Star decided to get them back on track. They were treading on dangerous ground and not one she was emotionally ready to tackle yet. Her nerves were already frayed from Damian’s reappearance; she didn’t need to be raking up the past, certainly not in the office.
Taking a deep breath, Star broke the silence. “I’m sorry if my presence offends you, Damian, but we still have a project to approve.”
Star wished she’d kept quiet, as Damian’s demeanour changed. “Do you want to explain to me why one of your team arrived in my office this morning and told me how incapable you are? That you are taking the ideas of others and selling them as your own? Basically implying that you’re little more than a pretty face who has slept her way to the top?”
A vice-like grip encased her chest as Star stared at Damian. She’d known Jackson had been up to something when he’d appeared out of Damian’s office, but she could never have imagined he’d go this far. She was unsure why he hated her so much – and it was hate, because this was way above jealousy. What could she say? Damian didn’t know her anymore. Lucas would have known it was a pile of horse manure, but he wasn’t here. This was her battle.
“Nothing, no defence?” Damian continued. “Is what he said true?”
“No!” Star finally managed to say. “It’s far from the truth. You can ask any one of my team, other than Jackson, and you’ll hear the truth.” Still in shock, Star raised a shaking hand to push her hair back from her face. Damian watched the movement, his eyes never leaving her face.
“I’ll have to follow up with your team, and inform HR. These kind of accusations can’t be brushed over.”
This was not what Star needed – not on top of the presentation deadline for the client, Lucas’s illness, and her potential promotion. She didn’t need a black mark against her. But she understood. She should have dealt with Jackson a long time ago; instead she’d let his poison fester and now she was going to pay for it.
“I understand,” she said. “The team will be happy to speak to whomever they need to.” Star was impressed with the fact her voice didn’t wobble with the tears that were currently clogging up her throat. “Shall we address the reason for this meeting and revisit the presentation?”
Star would have missed the flash of respect in Damian’s glance had she blinked, but it had definitely been there. Star was hit with wave of clarity. Damian had given her the heads-up: he was letting her know that someone was gunning for her and that she needed to be prepared. Well, if it was war Jackson wanted, then that was what he would get.
Damian left Jackson’s accusations to one side and the rest of their meeting went without a hitch. By the time they’d finished, he was happy for Star to rearrange a meeting with the Account Manager and get the final mock-ups sent to print. If they were happy, then the client could be contacted.
∞∞∞
Star headed back to her desk. She ignored a smirking Jackson, instead praising the team and letting them know that they were good to go. She made a call to the Account Manager, and they agreed to set up the next client meeting for as soon as they got a date back fromthe printers. Damian’s sign-off seemed to be enough forthem. The team’s excitement helped to settle Star’s agitation. Everyone had worked hard on this project and deserved to enjoy their success. They’d had multiple client meetings, but this was a chance for the team to shine, to show them what they were proposing. Star wasn’t prepared to let one rotten egg ruin that for everyone.
Jackson sat staring at everyone around him, his expression switching from smirk to sulk as time went on. That afternoon, he was called away. Star could only assume that Damian had approached HR. Jackson had no doubt been called to give his official complaint to them.
Despite everyone’s cheer, the office was starting to close in around her. Star knew she needed to get out and take a break before something happened. Getting up from her desk, she let the team know she was taking an early lunch and headed out of the office, stumbling to the nearby park. She collapsed on a bench and wiped angrily at the first tears that fell, doubling over as a silent scream exploded from her lips. Why? Why was this happening? She had evidence to disprove Jackson’s claims; she had collected documentation to highlight his incompetence and substandard work, but she knew mud had a tendency of sticking. Why did this have to happen now, when everything was starting to go right for her? It wasn’t like she hadn’t fought hard to get where she was. She’d raised a child, studied part-time while working to put food on the table, and then Jackson came along and tried to discredit her, for what?
A soothing hand rested on her back. Star jerked up, staring into Pam’s concerned eyes.
“Damian told me what happened this morning. Once the team told me you’d gone for an early lunch, I decided to track you down.” Pam pulled Star in for a hug before saying, “Don’t let that thug get you down – he’s not worth your tears!”
“It’s not that, Pam. I’m angry at myself for not shutting his pettiness down months ago. What kind of manager am I, if I can’t control one of my team?” Star said, her voice tight with tears.
“A good one,” Pam said firmly. “You gave him the benefit of the doubt. The rest of your team love you – they love working for you, with you. Don’t let one rotten apple spoil the rest. You are brilliant at what you do. Lucas would not have supported you if he didn’t think you had the makings of a superstar. Jackson Brown would not have dared try and pull this rubbish had Lucas been here.” Sadness tinged Pam’s voice.
Star returned Pam’s hug, knowing how much Lucas’s condition would be affecting her.
“Rotten apple or not, I’m not exactly Damian’s favourite person. Our history is not a pretty picture, Pam. You of all people know that.”
“Piffle. Damian is old enough to know his own mind, and he won’t be fooled by some upstart! As for you and him, it’s been seven years. Both of you need to look to the future and leave the past exactly where it is, in the past!”
“At this rate, I may not have a future,” Star said.
“Star Roberts, do I hear pity in your voice? After all you’ve been through, you’re just going to roll over? Where’s your backbone?” Something in Star’s expression must have stopped Pam, because instead of pushing further, Pam nudged Star with her shoulder and said, “What are you going to do about Jackson Brown?”
“I’m going to fight!” Star said, looking at her. “I was never not going to. You’re right, I am having a pity party.” Wiping her eyes, Star grinned at Pam. “I wasn’t expecting company.”
“That’s my girl!” Pam said, standing up and holding out her hand to Star.
“I have emails that show he hasn’t been pulling his weight. I’m not sure what he thought he was going to gain, but I’m ready for him,” Star said.
“Great, so this is what we’re going to do,” Pam said linking her arm through Star’s. “We are going to the coffee shop down the road. I’m going to shout you a Frappuccino, and while I’m buying, you’re going to fix your makeup and come out fighting.”
A hour later, when Star returned to the office, Jackson was still nowhere to be seen. But several members of the team looked up sheepishly from their desk. It was only when Sandra approached Star with a piece of paper that Star realized she’d obviously missed something in her absence. Taking the paper from Sandra, she quickly scanned the printed email. It was from Jackson, addressed to the team. He was accusing her of having an affair with Lucas Hunt and stealing the team’s ideas.
“Sorry, Star, but I wanted to bring this to your attention. I want you to know we don’t believe a word of what he has said. You’re a wonderful manager and great at what you do. He’s just bitter and jealous.”