Chapter 4

Jade looked at me and sighed.

"Listen to you, still talking tough even now. What good does it do you when the police show up? You'll lose your job and end up behind bars."

"I'm honestly thinking of you here. Own up now, and Director Lawrence can still put in a word for you. Once the police are here, nobody can help you."

Bertram didn't let her go on. He just lifted his chin at the head of security. "Take her out."

Two guards each grabbed an arm and wrenched them behind my back, hauling me out of the meeting room like a prisoner.

A few coworkers were heading toward the conference room in the hallway. They saw me being dragged out with my arms twisted behind me and froze where they stood.

The guards marched me into the big conference room.

It was already packed. Every department had been called in.

They shoved me into the middle of the front row, facing everyone.

Bertram walked over beside the screen, straightened his cuffs, picked up the remote, and pressed a button.

The big screen lit up.

On it was a bank transaction statement.

"Everyone, I've called you all here today because something very serious has happened at this company. Davina Henson, six months on the job, used her position to embezzle company funds. Three hundred thousand dollars in total. The evidence is right there on the screen. See for yourselves."

He paused, sweeping his eyes over the reactions in the room.

"I saw how young she was and wanted to give her a way out, to handle this quietly. But she won't see reason, refuses to admit a thing. So don't blame the company for showing no mercy."

The room erupted.

"It's really her? Never would've guessed…"

"Acted like such a decent person, and pockets three hundred grand in six months. Some appetite."

"Her mom had surgery last month, right? Using company money to play the devoted daughter. Shameless!"

The voices came from every direction, each one like spit thrown in my face.

Bertram picked up a microphone and walked up to me.

"Davina, in front of every coworker here, I'll ask you one last time."

"This three hundred thousand. Did you steal it or not?"

He shoved the mic right up to my mouth. Every stare stabbed into me like knives, waiting to watch me squirm.

I stayed quiet for a few seconds.

Then I stood up slowly. The bruise on my knee still ached, but I stood straight.

"Let me confirm one thing."

My voice wasn't loud, but every word came out clear.

"The evidence you're using to accuse me of embezzlement is that statement on the screen. Correct?"

Bertram looked at me, his tone flat and final.

"Ironclad proof."

I nodded.

"Good."

Just that one word.

Bertram faltered for a second, and the whispering in the room stopped for a beat too.

Right then, the conference room door was pushed open.

Two police officers stood in the doorway, with two staff in bank uniforms behind them.

Every head turned at once. It went so quiet you could hear the air conditioning.

Bertram went straight to meet them, the grief on his face switching instantly to righteous outrage.

"Officers, you're right on time. The suspect is right here, and we've got the evidence ready."

"I have evidence!"

My voice rang out from behind him.

Every eye came back to me.

I stepped forward and connected my phone to the big screen's data cable.

My finger opened one file on the screen.

The screen flickered.

Then the whole conference room went dead silent.