In corporate America, rumors travel faster than truth.br My name is Harper Lane, and I never imagined that one late-night project, one blurred boundary, and one jealous coworker could almost destroy everything I worked for. It began with a photo taken in a Dallas hotel lobby—my boss’s jacket around my shoulders, a moment taken wildly out of context. The next morning, HR called us both in.br br Suddenly I was the center of an office scandal I didn’t start.br People whispered about favoritism.br Slack screenshots were leaked.br My raise was frozen.br And a coworker who wanted my promotion did everything she could to push me out.br br But the truth was bigger—and darker—than a rumor.