Chapter 17
Chapter 17:
A calm, authoritative voice cut through the murmuring crowd, bringing a sudden silence.
It was Aiden, his casual yet firm tone demanding attention.
As he played with a bracelet in his hand, Aiden continued, “You claim to be leaders in your respective fields, yet here you stand, not thinking straight. If I messed up and then pretended nothing happened, would you let me off the hook so easily?” With those words, the crowd was jolted into realization.
It became clear that Laurie and Delilah had been the loud and assertive ones all along, while Janice barely uttered a word in her own defense. Yet, everyone had sided with Delilah by default, quick to assume Janice was the instigator.
Aiden’s intervention opened their eyes to the deceitful tactics of the mother-daughter pair.
Janice turned to Aiden, her face marked with surprise. She had always thought of him as just a mere spectator, but now he was defending her.
“Janice, aren’t you going to say anything? You can’t just watch the whole spectacle unfold, can you?”
Janice flashed a smile and responded, “You’re absolutely right. These two have indeed put on quite a show, but when confronted with the hard truth, their performance falls flat.” Shock registered in Delilah’s eyes, her heart throbbing with discomfort. The thought of Aiden siding with Janice—and Janice’s composed demeanor—unsettled her. Did Janice actually possess evidence to substantiate her accusations of theft?
“Janice, while Aiden may be under your spell, the truth will come to light. I would never stoop to theft,” Delilah retorted, her voice tinged with defiance as she fought back her rising panic.
“You sure know how to bask in the attention,” Janice remarked, her eyes twinkling mischievously. “What do you say we make this interesting with a bet?”
“What do you mean by that?” Delilah asked, her voice faltering as she gazed at Janice, bewildered.
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“If you’re truly not guilty of theft, I’ll personally ask JE to mentor you,” Janice said, crossing her arms as she cast a pointed look at Laurie. “And I’ll ensure Mrs. Edwards’ company receives resources that could catapult her to the forefront of the design industry.”
Both Delilah’s and Laurie’s faces brightened at the mention of JE, a titan in the design world whose endorsement could unlock a torrent of opportunities. Suppressing her rising excitement, Delilah responded in a calm, steady voice, “What makes you think you can persuade JE to do that?”
“Because I’m her best friend. Mr. Morris will back me up on that.” Layne quickly nodded, a grin spreading across his face. “Absolutely! Miss Edwards and JE are practically inseparable. Just a word from her, and JE will agree without a second thought.”
Since Janice and JE were the same person, the decision ultimately rested solely in her own hands.
“Fine, I agree…” Delilah gave in.
“Wait!” Janice interjected, raising her hand to pause the proceedings. “I’ve laid my cards on the table. It’s only fair you do the same, don’t you think?”
Delilah’s brow furrowed, a hint of irritation flickering across her face. “And what exactly are you suggesting?”
“If I can provide concrete proof of your theft, you must eat five kilograms of mangoes in front of everyone. How does that sound?”
Delilah’s expression changed momentarily. The proposition seemed too lenient, almost playful.
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