Debra sighed. “Turn on the camera and let us see who that person is.”
Sandra gave a thumbs up and said, “I didn’t expect you to genuinely care for me. I misunderstood you before, Debra.”
Debra put on a motherly expression. “Just reveal that person’s face to us, Sandra.”
Sandra wore a faint look of embarrassment. “If I remove my code and you see who that person is, how will you punish them?”
Debra replied immediately, “Relieve them of their duties, recover the losses, and call the police.” The management had no objections-this was standard procedure.
Sandra nodded and said, “Alright, call the police now.” Debra found Sandra’s behavior odd, but she did not press the matter.
Standing just outside the crowd, Joey grew restless. “Mr. Cooper, I think I might know who this person is.”
Wesley watched Sandra’s composed face. A calm aura seemed to surround her. Because of Earl’s arrogance earlier, she had been shaken briefly, but apart from that incident she rarely showed such fluctuation. From a distance she looked like a pine tree standing quietly on a mountaintop.
“Mr. Cooper?” Joey waved his hand in front of Wesley’s face and snapped him back to the present. Wesley fixed him with a deadly glare. Joey recoiled, not daring to look at the young mistress again-one glance from Wesley felt like a threat to his life.
When silence returned, Wesley subconsciously rolled the beads on his wrist. That same tranquility seemed to flow from the beads, and his gaze softened.
At that moment, Sandra opened her computer screen. “Everyone, gather around.”
Debra approached, watching as Sandra’s fingers moved swiftly across the keyboard. The computer’s firewall transformed into streams of code, flickering across the screen. Then, the dark screen suddenly brightened, as if someone were wiping away the darkness. With each sweep, more of the screen was revealed.
“There we go!” Sandra said triumphantly.
The first thing to appear was a long hair. “A woman?” one of the executives questioned.
“When did our company acquire such a formidable female technician?” another murmured.
Debra, observing the hairstyle, felt an unsettling hunch growing inside her. She wanted to stop Sandra, but it was too late.
The person’s forehead became visible next, followed by the eyes, the nose, and the cheeks. The executives watched the screen intently, their eyes glued to it.
They seemed to recognize the face, but no one dared speak, their anxiety palpable. The whole technical department fell silent. Everyone held their breath, waiting for the full reveal.
But the loading icon seemed to mock their impatience, moving even slower than before. Just as the tension became unbearable, the image finally emerged fully.
It was Angela.
Angela’s face appeared on the screen, contorted with a maniacal grin.
Just then, the police arrived. Sandra stood and spoke with practiced eloquence. Because this involved internal corporate matters, the officers deferred to management-the company’s version of events could determine whether Angela might be exonerated. If Debra had chosen not to press the issue, there might have been room for leniency.
Sandra addressed them calmly. “Even though she stole the keys, without my final fingerprint verification she couldn’t access our internal systems. There was no real damage, so I intentionally obscured her appearance. I did not want to escalate the matter.” Her face softened with a trace of sorrow.
Debra staggered, nearly unable to stand, and was promptly supported by her assistant. “Officer, please join us in the office for discussion,” Debra managed. The officer nodded. Debra summoned her strength and left the technical department, followed in silence by the executives; their intent was clear-this needed to be resolved today.
Sandra watched them go with a quiet amusement. After her previous confrontation with Angela she had expected retaliation, though she had never suspected Angela would be capable of hacking. Once she inspected the system, she recognized the intruder’s decent but ultimately inferior skills. Identifying Angela as the culprit, Sandra felt her plan for the day fall into place.
She deliberately kept Angela’s face hidden from view, waiting for Debra’s arrival. Sandra wanted to force Debra into publicly suggesting a punishment for Angela. She even made sure the police were called.
If they wanted to plan against her, they should be prepared for the consequences.
Once the crowd dispersed, Joey noticed Sandra glancing over and waved to her. Sandra paid him no attention. Instead, she focused on Wesley, who was leaning against the railing. His expression was calm, his eyes shimmering with a soft light, as though the sun itself had been captured and embedded in his gaze.
