! Denise was really going all out just to extort me like this. I typed back furiously, "You're saying that I influenced the Head of HR? Where's your proof? Do you have a screenshot of the call log? A text? An email? "Since you have a contact in HR, then ask him to produce the evidence! If not, that means you've been lying all this time!" Denise 's reply came very quickly. It was obvious that she was prepared for this. "Evidence? Who would be stupid enough to leave any evidence of this if they really did it? "And why else would Louis bring your name up if you didn't do it? I don't care if you have any evidence to prove your innocence or not. It's your fault Erica didn't get hired! "And I'm not done with you yet. If you don't want to see me completely tear you down in front of the rest of the family, then you better get Erica into the company by hook or by crook. "I don't care which department you get her into. It's fine if you switch her to another one. But it must be your company!" Finally, I understood what she was trying to do. She wasn't seeking justice. She was blatantly blackmailing me. She was trying to take advantage of me and my position at work to give her failure of a daughter a job at my company. She sure had it all figured out. I didn't reply to her anymore. Instead, I silenced my phone and tossed it into my work bag. If she wanted to kick up a fuss about it, then she could knock herself out. I hadn't done anything wrong. I wasn't afraid of her. However, things weren't as simple as I thought. I had only just reached my desk at the office and hadn't even taken a sip of water when my assistant, Zack Holster, rushed up to me. "Ms. Cortez! We have a huge problem!" He looked ashen, and there was also sweat beading on his forehead. "What happened? Is the sky falling?" I asked nonchalantly, powering up my computer. "Someone posted online, accusing our company of shady recruitment processes. They also named and shamed you in their post, saying that you used your position to replace a potential hire with someone else who had connections with you! "The post has gone viral, and the PR Department is in an uproar. The CEO is furious, and he wants you in his office now!" My mind went completely blank. Denise sure was ruthless. Chapter 3 I pushed open the door to the CEO's office and saw Philip Woodward sitting in his executive chair, his face as dark as thunder. "Just look at this, Siobhan Cortez!" He shoved an iPad in front of me, his voice as cold as ice. I glanced at the screen and read the shocking headline. "The Dark Side of Corporate Life: Niece of Senior Executive Failed Interview Due to Aunt Replacing Her With Another Candidate". The post was filled with photos and text. Although the name of the company wasn't mentioned, my job title, name, and even the photos I'd taken of the company that I'd only ever posted on my private Instagram were all published for the whole world to see. The comments under the post were filled with angry netizens. "How can someone like that still be a senior executive?" "Fire them! Fire them immediately!" "Poor niece. Imagine being screwed over by your own aunt." "This is what capitalism does to you!" I read the comments and felt my stomach churning. "These are all fabricated claims, Mr. Woodward," I said firmly, looking him in the eye. "I have never done anything of the sort nor influenced the HR Department in their decisions. I don't even know who conducted the interview. It's obvious that this is purely malicious slander for personal gain." Mr. Woodward took a drag of his cigar and puffed out a cloud of smoke. "The company will investigate whether it was fabricated or not. But Siobhan, this post has caused a very negative impact on the company. Everyone online is criticizing us now. "To quell the public outcry, you will be temporarily suspended for now. You're expected to fully cooperate with the investigation. We'll talk again once it's done." Although I had expected this outcome, my heart still sank to the pit of my stomach when I heard that he was suspending me. I knew very well what it meant to be suspended. If the investigation results were inconclusive, or if the public outcry couldn't be quelled despite a thorough investigation, I would be fired in the end. And then, my professional career would most likely come to a halt then and there. "I believe that the company will clear my name, Mr. Woodward," I said through gritted teeth, forcing back bitter tears. "Go handle the paperwork," he said, waving his hand to dismiss me without looking up. I walked out of the office. The moment I closed the door, I heard the sound of a coffee mug shattering violently inside. I leaned back against the cold wall, feeling as though all of my energy had been sucked out of me. Right then, my phone began buzzing loudly again. I looked at the screen and saw that it was a call from my husband, Nate Atkins. "Siobhan Cortez! What on earth did you do?" Nate's tone was anxious and accusatory. "Your mom just called me crying, saying you've been bullying Denise and robbing Erica of her recruitment spot! And every single one of your relatives has been yelling at me and insulting