“Tsk, you really did look pitiful yesterday,” he sneered.
Then, lowering his voice threateningly, he added,
“I’ll give you one last chance, Aimee. Behave today, and maybe I’ll delete those photos from my computer. Can you seize the opportunity?”
When Allison arrived at the lab, the scene was already in chaos.
“Ms. Clarke, something terrible has happened! The lab’s been robbed!” a panicked voice cried out.
Allison frowned as she took in the disorder around her. Shelves had been ransacked, and several bottles of perfume were missing.
“What exactly happened?” she asked, her voice sharp but controlled.
“Everything was fine when we left yesterday. Now half the lab’s in shambles, and there are missing items. Someone must’ve broken in last night.”
She stepped further into the room, her eyes scanning the damage.
“What was taken?”
“The most valuable perfumes,” one of the team members said, his voice trembling. “Several rare collectibles and some of our most expensive base notes. And it wasn’t just theft – some of the equipment’s been tampered with. We’re looking at millions in losses.”
Allison’s gaze narrowed.
“This has to be an inside job. No outsider would know what to take, let alone how to sabotage the equipment.”
Her suspicion wasn’t baseless. These perfumes weren’t items the average person would recognize for their worth. Among them were pieces crafted by legendary, now-deceased master perfumers – priceless artifacts that could fetch fortunes at auction.
They had been acquired for study, seldom touched, and only accessible to top-level employees. Even the damaged equipment, though it appeared intact, was no longer functioning properly.
Marc stepped forward, trying to sound innocent.
“Whoever did this clearly knew their way around the lab. An outsider wouldn’t know how to sabotage the software like this.”
Allison shot him a glance, seeing through his facade. She turned to the security personnel.
“Pull the surveillance footage.”
An uneasy silence filled the room. Finally, someone stammered,
“We tried, but the cameras malfunctioned last night.”
At that moment, Kellan stormed into the lab, his cold voice cutting through the air.
“Malfunctioned? What are our people even doing? And of all nights, it happened when we were robbed?”
Such a large company being robbed was beyond ridiculous. Kellan was fuming.
The room seemed to shrink under the weight of his fury. His presence was suffocating, and the team members held responsible fell to their knees, trembling.
“We’re sorry, Mr. Lloyd. We have no idea how this happened.”
Without surveillance footage, it was hard to find the real culprit.
Allison exchanged a brief look with Kellan, silently urging him not to act rashly. She had her own suspicions – and a plan. It was only a matter of time before more of the guilty parties revealed themselves.
Allison began, her voice steady,
“All personnel entering or exiting the lab have to go through decontamination. Not to mention the fingerprint and facial recognition scans at multiple checkpoints. And if anyone internal were involved, they’d leave traces. An outsider wouldn’t…”
“Stand a chance?” Allison said, her voice steady. “It’s highly possible that this is an inside job.” Her statement sent ripples through the group.
A few people couldn’t hold back, chiming in to stir things up, with Marc leading the charge.
“Of course, the logs show everything. But Ms. Clarke, you were the last to leave the lab last night. Mr. Lloyd was right before you.”
He glanced around for support. “If anything was tampered with, it had to be after Mr. Lloyd left. There’s no way he’d steal from his own company. But you, Ms. Clarke – you’re under some serious suspicion.”
Others began nodding in agreement. “Exactly. I’ve seen Ms. Clarke spending a lot of time alone in the lab these past few days, not letting anyone else in,” another chimed in. “If something happened, no one would’ve known.”
Marc pressed further, his voice dripping with mockery.
“Ms. Clarke, I’ve heard you’re in a tough spot. After your divorce from Mr. Stevens, you sold off your things, didn’t you? I imagine money must be tight.”
He paused, letting his words sink in, then continued,
“And with how obsessed you’ve been with those perfumes lately, well… some people might say you’ve taken things a bit too far.” A murmur ran through the group as Marc’s insinuations hung in the air.
He sighed dramatically, as if disappointed.
“No matter how much you love perfumes, Ms. Clarke, stealing them is a crime. Even if Mr. Lloyd did give you shares, it doesn’t mean you can help yourself to company property.”
Marc’s confidence grew, his eyes gleaming with triumph. Without the surveillance footage, Allison had no clear way to prove her innocence – or so he thought.
Allison’s expression remained unreadable as she asked, “So, what evidence do you have?”
From the moment Marc started speaking, she had seen through his clumsy trap, recognizing his intent to frame her. As she watched those who eagerly jumped in to slander her, she mentally pieced together their motives, already knowing their backgrounds.
“I don’t have any solid evidence,” Marc stammered, his confidence faltering. “But Ms. Clarke, you’re the most suspicious. You need to explain yourself, or you’ll never clear your name.”
Marc had expected her to lose her composure, maybe lash out, but instead, Allison met his gaze with calm indifference – as if he were beneath her notice.
His chest tightened. Her composed demeanor, far from rattling her, left him feeling a wave of anger and humiliation.
Anyone accused of theft would usually panic, at least make an effort to defend themselves. But Allison remained aloof, refusing to dignify his accusation with any urgency. Her cold, unwavering gaze sent a ripple of discomfort through the room, shaming those standing before her.
She finally countered, “And why should I explain myself? ‘Innocent until proven guilty’ – it’s something everyone learns in school. Didn’t you attend a top university? You should know that basic principle.”
Marc clenched his fists, his irritation deepening.
If this sharp-tongued woman hadn’t parachuted into the company, their lives would be so much easier!
Catching Marc’s silent signal, his group began to stir trouble again.
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.