chapter 48

Stella barged in immediately and told him to wait, "you must not drink that tea, it is poisoned!" She said and came to snatch the tea away from him.
"What is the meaning of that? Have you completely lost it?" Justin questioned with muddled brain.
"No, Justin�� Mrs Smith, it is not a lie, Gena and Ivy saw Sophia poisoning the tea. They are eye witnesses!" Stella voiced out.
"What?" Justin and Mrs Smith chorused, the door opened widely and many trainees and other staff members stood there to see what was going on, Ivy and Gena stepped out.
"Stella, how can you say that about me?" Sophia's shoulders fell, her eyes filled with tears, and her heart summersaulted and sank at the words that came out of her most trusted friend's mouth.
"Sophia, I'm your friend, and you know I can't say evil against you, but I couldn't hide the truth and allow Justin die just like that because I want to save the face of a friend. I might not be sure about it, but Gena and Ivy told me and I couldn't keep it to myself" Stella replied.
"Why are you beating about the bush, Stella? I told you nothing but the truth, if you guys doubt it, why not give her the tea to drink if she claims to be innocent?!" Gena stated.
"Yes, don't waste time about it. I can't just start lying about such a serious thing, or hasn't anyone noticed that ever since she came into this organization, we have been moving from one problem to another and she has done a good job of jumping from one man to another?" Ivy pointed out.
"What do one expect from a girl whose parents are criminals and, she too is a slut. She must be a spy planted inside us by the enemies" Someone said from the crowd.
"That is true, she is an enemy agent!" Another person supported.
"All of you shut the hell up!" Mrs Smith raged. "Sophia, you made this tea, if you are certain there is nothing inside it, drink it" she faced Sophia daringly.
Sophia fell down on her knees and wailed, "I didn't do such a thing. Please, believe me"
"Take the tea, drink and let's see if you are saying the truth or they are right" Mrs Smith stood her ground, she wants her to prove them wrong.
Sophia went to take the tea from Stella. Stella purposely allowed the tea cup to fall down and everything poured on the floor, the cup split into two.
"What? She did that on purpose, she knows what she has done and she is afraid to die that is why she made the tea fall, did you guys see that?" Stella accused Sophia even more.
"Stella, it wasn't me that did that, my hands didn't even get to touch it, you let it fall" Sophia cried slumping to the floor. That was the end for her.
"Well, wether she likes it or not, the truth must be known today, call your new dog Ivy," Gena said with a snap of her finger, "you have to do that asap!"
"My expensive dog, I just bought it yesterday and I am planning to raise it for security purposes" Ivy muttered going to get the dog.
When she brought the dog, Gena made it lick the tea and everyone watched earnestly to see what will happen.
Sophia wept. She knew this is a conspired allegation to destroy her, these three girls planned this evil against her, what did she do to them?
The dog started barking funnily, after some moments, it fell on the floor and stretched its legs in everlasting rest. Sophia covered her face and wished for death to come, the shame is just too much.
"What do you have to say about this, Sophia?" Mrs Smith asked.
"A clear conscience fears no accusations. Even if I die because of this, I won't accept something I did not do. I know whoever did this just wants to tarnish my image, it is a success, I hope the truth comes out one day" Sophia said bravely and wiped her tears.
Mrs Smith crossed over to her side and slapped her cheek, "how dare you want to kill my son! I trusted you, Sophia, and I even promoted you before your seniors!! I guess I made a big mistake for doing that!!!"
Sophia held her cheek and looked down at her toes, she let her tears fall like rain on her toes, what more is called humiliation? This is what whoever poisoned the tea wanted to see.
"Mom, take it easy on her. Someone might plot this against her and you know it!" Justin defended sadly.
"Will you shut up you idiot! You would have been like this dog right here, and have you thought about that? Who else helped her make the tea? Nobody! She did it on her own and nemesis caught up with her!" Mrs Smith roared.
"This doesn't make sense at all!" Justin walked out of the room angrily.
"Sophia, you are hereby ostracized, guards, take her away! And all of you get lost!" Mrs Smith commanded.
"Outrageous!" Someone commented as they all left to their different rooms, there will be something to gossip about till further notice.
***
Mrs Smith paced around his living room, he was impatiently waiting for a call from his men. He has been able to buy someone inside Mrs Smith's organization and the spy did a great job in giving them legit information today.
He tapped his foot angrily. Mrs Smith has really vexed him, how can she be against him with that Mr Mc Millan? He has to meet her and talk to her about it! There is no way she is going to defeat him.
"These bastards! Why don't they ever report in time?!" He growled. "And to think that that woman aligned with my enemy!" He kicked the table in fury and jumped up wincing in pain.