Despite the distance between them, the warmth emanating from him was undeniable. Sandra couldn’t help but smile at the sight.
Joey chuckled. “You lovebirds.”
Wesley finally snapped out of his reverie, a rare occurrence indeed. His thoughts had wandered to a time when he was abroad. However, as he pulled himself out of the moment, his demeanor shifted back to its usual coldness. With an icy expression, he walked away with Joey.
Sandra couldn’t help but think, What kind of person is he? Bizarre.
She glanced at the clock, noting that the timing was perfect. After briefing her colleague about the work, she left the company. She was headed to deliver the antidote to Rebecca and to check on her father.
When she arrived at Rebecca’s small house, Sandra frowned. “How can you live in a place like this?”
Rebecca, however, seemed content. “It’s good enough. It’s on the upper level, not a basement.”
Sandra administered the antidote and said, “All my doctoral students are allocated housing.”
Rebecca could hardly believe her ears. “What?”
Sandra replied, “The housing is located near the hospital. The area can be a bit noisy, but I hope you won’t mind.”
Rebecca, overwhelmed with gratitude, could only cry.
“You’ve been exceedingly kind to me,” she said.
Sandra, maintaining her composed demeanor, responded, “I hope you can settle your affairs within a month. My experiment requires you to take charge as soon as possible.”
Rebecca sat up straight, her thoughts shifting. “What about the person who poisoned me? Are we going to confront her?”
Sandra did not elaborate on the matter, instead suggesting Rebecca focus on her research and ease her mind.
“Sandra,” Rebecca murmured, her eyes brimming with tears. After taking the antidote, she felt noticeably healthier, surpassing the state she had been in before the poisoning.
“I don’t know how to express my gratitude for your kindness,” she said.
A soft smile touched the corners of Sandra’s eyes. “You are my student now, and I cannot bear the thought of you perishing.”
Her words brought little comfort, but Rebecca managed a bittersweet smile. “You have a unique talent for spoiling the atmosphere.”
“I met your dad,” Sandra continued, “He can’t afford to be fatigued.”
She prescribed another remedy, adding, “This is for your mother, burdened by excessive worries. Make sure she gets the care she deserves.”
Deeply moved, Rebecca inwardly vowed to remain loyal to Sandra for the rest of her life.
As Rebecca received the prescription, her phone rang. She quickly stepped onto the balcony to answer.
It was her dormmate, Molly Moore.
“Rebecca, are you still on leave? If nothing pressing holds you back, come back immediately.”
Confused, Rebecca recalled explicitly stating her two-month leave to care for her father. She had shared Oliver’s medical reports with their counselor, who had sympathized with her and graciously offered financial help. Why would Molly insist on her return after only a month?
Molly said urgently, “It’s about your spot!”
“What spot?” Rebecca asked, puzzled.
“Do you remember the paper you wrote on bioengineering?”
“Yes?”
“Mr. Fisher admired your work and wanted you to assist in his laboratory, remember? But-“
Delighted at the prospect of earning while assisting, Rebecca had agreed enthusiastically. But what had transpired since?
“Rebecca,” Molly said, her voice edged with helplessness, “while you were away, Betty Martinez accused you of plagiarizing her paper. Mr. Fisher now holds you in contempt and has revoked your lab privileges.”
Molly rushed the complaint out, indignant. “She seized the opportunity to ruin your chances. Please come back.”
Rebecca’s hand trembled around her phone. She forced herself to steady her breathing and hold back the tears. Time dragged until Sandra and Iris’s quiet conversation pulled her back from the balcony, tear-streaked and shaken.
Sandra noticed Rebecca’s distress at once. “What happened?” she asked.
Rebecca looked away, rubbing at her reddened eyes. “It was nothing-just dust in my eye.”
Sandra didn’t press her; she wasn’t one to force confessions. Seeing Rebecca reluctant to speak, she chose not to push. “I have company matters to attend to,” she said, standing. Iris said goodbye, and Rebecca followed them out in silence, afraid her voice would betray her sorrow.
