Felicity was angry. Why hadn't Oliver told her? She'd found out in the worst way. Overhearing Isabel Rochev telling one of her subordinates that she knew, for a fact, that Oliver Queen and his Executive Assistant, Felicity Smoak, were no longer sleeping together, well, that was news to Felicity.
"At least not anymore," Isabel had gone on to clarify.
Not anymore?! Try NEVER!, thought Felicity. At least now she understood Isabel's side of the "what happens in Russia, stays in Russia" incident. Oliver's, well, he'd clarified that with his "it meant nothing, and because of the life I lead, blah, blah, blah" speech.
She knew she should have quit the new EA gig when Oliver had first told her about it. And now she had the proof. It seemed everyone at Queen Consolidated thought she had slept her way to the executive office. Please, if I was going to sleep my way to the top, it wouldn't be for a secretarial position. Felicity stopped in her tracks when she considered that thought. She wouldn't actually sleep her way into ANY job.
It was clear from Isabel's conversation that Oliver had been aware of the rumors, at least since they'd returned from Russia, but Felicity had been conveniently left in the dark. It was difficult for her to think that everyone at QC, from her old gang in the IT department to everyone she'd encountered as she sat at her desk in front of Oliver's office, thought she'd gotten there by sleeping with her boss. The thought made her blush … and made her hands ball up into fists.
A quick glance at her watch told her she still had four more hours of sitting at her desk, performing her EA duties, before she could call it a night. Then she'd head over to the foundry and giver her boss a piece of her mind. Arrow work or not, Oliver Queen was going to explain why he'd never said anything to her.
She entered the code to open the secret door to the foundry and she could hear Diggle and Oliver talking as she walked down the stairs.
"Oliver," she called out, not quite in her Loud Voice, but by the sudden hush in the room, she'd gotten her point across, "we need to talk. Now."
Diggle swiveled his chair to look at Felicity, she looked at him, pointed her finger at him and calmly stated, "If you knew about this too, we're going to have a problem."
"Knew about what?," he said as he stood up and started walking towards her, "is everything all right?"
"No, it's not. I overheard something today, and I need to know why I'm the last to know." Felicity placed her bag on the desk as she walked up to the two men. Confusion was clearly written all over their faces. Oliver glanced at Digg, raising his eyebrow, while the older man shrugged as a response.
"What are you talking about?" concern obvious in Oliver's voice. Felicity was rarely angry, and while she was keeping a tight reign on her anger right now, it was still written all over her body language. The arms crossed over her chest, the tapping of her foot, and the serious look on her face. She was angry, and Oliver wasn't looking forward to hearing about what he'd done to make her angry.
"I heard something really interesting at Queen Consolidated today, overheard really. Isabel clearly didn't know I was nearby when she was talking with her EA, or secretary, or whoever she was talking with." Now that she was trying to get this all out, Felicity found it hard to get to the point. "Anyway, so there I was, just kind of minding my own business, when I hear something I never thought I'd hear about myself. Honestly, Oliver, THAT's what people think I did to get the job? The job I didn't want?"
Digg looked over at Oliver, full of confusion. "Do you know what she's talking about?"
Oliver groaned. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He supposed it was inevitable. She was going to find out about the rumors eventually, he'd just hoped that eventually meant in two or three years, when they could laugh about it.
"Felicity, look …" he started.
"It was mortifying to hear her say that Oliver. People I work with, people I respect, thinking that the only reason I got the job as your secretary, is because I slept with you?"
Diggle choked back a laugh. Felicity glared at him.
"Um, sorry, but … seriously, you and Oliver?", he was trying really hard not to laugh.
"Digg, this isn't funny. I worked hard to get to the IT department. I was really good at that job. I was happy in that job. And now, when I walk down the hall, everyone thinks I got the desk in front of the corner office because I slept with Oliver! And he doesn't even tell me when he finds out?"
Digg sobered, understanding that Felicity was really hurt.
"Look, Felicity, I'm sorry. I didn't really know how to tell you. I found out about it when we were in Russia. Isabel mentioned it, but I immediately set her straight, telling her we we're friends and that's it." Oliver took a step toward her, his arm reaching out.
Felicity backed away a step, holding her hand up to stop him from coming closer.
"This is my professional reputation, Oliver. And it's not Isabel. I don't really care what she thinks, but EVERYONE else at the company? This just proves my point that I should have stayed in IT."
Oliver lowered his arm in defeat. "I get it, ok? I should have told you as soon as I heard, but what difference would that have made? The only thing that would have changed was the date you found out what everyone was thinking. I was trying to spare you. There's nothing we can do about it. You're really good at the EA job. I wouldn't be able to do my job without you. So, I figured that was the best way to quash the rumors. You do a great job, people will forget."
Felicity just stared at him. The growing silence became deafening in the room.
Diggle cleared his throat, "Oliver's right, Felicity, the fact that you do a good job, that's the only thing that's going to silence the rumors."
Felicity looked up at Diggle, "It's not the fact that the rumors exist, it's the fact that HE knew about them", she pointed her thumb at Oliver, "and didn't say anything about it. I thought we didn't have secrets between us? I can't be here tonight, if you guys need any computer help, you're just going to have to do it yourselves." She grabbed her purse and walked right back up the stairs before slamming the door behind her.
"You should have told her, man. That's just not something you keep to yourself," Diggle said while he was shaking his head.
"I know. I should have known that what happens in Russia doesn't stay in Russia." Oliver turned and walked over to the sparring dummy before he slammed his fist into its body.