"I wish I could get into Lilah's company but it seems impossible."

Ruby reassured her supporters, “It's alright. Lilah can't remain at the company indefinitely. We can unite and follow her together."

Ruby's earnest persuasion swayed her fans, who readily agreed to join her in this endeavor.

As the tides of the online landscape began to shift, Lilah entered the break room and noticed a remarkable change in her employees' demeanor.

"Miss Phillips, is it true that you and Mr. Harris are an item?"

“Miss Phillips, I must confess my envy. Are you on the verge of marrying into the upper echelons of society and transforming into a lady of immense wealth?"

Lilah's countenance remained poised and collected but beneath the surface, a wave of frustration surged within her.

Gerard's tweet had been unleashed without even consulting her, leaving her disconcerted.

Were she to acknowledge the speculation...

“We are presently close friends," Lilah responded with restraint.

Several of the younger employees emitted prolonged "Ohs", casting meaningful glances in Lilah's direction. "It seems Mr. Harris hasn't yet fully won the heart of our esteemed Miss Phillips."

Internally, Lilah heaved a quiet sigh.

Swiftly, she replenished her coffee cup and retreated to her office, where she discovered a text message from Ruby.

“Lilah, I am entirely unaware of the online recording. I had no involvement in its creation! Do you believe me? Our friendship is unparalleled and I could never engage in such an act against you."

Lilah fell into contemplative silence.

In the aftermath of the necklace incident, a gnawing suspicion had begun to take root-Ruby might not be as innocent as she portrayed herself. It was possible that Ruby did consider her a friend, but the pursuit of high society living weighed more heavily on Ruby's mind.

Lilah made the conscious choice not to respond.

Conversely, Ruby persisted.

“Lilah, are you still mad at me? Could you please grant me an opportunity to clarify? Have you forgotten how close we once were?

That time when you found yourself surrounded by ruffians, I was the one who..."

Lilah could never erase that particular memory.

Back in high school, she had frequently endured harassment from local hoodLums due to her striking beauty and there was one occasion when they had dragged her into a dim alley. If not for Ruby's timely intervention, who knew what might have transpired...

From that moment on, Lilah had embarked on the journey of martial arts training.

Lilah's heart softened, prompting her to reach for her phone. “What would you like to discuss?"