Chapter 6

Adrian forwarded the complaint to me.

The email included a photo of the apartment number at Vertex Lofts and a screenshot of me standing at the door last night.

The person who filed the complaint accused me of faking my technical achievements and taking up housing meant for actual researchers.

At the end, they demanded the company publicly disclose my salary, bonuses, and records of my benefits and approvals.

The video was shot from the elevator lobby.

Jessica was the only one standing there last night.

Michael's eyes darted as he read the email.

I set my phone down on the table. "Was this something you all cooked up together?"

"I don't know," he replied right away. "Jessica was probably acting out for my mom. She's still young and doesn't really have much sense. Don't let it get to you."

Even though she was twenty-six, he kept calling her young to dodge responsibility.

Adrian knocked on the doorframe. "The client is still waiting in the conference room. Let's get back to work."

I got up and headed for the door.

Michael blocked my way. "Claire, if you come back home, I'll make Jessica withdraw the complaint right now."

"So you know it was her," I said.

Michael froze, caught off guard. "I'm guessing."

I pressed the intercom and called security to show him out of the reception room. "Once the complaint's in the system, you can't make it go away by pulling back an email.

"The legal department will figure out who took the photos and who made up the story."

Two security guards showed up right away.

Michael refused to leave, demanding I respond before he would go.

The HR manager, hearing the commotion, came back into the reception room.

With everyone watching, he finally dropped his voice to a whisper. "If you blow this up, it's bad for everyone. My mom still has evidence that you refused to have kids after we got married.

"If she sends that to your company, your reputation is toast."

I met his gaze. "What kind of evidence?"

"The payment receipt from when you went to the hospital for that checkup," he replied.

I paid for that checkup, so the receipt had my name on it. But the actual results were stored in the hospital's system, and I kept the paper report myself.

All the Shaw family could show was that I visited the fertility clinic. They had no proof of who actually had the problem.

They probably figured that if they dropped the hospital's name, everyone would automatically blame the woman.

"Let her send it." I opened the door and signaled for security to escort him out. "But you'd better warn her of one thing. If she spreads someone else's medical info and makes up lies, she could face legal consequences."

As Michael was being escorted out of the reception room, he kept insisting that sooner or later, I'd come crawling back to him.

I didn't look back and walked straight into the conference room.

*****

Two hours later, the client confirmed the test plan and agreed to pay for the second phase of the project in advance.

After the meeting, Adrian called me into his office.

All the paperwork for the apartment application was already spread out on the desk.

My talent certificate, patent authorization, project contribution proof, and every approval signature were all there.

"Both logistics and legal have checked everything out. The application process is solid," he said. "The company will issue an official response to the complaint."

I nodded. "Sorry for all the hassle."

"This isn't trouble." Adrian leaned back in his chair. "But the person who filed the complaint also sent the email to the industry association and a few online accounts. Legal recommends securing the evidence as soon as possible."

I handed over my authorization right then and there, asking the company to work with Vivian on the investigation.

*****

By three in the afternoon, an edited video started circulating online.

In the footage, it was Jessica standing outside the door with her suitcases, while I asked the property management to have her leave.

The uploader claimed I only landed my job through marriage, then used my promotion to snatch up a company apartment, and kicked out a relative who had nowhere else to go.

The video left out how long I'd worked at the company and never mentioned the actual requirements for getting the apartment.

The comments section was soon flooded with a wave of copy-paste remarks.

Some people called me a gold digger; others demanded the company strip me of my housing eligibility.

Someone posted the company's public phone number, rallying everyone to call in and complain.

The HR department got bombarded with over a dozen calls in a row.

Even though my coworkers didn't say anything to my face, things got kind of awkward around the office.

I didn't rush to respond. Instead, I handed the original doorbell footage over to the legal department.

In the full video, Jessica herself admitted that Lucia was the one who told her to bring her luggage over.

The property management staff also made it clear that Vertex Lofts couldn't be sublet or lent out without permission.

By evening, Vivian had tracked down the account that originally posted the video.

The account was registered under Jessica's name, and the money for boosting the post came straight from Michael's bank card.

I stared at that payment record for a long time.

This morning in the reception room, he claimed he had no idea about any of this.

But the transfer was made at 11:47 PM last night.

That was right after James had left my place.

I saved all the evidence and officially hired Vivian to file for divorce and take legal action for the infringement.

After I submitted the application materials, I got a text from an unknown number. [If you want the video to disappear, bring 60 thousand dollars to the Shaw residence at 8 PM tonight.

[Otherwise, the next video will make sure you lose your job for good.]

I sent a screenshot of the text to Vivian and also forwarded it to the company's legal department.

Vivian called me back right away. "Don't send any money, and definitely don't go there alone. They're trying to extort you and are threatening to ruin your reputation and career. That text is crucial evidence."

I asked her what I should do next.

"First, file a police report, then cooperate with the police as they instruct," she said. "And whatever you do, don't tip them off."

I gathered up the online video, the payment records for the promotion, and the original text message, then took my passport and headed to the nearest police station.

The officer on duty checked everything and registered the report.

The unknown number wasn't registered to anyone, but the message was sent from right near the Shaw residence.

At 7:30 PM, I sent a message as planned. [Let me see what you've got first.]

They shot back almost instantly. [You're not in a position to bargain.

[If the money isn't there by 8, the video goes straight to your client group chat.]

I pressed: [Where do I put the money?]

They sent me a location in an underground garage.

I recognized the number. It was the second basement level of the Shaw residence.

Before 8, I arrived near the Shaw residence with a staff member.

I didn't go into the garage. I left a file bag at the designated spot.

There wasn't any cash inside. It was regular paper cut to look like dollar bills.

Less than five minutes later, a woman in a hat and mask showed up on the security cam.

She glanced around, then snatched the file bag and took off.

I couldn't see her face, but I recognized the travel bag slung over her shoulder.

It was the same one Jessica had been carrying when she showed up with her luggage last night.

She tore open the bag, saw it was full of blank paper, and immediately pulled out her phone to call.

My phone rang at the same time.

"Claire, are you messing with me?" Jessica was so pissed that she didn't bother to disguise her voice. "You didn't give me a single dollar out of the 60 thousand? Wait and see. You're finished."

I asked calmly, "Did you send the text?"

"So what if I did?"

"And you edited the video too?"

"You bullied me and made Aunt Lucia a laughingstock in the neighborhood."

"Who paid for the promotion?"

Jessica went silent.

A few seconds later, she hung up and bolted for the garage exit.

The staff waiting nearby stopped her right there.

The file bag, her phone, and the text records were all seized and secured.

Jessica broke down in tears, saying she was trying to defend her aunt. "I never actually wanted her money. I only wanted to scare her."

The staff asked her why she took the file bag.

Jessica kept mumbling, her excuses all over the place.

Then she shifted the blame to Michael. "Michael said her job was the only thing she really cared about. He gave me money so I could pay someone to make the video blow up online.

"Aunt Lucia told me exactly what to say in the message. She said if she got scared enough, she'd come running back to the Shaw family."

Just then, Lucia and Michael came rushing out of the elevator.

Lucia lunged at Jessica and grabbed her.