Luke''s father''s face turned ashen He hadn''t expected Alice to actually do this!
A cold smirk yed on Alice''s lips."The evidence is irrefutable, with numerous witnesses. I don''t think the Windham Corporation has any room for argument."
The director stepped forward. Everyone else, please disperse. We''ll handle this and issue at
notification"
Clearing the room prevented the situation from escting.
The director addressed Luke''s father.“Mr. Windham, I don''t need to exin the truth. ording to the rules, your bid will be disqualified."
Even with the Windham Corporation''s power, rules were rules.
Luke''s father looked at Alice."Are you satisfied now?"
Alice raised
eyebrow. "Passable. Thank
you
for the
demonstration."
Luke''s father, furious, pointed at Alice."You..."
Alice pped his hand away. “This is called karma!"
The Maple Leaf representative stepped in, blocking Luke''s father. “Sir, Alice didn''t force you to steal the ideas or use them! This is your fault, why me her?"
The representative had initially thought Alice was being unreasonable by cutting ties with her family. Now, he felt differently. Good for her. She''s better off without such family.
Luke''s father was speechless."This is family business!"
"But she cut ties with you; you aren''t family."
"But Alice will always have Lu blood; that won''t change!"
Alice looked at the representative. "Team lead, I''m fine. We''ll deal with this legally."
“Right. You created the ideas; you decide."
The representative was also angered by the Windhams. Were they that biased? It was like Alice was the culprit! She was the victim!
"Now that we''re here, I must tell the truth."
Chloe suddenly spoke up. "Dad, Alice deliberately gave me the documents, knowing I''d give them
she could expose
Us and disqualify the Windham Corporation!"
you, 50
Luke stared at Chloe, shocked."Why are you lying?"
That wasn''t true!
Chloe bit her lip, her expression firm."Sixth Brother, you don''t know. This was a deal between Alice and me. But to save Dad''spany, I can''t hide the truth.”
Luke''s father was surprised."Chloe, why would you make a deal with her?”
Tears welled in Chloe''s eyes. “Alice threatened me with the bar surveince footage. She had backups. If I refused, she''d give it to the Garcias, iming I''d kept the video of Melody Garcia''s
crime.
was scared. I had to do it!"
3221
Hearing Chloe''s lies, Alice couldn''t help but speak "Chloe, were you a basket weaver in your past life
She was unbelievable!
"Sister Alice, even if you threatened me, I must tell the truth
Luke interrupted Chloe. "Do you have proof
"Yes! This is the message she sent me: Think carefully about what to do!"
Chloe showed the text message
Luke''s father looked at Alice What do you say? Did you send this?
Alice nodded."I did."
But that wasn''t the point! She hadn''t expected Chloe to fabricate such a story to escape me! "Alice, I didn''t expect you to be so vicious, using such underhanded methods. That''s one thing but you shouldn''t threaten Chloe. Take it out on me!"
Chloe tugged on Luke''s father''s arm. Dad, this is between me and Sister Alice, but I can''t implicate you!" Luke''s father looked at the director.“Alice orchestrated this. I didn''t know. We don''t ept disqualification.” The director was stunned, looking at Alice.
Aliceughed, looking at Chloe, who was hiding behind Luke''s father."I have something to show
you."
Chloe''s face paled. She wasn''t sure if this would work. She''d received a message from her father: "[Alice doesn''t have a backup of the surveince video.]*
Chloe had gambled. At worst, it wouldn''t be any worse. She was betting Alice couldn''t produce
the video.
Luke''s father snorted. "Alice, you want to show the bar''s surveince footage, right? I don''t want to see it!"
"I do."
Luke looked at Alice, wanting to see the footage Luke''s father had seen. Was Chloe''s ount of spraying Alice true?
Even without the video, Luke had seen Chloe lie; he already had his answer. He should''ve trusted Luke''s father.
Luke''s father red at Luke."Don''t look. What''s to see?"
Chloe, seeing Luke''s father''s support, felt triumphant. She''d won her gamble. Even if Alice had a backup, Luke''s father wouldn''t side with her.
Chloe said weakly, "Dad, everything I did at the bar was forced by Melody Garcia. I didn''t meant
to."
"I believe you."
ke''s father looked at Alice."You have no leverage now. Let''s see what you do."
Chloe was secretly pleased. Alice could no longer touch her.
"Who says I don''t?"
Alice took out her phone, ying a video. It showed Chloe at Alice''sptop, taking photos with her phone. It also recorded the conversation between Luke and Chloe when Luke discovered her
actions!
Alice paused when she heard Luke urging Chloe to apologize. But Chloe had convinced Luke! Make her fail? Make her return to the Windhams, humiliated? They wanted to exploit her further!
After the video, silence fell.
Alice stared at Chloe, smiling "Familiar?”
Chloe copsed onto the floor, trembling, her mind nk. She hadn''t expected the evidence to be the footage
of her stealing the photos! Her lies had been exposed!
Chloe looked at Luke''s father in panic. "Dad, I.....”
Luke''s father pushed Chloe away, rubbing his temples, looking at Alice. "You had a backup n!" Alice could have used this evidence from the beginning. But she''d waited. Until now, delivering a crushing blow!
Luke''s father was frustrated. The video meant the Windham Corporation was disqualified!
Alice had won!
The director spoke."Mr. Windham, anything else to say?"
Luke''s father''s face was tight."I have nothing to say."
The evidence was overwhelming, making the Windham Corporation''s defense a joke! The more. they spoke,
the more they incriminated themselves.
“Alice, you nned this, step-by-step, against your own family?"
Alice replied nonchntly. "You threatened me first.”
She hadn''t nned this initially.
initially. The Windhams
She added, “And you''re not my family. You don''t deserve it!”
Luke''s father was enraged, raising his hand to strike Alice.
Alice didn''t move, seizing his wrist.
She sidestepped and performed a shoulder throw.
had forced her hand.