After a long look, Sandra left. Iris asked gently, “Are you all right? Don’t you have anything to tell Sandra?”-a quiet reproach for Rebecca’s lack of manners.
Rebecca dabbed at her tears. “Mom, take care of Dad. My tutor has recalled me to school.”
Iris nodded, believing her.
“You are finally able to enter the laboratory. As the professor’s assistant, you will definitely be promising.”
Rebecca absentmindedly agreed, her thoughts preoccupied with other matters. She hastily gathered her belongings before descending the stairs.
Sandra was in the car, speaking with a colleague on the phone.
“Sandra, we need your statement for the record.”
“I just stepped out for a coffee, I’ll return promptly. Would you like one?”
“Oh, fetch me a latte, please.”
“Alright. Has Angela concluded her statements?”
“Yes, Angela is in Mrs. Cooper’s office, inconsolably weeping. If this turmoil from within spreads, it will definitely threaten our company’s image.”
Sandra spoke plainly, “The Cooper’s renown has worn thin as it is.”
Her colleague fell silent for a moment.
“Sandra, you jest well.”
But Sandra wasn’t joking.
Victor had been in a years-long comatose state. It was Wesley who had preserved the Cooper’s stature in Geniston, but he too succumbed to a similar vegetative condition.
In the past three years, Debra had managed the company affairs. Outwardly, the Cooper appeared to be thriving, yet internally, they struggled with annual financial losses. Among adept circles, the Cooper Group had lost its former power and was even falling behind the Black family.
Otherwise, Earl wouldn’t have dared to brazenly ask for Wesley’s car.
Though these reflections were clear to Sandra, they remained unspoken.
Her colleague offered a curt laugh before ending the call. Sandra turned the car on, spotting Rebecca dashing out of her home.
Sensing urgency, Sandra considered offering her a lift.
Before she could signal, Rebecca hailed a taxi. Without further delay, Sandra returned to the Cooper Group offices. The atmosphere inside was stifling. Angela’s head hung low as she sobbed while Debra massaged her brow, her gaze cold.
“Mom, I cannot bear this indignity,” Angela lamented. Joey used snakes to terrify her. That night she was haunted by nightmares; the dread lingered. Without vengeance upon Sandra, life seemed devoid of purpose. If she hacks the system, Sandra, as the firewall designer, will certainly lose her bravado.
Angela knew about the setback Earl had suffered. Using her connection with Debra, she managed to obtain the company’s secret key – a credential that allowed an immediate bypass of the firewall. She had never intended to tamper with confidential data or to harm the company. Her confidence was real: her hacking skills had been trained by an international cybersecurity expert. Though she had never displayed them, they were certainly superior to Earl’s. She believed she was far from risking failure.
Yet clarity eluded her. What had once seemed certain now threatened to become a police investigation and possible imprisonment. Debra sighed, “We’ll seek a solution.” Angela wiped away her tears; she had no answer. The humiliation was too great to bear.
“Mom…” Angela realized this was not something her mother could resolve. Debra spoke slowly, “Ultimately, it’s up to the technical department.” Angela immediately grasped the implication. “Are you suggesting I apologize to Sandra?” Debra nodded. “Securing her forgiveness is essential. Whatever it takes, make Sandra downplay the incident to the authorities. That way Angela might escape with a verbal reprimand or, at worst, a brief detention.”
Biting her lip, Angela protested, “Mom, if I apologize to Sandra, how can I possibly maintain my standing within the family?”
Debra asked, “Do you recall Zachary’s granddaughter?”
Angela flinched. Of course, she remembered. But that girl had since emigrated, never to return. Why did her mom bring her up?
“Not being a part of the Coopers, she was easily sacrificed during a crisis.”
Angela was still perplexed. “But I am your biological daughter!” She believed herself to be held in high esteem, even likely to inherit a significant portion of the company in the future.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.
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