Chapter 461 Should I Remind Garry
After a moment of hesitation, she decided to share her suspicions with Seb.
Seb listened, his brow furrowing slightly. "I get it. I'll have Paul look into it."
"Okay," Sharon replied with a sigh, hoping Ariana had nothing to do with it.
After dinner, Seb headed back to his study. Just as he picked up a document, his phone rang.
"Mr. Smith, there's news from Falcon. The owner behind Vertex Innovations Group... you know him."
Seb's expression didn't change. "Is it Leo?"
"Yes."
"Got it. Keep a close watch on Starlight Corporation. Leo's probably aiming to merge with the Bridges Group."
"Alright, should we warn Garry?"
If Vertex Innovations Group merged with the Bridges Group, it would be a big threat to Silvercrest Group.
"No need. Let's see what he does next. Also, find out where the funds Kirk embezzled ended up."
"Kirk? Okay." Paul remembered he was the team leader who had embezzled millions from the company's pharmaceutical research funds.
Millions weren't much for Silvercrest Group. Normally, Seb wouldn't get involved; the legal department would handle it. Why was he looking into it now?
The next morning, Sharon called Ariana to invite her to dinner that evening to see her off.
Ariana was silent for a long time before speaking. "Sharon, I appreciate it, but there's no need for dinner. I need to pack and I'm quite busy. If there's nothing else, let's leave it at that."
Then Ariana hung up.
Listening to the dial tone, Sharon sighed, put down her phone, and got up to wash up.
As soon as she arrived at the lab, Jake approached her. "Sharon, got time tonight? How about we meet with Ariana?"
Sharon pursed her lips. "I called her this morning. She refused. She probably doesn't want to see me. You can call her for dinner, but I'm not going."
Jake's face turned sour.
"We're trying to see her off and she doesn't even want to show up? Has she been brainwashed? How did she become like this?"
Back in Aidamore, Sharon had helped Ariana a lot, and Ariana had always been grateful. It hadn't been long since they came to Metropolis, and she had changed so much.
The more Jake thought about it, the more disheartened he felt.
Sharon felt the same.
"The experiment's about to start. I'll go prepare. You should too."
She walked past Jake and left.
Jake thought for a moment and decided not to see Ariana off.
Such an ungrateful person, he would pretend he never knew her.
Meanwhile, Ariana had been packing all morning and finally finished. She sat down to rest in the living room.
Just as she picked up her phone, she remembered Sharon's call that morning.
Her feelings towards Sharon were complicated.
On one hand, she was very grateful for Sharon's past help. On the other hand, she was afraid Sharon would look down on her if she knew what she had done, so she didn't want too much contact.
While she was lost in thought, her phone rang.
Seeing it was Floyd, she hesitated but answered. "Mr. Almanza, what's up?"
"Ms. Stout, my assistant found out that the money you gave me is linked to the funds Mr. Marshall embezzled. When can we meet?"
Ariana's breath caught, and she instinctively denied it. "I don't know what you're talking about!"
"Ms. Stout, I'll be waiting for you at 2 PM at the café where we last met. If you don't show, I'll have to hand the evidence over to the authorities."
Before Ariana could respond, Floyd hung up.
She didn't dare call back, gripping her phone tightly, feeling a wave of fear wash over her.
If she met Floyd, not only would she lose the money, but she might also get sued by Silvercrest Group.
No... she had to leave today!
Taking a deep breath to steady herself, she called Floyd back. "Mr. Almanza, I can't make it at 2 PM. How about 4 PM?"
Floyd agreed easily, "Sure."
After hanging up, Ariana grabbed her suitcase and left. As for the cat she had adopted, she simply gave it to her neighbor without a second thought.
She booked the earliest flight and took a taxi to the airport.
Meanwhile, in the Silvercrest Group president's office.
Sharon and Seb were having lunch when Paul knocked and hurried in.
"Mr. Smith, we found out... Kirk transferred the embezzled money to another account in cash. He used that account to buy a house in Ariana's name. Ariana sold that house a few days ago for $600,000."
Sharon's fork clattered to the ground, her face full of disbelief.
So... this was why Ariana resigned?
Did she know taking that money was illegal?
The more Sharon thought about it, the more disheartened she felt.
She finally understood Ariana's recent strange behavior.
Seb's expression was cold. "Call the police immediately."
"Yes, Mr. Smith."
After Paul left, Seb sat down beside Sharon, who was sitting on the sofa in a daze.
"Sharon, I had Paul call the police. You won't be mad, will you?"
Sharon had calmed down from her initial shock and disbelief.
She lowered her eyes and spoke slowly, "Everyone has to be responsible for their actions... Since she chose to do this, she should be ready to face the consequences."
"I'm just worried you'll be sad."
After all, Ariana was her junior.
Sharon shook her head. "No... her resignation already disappointed me. I won't be sad now."
Seb's eyes showed a hint of concern. Although Sharon said she wouldn't be sad, her clenched hands on her lap showed she still cared about Ariana.
"Don't think about it anymore. You didn't eat much earlier. Have some more."
"Okay." Sharon picked up her fork again but found the food tasteless.
She didn't know when Ariana had changed. Not long ago, she was a diligent and obedient junior, but now she had become an accomplice in Kirk's embezzlement.
After thinking for a long time, Sharon decided not to dwell on it.
No matter the reason for Ariana's crime, she had to pay the price.
At the airport.
Ariana had just picked up her ticket when two police officers stopped her.
One of the officers showed his badge and said sternly, "Ms. Stout, you are suspected of being involved in the embezzlement case with Kirk. Please come with us."
Ariana froze, and the ticket in her hand fell to the ground.
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