"I'm just following your example," I reminded Whitney. "If you can accept the dare and choose to kiss Mr. Green, then why can't I do the same and choose to kiss this young woman… Cindy Hurst, was it?

"Do you get to dictate the rules of this game, Whitney? Are you saying that you're the only one who gets to do whatever you want, while everyone else must do what you tell them to?"

"Don't give me that crap!"

Whitney completely lost it. She grabbed a wine glass off the table and hurled it straight at me.

"You've lost your mind, Simon! You did this on purpose just to disgust me, didn't you? You're the one who's leeching off my family, staying in our house, and using our money! Who the hell do you think you are to challenge me, huh? What makes you think you can even touch another woman?"

The glass flew past my ear and smashed against the wall behind me, shattering into pieces. The wine splashed everywhere.

The room instantly fell quiet. Everyone was startled by Whitney's violent fit.

I remained where I was without even flinching. Eyeing her coldly, I declared, "You need to get a few things straight, Whitney. First of all, I have never spent a single cent of the Stuart family's money. And secondly…"

My gaze swept past her to Zach's ashen face before settling back on her. In a crystal clear voice, I said, "I'm free to touch whoever I want, just like how you're free to kiss whoever you want. I only did the same thing you did."

"The same thing I did?"

Whitney looked like she'd just heard the biggest joke in the world. She jabbed a finger at Cindy and me, her voice shrill as she shrieked, "You're comparing that random bitch to me? Sounds like you need to learn your place, Simon.

"You're just a dog that my family, the Stuarts, took in—a lowly beast living off the crumbs from our table! If I tell you to jump, the only thing you can do is ask me how high! And if I tell you to get on your knees, you can't get up until I say so! How dare you bark at your master like that, huh?"

The surrounding coworkers and company executives all wore different expressions. There was a mix of disdain, sympathy, and excitement as they watched the spectacle unfolding before them.

"Ms. Stuart's right! You've crossed the line, Simon!"

Zach finally got his opportunity to put on a show.

With his arm around the trembling Whitney to support her, he righteously berated me, "Ms. Stuart has been nothing but generous to you, but instead of being grateful, you do something this disgusting in public! Not only did you humiliate her, but you're even taking advantage of an intern! How can you be such a monster?"

"Exactly! He's so shameless!"

"Where does a freeloading man like him, who lives off his wife's family, even get the nerve?"

"Call the police, Ms. Stuart! Report him for sexual harassment!"

"That's right! Take him to court and have him thrown in prison!"

I looked at the crowd of self-righteous "defenders of justice" in front of me. I also took in the livid expression on Whitney's face and the smug satisfaction written all over Zach's. It all seemed like such a ridiculous farce to me.

I slowly approached Cindy and asked calmly, "Ms. Hurst, did my earlier actions count as sexual harassment against you? Do you need an apology from me? Or do you want to call the police?"

Cindy froze. She looked at me before glancing at the beady-eyed people around us—especially Whitney's murderous gaze. Her lips quivered, and she found it impossible to speak.

"Cindy! Don't be scared! Ms. Stuart will stand up for you!" Zach fanned the flames. "We mustn't let a scumbag like him get away with this!"

Whitney also snarled sharply, "Go on, Cindy! Tell us whether he forced himself on you! As long as you testify against him, I guarantee the company will give you a full-time position and the best resources as well! But if you don't tell the truth, you can forget about continuing with your internship!"

She was blatantly resorting to both the carrot and the stick.

Cindy paled, and her entire body trembled even harder. Looking at her, I spoke up again.

"Don't be scared. Just tell the truth. I'm here. I won't let anyone force you into doing anything you don't want to do."

Perhaps my calm, steady manner gave her a little courage. Or maybe it was her own defiant streak, buried deep within her, that had finally been awakened.

After taking a deep breath, she said, her voice soft and somewhat nasally yet impossibly clear, "H-He didn't force himself on me… H-He asked me for permission first…"

Even though her voice was barely above a whisper, in the silence of the room, everyone heard her.

"What did you just say?" Whitney couldn't believe what she just heard. "Cindy Hurst! I dare you to say that again!"

Zach got antsy as well. "Cindy! Did he traumatize you? Are you intimidated by him? Don't be afraid! Ms. Stuart is right here!"

Tears clung to Cindy's face, but there was now a trace of determination in her eyes.

"Ms. Stuart, Mr. Green, Mr. Lockwood was just following the rules of the game… and… he really did ask me first..."

Even though her voice kept getting softer, it was clear what she said.

"Why, you ungrateful little bitch!"

Whitney was so furious that she nearly fainted on the spot. She had never expected a lowly intern to dare defy her.

"You're fired, Cindy!"

Cindy instantly went pale, and she hurriedly waved her hands in panic.

"Ms. Stuart! I… I didn't mean to cause any problems. Mr. Lockwood must've had too much to drink, so that's why he… I never meant to ruin your relationship!" Cindy cried out.

Seeing the scene in front of him, Zach flashed a mocking smile. He reached out and jabbed Cindy hard in the shoulder with his finger. "Didn't you hear what Ms. Stuart just said, you ungrateful slut?

"You're fired. Get back to the office and pack your things at once. Don't forget to come to the company tomorrow to process your resignation. But if you're willing to testify that Simon sexually harassed you, I might consider not blacklisting you from the industry."

My eyes narrowed.

"I had no idea, Zach—since when did a mere assistant like you get to have so much say in not just Stuart Group but the entire industry as well?"

I pulled Cindy behind me and reassured her, "Don't worry. As long as I'm here, nobody can touch you."

Zach immediately snorted jeeringly. "Are you serious? A pathetic freeloading leech like you?"

I nodded and looked at him calmly. "If you don't believe me, go ahead and test me."

Zach glanced at Whitney behind him, and she jerked her chin, as if commanding a dog.

"Fine. I shall see exactly how you plan to protect this woman!"

Chuckling, I remarked, "Sorry, but I'm not like you. I don't need to rely on a woman."

"Get a load of this guy. Here he is acting all high and mighty, but he's just a worthless dog living off the Stuart family!"

"He's nothing but the Stuart family's freeloading son-in-law, yet he still has the nerve to mock Mr. Green? He's just setting himself up for humiliation."

"You're right about that. Every single one of us here today has earned our place. He's the only one who's leeching off his wife, so what makes him think he can look down on others? Hahaha!"

I calmly cut in, "Sorry to interrupt, but it's not that I look down on Zach."

Zach scoffed mockingly. "Oh? Finally coming back to your senses, are you? Well, if you get on your knees and lick my shoes clean right now—"

I held up a finger and wagged it disapprovingly, cutting him off. "Nope. That's not what I'm saying. I just wanted to clarify that I treat all of you equally—I look down on every single one of you in this room."