Chapter 107 Fired
Penelope wasn’t very tall, but the badge on her chest gave her an undeniable air of authority, like she was ready to confront any injustice that dared to cross her path.
Leonard scowled, releasing my arm. “Officer, I just wanted to talk to her.”
“Talk about what? Because from where I’m standing, it looks more like you’re about to escalate a domestic dispute.”
Emma and I exchanged glances, both of us finding Penelope’s fierce stance strangely comforting.
Leonard stepped closer, irritation radiating off him. “Officer, is the police really going to interfere with a simple conversation between a husband and wife?”
“Your wife? Oh, I almost forgot! I thought Ms. Jane, the one you were seen hugging at the police station, was your wife!”
Her voice rang out, loud enough to draw the attention of nearby shoppers. It was as if she hadn’t noticed the audience, raising her voice just a touch more.
“How come I never see you standing up for her at the police station? Now you want to have a chat? A talk about divorce, maybe? Or are you trying to prove her innocence? The cyber police can spot that video as a fake in an instant–don’t tell me the tech team at Harmon Group can’t do the same?”
Maybe Penelope was just a cynical little cop, but right now, she was sparking with energy, like a firecracker ready to go off.
Leonard stood there, momentarily dumbfounded, clearly unprepared for her sharp inquiries.
“Officer Crowe, is there something you need?” I quickly pulled Penelope aside, desperate to ease the mounting tension.
She shot me a confused glance. “Aren’t you going to report what’s happening online?”
“Harmon Group has already filed a report, haven’t they?”
Penelope leveled a cold stare at Leonard, her expression saying what words couldn’t. So, he hadn’t actually called the police; he’d only sent a lawyer’s letter? Was that just for appearances, a way to soothe public outrage?
A wave of dizziness washed over me as the implications settled in, and the world around me began to
blur.
Emma quickly steadied me. “Feeling dizzy?”
I I waved her off, trying to shake the fog in my head. ‘Officer Crowe, this situation…”
“Harmon Group will handle it on our own,” Leonard interrupted, his tone flat as he stepped in front of me.
“I’m her husband. I can take care of this without the police interfering.”
“Not a chance,” Penelope shot back, hands planted on her hips. “The other party is involved in spreading explicit videos to tarnish her reputation. The police can’t just ignore that.
“I’ll remind you, the law has a long reach. The Harmon family doesn’t just sweep things under the rug.”
“I’m here to gather information. Don’t get in the way of my investigation,” she insisted, pushing past him, but he didn’t budge.
“You can’t conduct an investigation alone; that’s against protocol.”
Leonard’s words hung in the air, momentarily stumping Penelope, but she quickly shook it off and turned her focus back to me
“I’m friends with Eva and just want to ask her some questions. Whoever’s spreading these rumors will face the consequences,” she declared.
I nodded awkwardly, not wanting to discourage the fire in Penelope’s spirit.
As I turned to leave with Emma and Penelope, Leonard called out to me again.
Penelope shot him an impatient glare. “Leonard, your wife is on the verge of being ruined! You’d better find some evidence; trying to cover this up could land you in jail!”
With that, we rushed out of the furniture store, diving into Emma’s car as if it were a lifeboat in choppy
seas.
Penelope glanced at me, a flicker of nervous energy in her eyes. “I was just passing by today.”
“I get it. Thanks, Officer Crowe.”
“I just can’t stand how Leonard acts. He clearly doesn’t care about you; he’s such a-”
Before she could finish, Emma let out a loud cough. Penelope quickly licked her lips and reached for the door.
“Eva, if you know anything or have any evidence, you should give it to me. I know you’re principled; don’t let these people pull your strings,” she said, her tone earnest.
She didn’t shut the door, her gaze locked onto mine, searching for a glimmer of truth.
I shook my head, feeling both helpless and frustrated. “Sorry, I really don’t have any evidence. But I cant tell you that your instincts about this whole thing might be spot on.”
She was already suspicious of Lily, let her follow that lead. The Harmon family was adept at covering their tracks, leaving Lily as the only possible scapegoat if anything went awry.
When Emma and I returned to the office, the atmosphere felt off. Suddenly, someone’s phone blared, cutting through the murmur with Lily’s furious voice. I instinctively glanced over at the gossip group.
To my surprise, I saw Lily being held back by security at the entrance, straining against their grip as she tried to push her way inside. Many coworkers were watching, while she sobbed uncontrollably,” completely oblivious to her disheveled appearance.
Jean sidled closer. “Mr. Harmon fired her the moment he walked in and said something about a severance package. This is quite the scene, isn’t it?”
Before I could wrap my mind around the chaos, I overheard someone mutter nearby.
“Did Mr. Harmon really go down? I thought there was a livestream at the front desk.
“Has Mr. Harmon fallen out of love that fast? I figured Lily could at least hold on for six months!”
Without a second thought, I pressed the elevator button, a gnawing sense of dread pushing me down. As the doors slid open in the lobby, I was met with a shocking scene–Lily on the floor, her cries cutting through the air like glass.
“Leonard, you bastard! You can’t fire me! I’m carrying your child! I’m the benefactor of the Harmon family; I deserve to stay!”
At that moment, nothing else mattered to her; she pleaded with raw desperation, ignoring the venom in Leonard’s glare.
33
e.
stood firm, arms crossed, giving nothing away except the order for security to keep her at a
Lily’s eyes locked onto mine. “Eva, you bitch! Eva, Eva Green!”
reached out, as if to pull me into her turmoil, but I froze, ten feet away, horrified as I caught sight of bod trickling down her legs.
