Chapter 12

When Emily dashed into the Whispering Pines Inn, she immediately recognized a familiar figure with curly hair and a slim waist. It was Shirley. Emily instantly felt like this trip was going to be a total waste of time.

Sure enough, the hotel manager told Emily that the surveillance cameras had been broken for a week and were still being fixed.

Emily had seen this coming. She felt a wave of disappointment. That video was super important to her.

"Hold up! Ma'am!"

The front desk clerk hurried over.

"Hey there, ma'am. Your friend has an outstanding balance for two days. Could you please contact her to either check out or settle the bill?"

"Friend?" Emily was confused.

The clerk said, "Yeah, the one who came back with you a few nights ago."

Emily's mind started racing. This couldbe a breakthrough.

"You've seen me before?" Emily asked cautiously, wondering if the clerk had been bribed by Shirley.

The clerk said, "Yeah, a couple of nights ago, you and your friend came in together. You seemed pretty drunk, and she was helping you

the whole time. I was on duty that night."

Emily said, "Right, that was me. I just didn't remember at first. I'll settle her bill, but I need to go to the room and gather some things."

"Of course, no problem!" The clerk quickly activated the elevator.afraid Emily might change her mind.

In room 316. Emily found Shirley's brooch on the floor.

This was the most direct evidence.

Satisfied with her discovery, Emily gathered all the materials and confidently drove to the office. She wanted Patrick to see how dirty his supposedly innocent and kind goddess was behind the scenes.

Thinking of Patrick's furrowed brows, Emily felt even more delighted,her steps lighter.

Before she could enter Patrick's office, she heard Shirley's soft voice in the hallway.

Shirley said, "Patrick, I didn't mean to make a mistake. I just haven't learned yet."

Patrick asked, "Didn't Emily teach you before?"

Shirley said, "Patrick, please don't blame Emily. She's always so busy with various meetings..."

Patrick's mind flashed to the image of Emily writhing beneath him. If he hadn't arrived in time, Marlon might have had his way with her!

Patrick got angry, slamming the documents on the desk.

Shirley. never having seen Patrick so angry. was stunned.

Shirley covered her eyes, pretending to cry.

Emily walked straight into the office, clapping her hands."Bravo!Such acting skills are wasted as a secretary."

Patrick was already irritated.

Shirley's data error had cost the company nearly a million dollars. All related departments were reporting to him, indirectly expressing their dissatisfaction with Shirley.

This loss was nothing to Patrick. But such a trivial matter reaching his desk annoyed him. When Emily was in charge, there were never such mistakes.

But thinking of Emily made Patrick even angrier.

"Aren't you on vacation? Why are you here?" Patrick asked expressionlessly, hiding his anger.

"Of course, to watch a good show!" Emily smiled at Shirley.

Shirley, who had stopped crying the moment Emily entered, felt a chiIl down her spine.

Emily didn't plan to hide anything. She took out the recording and video, handing them to Patrick. Patrick placed the phone on the desk and played it.

As the video played. Shirley's face turned pale, her eyes filled with panic. and her hands clenched tightly.

Shirley felt a sense of doom. Her act of drugginng Emily was likely exposed.

Her heart raced. feeling a heavy weight on her chest. Shirley knew that if Emily exposed her, she would face legal consequences. lose her reputation. and her beloved Patrick. These were unacceptable outcomes.

Shirley thought. No! Absolutely not!'

In extreme fear and anxiety. Shirley began plotting an escape.thinking of ways to create false evidence and destroy the real ones.She knew time was running out.

Just as Shirley tried to grab the phone. Patrick picked it up.

"So? What are you trying to say with this video?" Patrick's tone was unusually calm.

Emily was stunned. Wasn't it obvious?

Emily said seriously, "So, my illness wasn't an accident. Someone tried to harm me!"

Patrick looked at Emily with a complex expression.

He said coldly, "Just based on this video?"

"Isn't this enough?" Emily was about to mention the hotel front desk as a witness but stopped herself.

Years of companionship had never earned her genuine affection.Even a bit of pity would have sufficed forEmily.

But the next second. Patrick deleted the video.

Emily watched as the evidence disappeared from the screen. feeling an indescribable anger and frustration. She couldn't believe that the evidence she painstakingly gathered was deleted by Patrick.

She looked up, her eyes piercing, and questioned. "Why did you do that? Do you know how much effort I put into getting this evidence?"

Patrick's eyes showed a flicker of complex emotions. After a moment of silence, he said, "That just means you're stupid!"

Patrick's eyes deliberately avoided hers, but Emily,filled with disappointment, didn't notice. She didn't understand why Patrick called her stupid or why he deleted her hard-earned video. But she knew she had to rely on herself now. She had to uncover the truth and make Shirley pay for everything.

Seeing Patrick's actions, Shirley quickly regained her composure.realizing he was on her side.

Shirley said confidently, "Emily, don't falsely accuse me. I never drugged you. Your so-called evidence is fabricated. I saw you unwell and kindly took you to the hospital, stopping by the hotel to get my ID.How can you accuse me?"

Emily sneered, "Do you think I'd stoop to your level? Do you think I only have this one piece of evidence?"

Seeing Shirley's stunned expression, Emily calmly took out a delicate brooch.

Shirley recognized it immediately as hers.

Feigning calm, Shirley said. "A brooch means nothing."

"I found this on the floor in room 316." Emily sneered.

"So what?" Shirley acted defiant.

"You seem to forget this brooch is a limited edition,with your name engraved inside!" Emily's words struck Shirley's heart.

Shirley looked pitifully at Patrick, but he showed no intention of intervening, watching them with interest.

"Emily, even a cornered rat will fight!" Shirley,enraged, reached for the brooch in Emily's hand.

Emily wasn't foolish, holding the brooch tightly. They struggled, but Emily underestimated Shirley's shamelessness. Shirley grabbed Emily's hair and tried to stomp on her foot with her high heel. Emily dodged, causing Shirley to fall forward, grabbing Emily's bracelet as she fell.

Just five feet from the window, Shirley crashed to the floor, the bracelet flying out the window.

"Have you two had enough?!" Patrick shouted.