Chapter 302 The Shadow of Adeline's Life
Adeline glanced back at the gossiping women, who immediately went quiet, caught off guard by her sudden attention.
Emma Brown, looking nervous, stuttered, "You... you heard us?"
Adeline frowned. Of course, she heard them. She'd been on a call with Bennett earlier and forgot to take out her Bluetooth earpiece.
The nerve of these women, whispering behind her back and thinking she was clueless about their whispers. She'd put up with their chatter, but their disrespect was too much.
She fixed Emma with a cold stare. "You still haven't answered my question. What happened to Ava?"
Emma hesitated, then handed her phone to Adeline. "See for yourself. We're not sure it's true, but these chat logs are going around."
Adeline took the phone, scrolling through the messages with a humorless smile.
The logs showed Ava being lured to a deserted spot by someone named "Stella" and then beaten by several men. Ava, convinced by the account's self-proclaimed identity as Adeline, unhesitatingly shared screenshots of their conversation and threatened to report the matter to the police.
Ridiculous. Adeline had been with Jasper all night. When Ava was attacked, she was right beside him. The idea she orchestrated this was laughable.
She finished reading and handed the phone back to Emma. "You think a few screenshots can incriminate me?" she asked. "You've gossiped about me before. If I were as powerful as you think, do you really believe you'd still be standing here?"
Her words left the group silent.
The elevator dinged, signaling their arrival at the design department. Adeline stepped out, leaving the stunned women behind.
Did Ava really think a few screenshots could frame her? So naive.
First, chat logs aren't solid evidence in court. Second, she had an airtight alibi. Jasper, Ryan, Tim, Tom – even Thomas could vouch for her.
Whoever confessed in those messages was an idiot.
"Adeline," Lucia greeted her as she entered the department. "Don't worry, I've already talked to the team about spreading rumors."
"Anything else I can do?" she asked, concerned.
Adeline smiled. "No, thanks, Lucia. I appreciate it."
She entered her office. Her three assistants, minus Ava, were already working.
Timothy was sketching, following her instructions. Robert was deep into a jewelry design book, and Anne was organizing files.
Seeing her, Anne quickly stood and handed her a document. "Adeline, this is an apology letter from Robert and me. Timothy was right; we saw Ava's posts yesterday but were scared to tell you. We were wrong."
Adeline took the letter, glancing at Timothy, who winked playfully.
She chuckled. "Alright, enough drama. Just get back to work."
She set the letter aside and got ready to dive into her tasks.
Meanwhile, downstairs, chaos was brewing.
Ava, backed by friends and former classmates, stormed into the Foster Group building with a banner that read, "Adeline, Kneel and Apologize!"
Thomas, pretending to intervene, dramatically collapsed as if shoved aside, letting them pass. Once they were gone, he dusted himself off and resumed his post, a dreamy smile on his face.
Outside, Stella, dressed elegantly in white, stepped out of a car, eyes gleaming with anticipation. She wanted to see the spectacle firsthand.
Ava, knowing the chat logs were weak evidence, had turned to public humiliation, stoking online outrage. Stella, using a different number, had egged her on, saying, "If I were you, my friends would rally behind me. They'd picket the Foster Group, ruin her reputation!"
Watching the group enter the building, Stella thought Ava, despite her naiveté, was a useful pawn. Some people were just easy to manipulate.
With a sigh, she adjusted her designer handbag and headed for the entrance.
"Mrs. Foster?"
Thomas' voice, oddly familiar, stopped her.
She looked up, confused by his unfamiliar face and unsettling smile. "Do I know you?"
"Don't you remember me, Mrs. Foster?" he murmured. "We met six years ago."
Stella froze.
'Six years ago? He knows the old Adeline?' she thought.
"I'm afraid you're mistaken," she said, keeping her voice neutral. "Maybe you could jog my memory?"
"The cross-sea bridge, Mrs. Foster," he whispered, leaning closer. "Before you fell, who was the last person you saw?"
His gaze sent a shiver down her spine.
"I'm sorry," she said, stepping back. "I don't recall."
She brushed past him and entered the building, trying to put distance between them.
In the elevator, she felt his eyes on her. She glanced back; he was still watching, a sinister smile on his lips.
'Who is this guy? And what's his connection to Adeline?'
She discreetly snapped a picture of him with her phone.
Inside the elevator, she studied the image, her mind racing. She couldn't place him.
Frustrated, she sent the photo to Molly: [Do you know him?]
Molly's irritated reply came quickly: [I told you to contact me only if necessary.]
A moment later, the image loaded.
[Where did you find him?]
"[This man is Adeline's worst nightmare come to life,] Molly smirked and replied.
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