Chapter 26
Somehow, the video had been leaked online and quickly went viral. Our project had already been highly visible, and many people who disliked us found the scandal entertaining and spread it widely.
At first, some bystanders didn’t grasp the full picture. But when they discovered that I had moved from Zach’s company to Diana’s company, and compared the development of both companies over the past year, they believed the story that I had stolen core company secrets. They joined the bandwagon, relentlessly attacking me online. Some even suggested boycotting us.
I was summoned to the police station. When I saw Zach there as the plaintiff, I noticed he couldn’t meet my eyes. I roughly understood what had happened.
“You and Hannah never really broke up, did you?” I asked calmly, “It was the Hannah who stole the confidential files and nearly bankrupted the company. That day, with the broken pipe, that was all a setup, wasn’t it?”
I kept my voice calm and even, laying out my suspicions without a trace of impatience.
At the villa, I had noticed many unusual things. The women’s slippers at the entrance, the tissues with lipstick stains in the bathroom trash, and even the blue velvet curtains he hated so much hanging by the window.
At the time, I hadn’t thought much of it, assuming that maybe he had changed somewhat after being with Hannah. But now it seemed some things never change.
Zach pressed his lips into a thin line. “I never wanted any of this.”
“Hannah is still young. She has many opportunities ahead of her. I can’t ruin her life because of a single mistake.”
“And what about me?” I let out a scornful laugh. “After nine years together, after everything I did for you, and you think it’s okay to destroy me like this?”
Zach stiffened for a moment and apologized. A bitter laugh escaped me. What good was an apology now?
He was free to love someone else, free to leave me for another person, and I wouldn’t blame him for that.
But I could not stomach that after everything I had sacrificed for him, he would throw me to the wolves to cover up someone else’s mistake.
I looked at him with the last shred of hope. “Are you sure you want to protect her by destroying me?”
After a long pause, the words that finally left his lips were cold and final. “Then let it be my fault.”
Then he didn’t say another word and turned to leave.
As I watched his retreating figure, the last trace of feeling I had for him vanished completely.
Little did he know, he was the one who would be dragged into the abyss next, not me.