me for marrying a vicious woman like you. Why don't you just explain yourself in the group chat?" My tears finally rolled down my cheeks at his words. So, this was my husband. The moment something terrible happened, the first thing he did wasn't to comfort me, take my side, or ask if I was okay. Instead, he joined the others and pointed his finger at me as well. "You don't trust me either, do you, Nate?" My voice was hoarse and shaky. "What's the point if I trust you or not? Where's your proof?" he replied. "Denise has all the details, and she even has a witness on her side. How are you even planning to explain yourself? "You keep saying that you didn't do it. Then, where's your evidence? Where's your proof? Show it!" Nate's tone got angrier on the other end of the line. "I'm outside your office building right now. Come down at once. I'm bringing you back to the Cortez manor to explain yourself and stop embarrassing us in the group chat!" "I'm not going," I said. "Yes, you are, Siobhan!" Nate roared. "If you still refuse, then we're done!" Chapter 4 I ended up going back with Nate to the Cortez manor. Before I left, however, I called Penny Addams, a colleague in the HR Department. She told me she couldn't give me any direct details, but she promised me that she would help me check Erica's interview evaluation form. As long as I had that evaluation form, I could prove that Erica was eliminated on her own merit and that I had absolutely nothing to do with it. It was already late evening by the time we arrived. The courtyard was brightly lit and bustling as though some sort of celebration was going on. My relatives were gathered around the outdoor table, chatting and snacking on chips. When they saw me walk in with Nate, their voices eventually died down, and everything went silent. Their gazes cut into me like sharp knives. "Look, the bitch is back," Aunt Melissa said with a sneer, causing the others around her to chuckle in delight. Denise was seated right in the middle, still dabbing at her swollen eyes with a handkerchief. "So you still have the nerve to come back, Siobhan!" my elder brother, Simon Cortez, spat. He stomped out his cigarette and gave me a dark look. "You know damn well what you did to us!" I took a deep breath and walked to the center of the courtyard. "Good evening, everyone. I'm here today to set the record straight. "I've said many times before that Erica's case had absolutely nothing to do with me. I never rejected her, and I certainly never replaced her with anyone else." Denise shot to her feet at once, screaming as she pointed a finger in my face. "Nothing to do with you? If it really had nothing to do with you, why would anyone bring up your name in the first place? "How can you be so shameless, Siobhan? How can you still lie to us? Do you know that Erica won't even leave her room now? It's all because of you! "How could you do such a thing? What's the purpose? You just don't want to see us doing well and living a good life! That's what!" She got increasingly worked up as she spoke, and she even tried to rush up to me to scratch my face. Nate saw her and stopped her just in time. "Denise! Calm down!" he yelled. "Calm down? How am I supposed to calm down?" Denise screamed, breaking into a wail. "Look at her! Look at her attitude! Does she look like she's repenting? She doesn't care about her family at all! I don't care anymore! If she doesn't fix this today, I'll fight her to death!" The other relatives began singing along to her tune. "Just admit that it was your fault, Siobhan, and give Erica another job. How hard could that be?" "We're all family here. Why make things so ugly between us?" "Exactly. You're a senior executive, Siobhan. You could fix this meaningless issue with the snap of your fingers!" Listening to their self-righteous words, I found the situation utterly ridiculous. A meaningless issue? Smearing my name, getting me suspended, and perhaps even fired, was a meaningless issue to them? Did they seriously think that my livelihood didn't matter as long as they got what they wanted? "You want me to get Erica a job? Fine. But only if you can prove I was the one who did this to her," I said, looking at Denise coldly. "Tell your friend Louis to come and tell his side of the story. If he can produce any proof of my interference in the hiring and recruitment process, I will get Erica a job, make a public apology, and even compensate you for all your losses! However, if he can't…" I paused, sweeping my gaze over everyone present. "If he can't, then you must publicly apologize to me in front of the entire family and make a clarification on that matter online!" Denise's eyes flickered for a moment. Obviously, she hadn't expected me to be so stubborn. "Fine! I'll get him! I'm not afraid of you!" she forced through her teeth. "B-But he's working overtime at the company tonight. I-I'll have him come over tomorrow!" I glanced at my phone and saw that Penny had sent me a document. It was Erica's interview evaluation form, along with the interviewer's comments. The corners of my mouth lifted. "Don't bother waiting until tomorrow. I'll show you the truth right now."