"Yeah, Henley's a gem. Remember when he helped me haul that stack of printer paper? No airs of superiority, just genuine kindness."

Under normal circumstances, no one would dare air these opinions in front of Mitchel. But with his recent decline in popularity due to his illness and Alexis' meddling, factions within the company were forming.

Those speaking up now were likely Alexis' allies, along with some fooled by Henley's facade of kindness.

Raegan shot a meaningful glance at Henley, sprawled on the ground, not fighting back. Was Henley truly powerless? It all seemed like a performance, from his earlier taunts to his current theatrics aimed at provoking Mitchel. If Henley was playing dirty, they couldn't just let him off the hook.

Mitchel brushed off the whispers, his attention fixed on Raegan. He scanned her for any signs of injury, his voice soft as he asked, “Are you hurt anywhere?"

At his inquiry, Raegan's tears broke free, cascading down her cheeks uncontroLlably.

Mitchel's brow furrowed with concern as he moved to embrace her, but Raegan gently pushed him away. She didn't want to hide her tears behind his embrace.

Today, Raegan had donned a fisherman's hat to avoid attention, making it difficult to see her face clearly. Only her rosy lips and tear-drenched chin were visible, her trembling shoulders betraying her distress.

Mitchel, about to say something, was interrupted by Raegan's delicate yet surprising voice. "Mitchel." She pointed at Henley, who was now pretending to limp to garner sympathy, and accused him in a tattletale tone, "He harassed me..."

Raegan's accusation sent murmurs rippling through the onlookers.

Raegan pressed on, "I came to bring you soup, and when he saw me, he asked who I was searching for. Even after I said it was you, he still..." She choked up, seemingly too embarrassed to voice the rest.

She then added indignantly, "He even touched me!"

Mitchel initially furrowed his brows at Raegan's unusual behavior, but then he relaxed. She wouldn't act like this if she was genuinely upset. He remained silent, playing along with her charade.

Then, Raegan sobbed, her hands trembling as she shook Mitchel's shoulders with a flair for the dramatic. "I told him I was your girlfriend, but he still tried to make advances on me and even spilled the soup I had brought for you!"

The spilled soup was there on the floor for everyone to see, drawing their eyes away from the scene at hand. Suddenly, their perception of Henley began to shift. Their admiration dimmed.

"Can Henley really be such a person?" they wondered aloud.

Henley, for his part, was completely taken aback by Raegan's actions, half-convinced she was under some spell.

Nonetheless, Raegan did not relent. She intensified her act, stomping her foot and complaining, “And he said some really awful things too!"

Mitchel, previously in a foul mood, found himself unexpectedly entertained by the spectacle. Struggling to keep a straight face, he inquired, “And what did he say?"

Raegan, still playing her part between sobs, responded, “He boasted about taking everything that's yours, including me, and even talked about seizing control of the company..."