"Don’t try to blame others," Ivy snapped back. "We all saw what happened! Need more proof?" She reached for Zack’s hand, urgency twisting her features. "Call the police!"
But Zack evaded her grasp. "Bella has a valid point," he argued, side-stepping Ivy’s demand. "A thief wouldn’t keep the stolen item right here. It isn’t very reasonable. This is a setup. Someone is certainly messing up with her. I’ll get to the bottom of it. And I’ll find out who is trying to frame her. Check the surveillance footage."
He directed Amy, who gave a curt nod and marched back to her desk.
"Zack, you might not have been aware that the cameras haven’t been working since yesterday," Ivy said. "They’ll be up by day’s end, though."
Zack’s lips curved into a knowing smirk. A flicker of cynicism crossed his eyes as they scanned the dormant security cameras. This wasn’t the first time they had failed him.
"Nowadays, I can’t rely on the cameras installed here."
He recalled the missed opportunity to catch the culprit who had deleted a crucial presentation file from Bella’s computer under similar circumstances.
"Fortunately," Zack continued with a more decisive tone, "I installed a spy camera to keep a watchful eye on my staff." His declaration hung in the air, heavy with implication. "Soon, we’ll find out who the real thief is."
As Zack’s words settled, a wave of unease swept through the room, particularly affecting Olivia. Her face drained of color, her eyes widening in fear as the realization of impending exposure dawned on her. The once-confident facade crumbled under the weight of impending scrutiny.
Spy camera!
The revelation of a hidden camera sent a tremor through Ivy. A flicker of apprehension darted across her face. It seemed her carefully laid plan to oust Bella was unraveling once more.
Disappointment and fury bubbled within her, a noxious cocktail she had to swallow. Lashing out wouldn’t help; it would only draw suspicion. She could do nothing but stand there silently, swallowing the bitter pill of disappointment.
Meanwhile, Amy returned to Zack’s side, a tablet clutched in her hand. "Here it is, sir," she announced, displaying the captured footage on the screen.
The video clearly showed Olivia sneaking into Bella’s workstation after everyone left the previous day, carefully placing the pen drive in a conspicuous spot. It was undeniable evidence that she had purposely stirred up this issue to frame Bella for stealing. Now, thanks to the hidden camera, the truth would be laid bare.
As Zack watched the footage, his expression darkened. He felt a surge of anger at her audacity to orchestrate such a scheme, intending to ruin Bella’s reputation and career.
His gaze snapped towards Olivia, his expression hardening into a thundercloud. Barely contained rage flared in his nostrils as he barked, "Can you explain this?" He thrust the tablet toward her.
Olivia’s confident facade crumbled under Zack’s accusatory stare. Her face paled, a mixture of fear and shame coloring her features as she struggled to formulate a response, but the weight of the evidence against her was insurmountable.
Olivia swallowed hard, her mind racing for an explanation that could salvage her credibility. But as the seconds ticked by, it became clear that there was no plausible defense for her actions.
All the drama she had put up crumbled. She had been caught red-handed, and the consequences of her deceit were now unavoidable. She had done all this to drive Bella out of the office, but the plan had backfired and she was now on the verge of losing her job, or worse, Zack could hand her over to the police.
The tablet felt like a lead weight in her trembling hands, threatening to slip from her grasp. Before it could clatter to the floor, Ivy snatched it away with a predatory swiftness.
"I apologize," Olivia stammered with desperation. Her eyes pleaded with Zack for understanding, for a shred of mercy. Sincerity was her only weapon now. "I wronged Bella, I know that. But it wasn’t my intention. I was just..."
Pa...
The rest of her words died on her lips as a stinging slap landed on her cheek. The sudden violence startled her, leaving her momentarily stunned. Her hand flew to her burning cheek, eyes widening in disbelief as they darted to Ivy.
"How dare you!" Ivy snarled. She lunged at Olivia and grabbed her arm tightly—so tightly that it made Olivia wince in pain. Leaning in close, Ivy spoke in a dangerous whisper, "If you even think about mentioning my name, you’ll regret it."
Olivia’s heart sank in dread. She was trapped in a twisted nightmare. Denying the truth would cost her dearly, but revealing Ivy’s involvement would be a suicide mission. Either way, she seemed destined to lose her job and go to jail.
The rest of the office watched in stunned silence, absorbing the dramatic turn of events. The atmosphere was thick with tension, everyone waiting to see how Zack would handle the situation.
The fury in Ivy’s voice crackled like lightning. "You lied!" she barked, shoving Olivia back with a violent shove. "You tried to frame the innocent."
"I am sorry," Olivia cried out. "I was wrong. I let my hostility toward Bella cloud my judgment. I just wanted her out of here."
She confessed her entire scheme, laying bare the web of deceit she had spun. But she had not exposed Ivy. "I take full responsibility for my actions. Please, sir, forgive me."
Zack finally spoke, his voice cold and authoritative. "Olivia, your actions are inexcusable. Instead of doing your job diligently, you chose to deceive and sabotage a colleague instead. I can’t let you off without punishing you."
A sneer twisted his features. "If I hadn’t installed this spy camera, it would have been hard to prove Bella’s innocence. You wouldn’t have stopped until you had seen her fired. Why should I even consider forgiveness? Shouldn’t I be calling the police right now?"
Olivia crumpled, her sobs wracking her frail frame. Sensing no mercy from Zack, she pivoted towards Bella, a desperate plea blooming in her eyes. Reaching out, she grasped Bella’s hands, her touch clinging.
"Bella, please forgive me," she choked out. "I made a terrible mistake. I was wrong, and I sincerely apologize. Please, Bella, let this go. Forgive me, can you?"
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