Chapter 25: The file is missing.

Words : 1232 Updated : Sep 12th, 2025

Chapter 25: The file is missing. The next day... Anne moved swiftly, adjusting the strap of her bag as she prepared to leave before Augustine woke up. She wanted to avoid another intense conversation with him. But the moment she slipped out of the bedroom, her steps abruptly stopped. Augustine was already awake. Standing in the hall, he was speaking on the phone, his posture tense. Anne’s breath hitched. "What? He is already awake!" she whispered under her breath. Instinctively, she turned on her heel, ready to slip back into the bedroom unnoticed. But something in his tone made her pause. Curiosity sparked in her mind. Who was he talking to? She hesitated for only a second before she began creeping down the stairs, careful to keep her footsteps light. She strained to hear his words, but his voice was frustratingly hushed, making it difficult to pick up anything clearly. Still, she kept moving, each step bringing her closer. Then, his next words sent a chill down her spine. "Are you sure about this?" Augustine’s voice was tense. "How could he be dead in police custody?" Dead? Anne froze. A flicker of unease rippled through her. ’Who is dead?’ With a cautious step, she edged even closer—her heart pounding as she waited to hear more. "It’s a mystery," Gustave said grimly. "But the whole thing is suspicious. Someone influential is behind it." Augustine remained silent, his mind already piecing together the puzzle. He knew exactly who was responsible. Gustave continued, "And that’s not all. His company has been attacked from all sides. Before we even had a chance to move against him, his business started crumbling—deals are being canceled, ordered materials have been returned, contracts revoked. If this continues, his company will collapse within days." A heavy pause followed. "What is your order? Should I investigate further?" "No," Augustine said evenly. "Billy wasn’t a good man. He got the punishment he deserved." "What did you say?! Billy is dead!" The sharp, stunned voice cut through the air like a blade. Augustine stiffened. His entire body tensed as he slowly turned around. Anne stood there at the foot of the stairs, her face frozen in shock. His fingers instinctively tightened around the phone. "Did you... Did you do something to him?" she asked cautiously, her eyes searching his for answers. Augustine ended the call, lowering the phone as his heart sank. He opened his mouth to reply, but she exclaimed, "You killed him!" "No, no... let me explain—" Augustine started, but Anne cut him off again. "I know he did terrible things to me, but killing him was not the solution." Her eyes burned with disappointment. "He was already in police custody. The law would have punished him for his actions. Why did you intervene? This is unacceptable." She took a shaky breath, her fists clenching at her sides. "You... you disappointed me." "Anne, please—" But she had already turned away and stormed out of the house, leaving Augustine standing in the silence she left behind. His body tensed as he stared at her departing form. A hollow ache settled deep in his chest. ’She doesn’t trust me,’ he thought. A lump formed in his throat. Amidst the hurt, a quiet determination ignited within him. ’I’ll prove my innocence.’ ~~~~~~~~~ Anne arrived at the office, her mood already dampened by the events of the morning. The unsettling revelations, the disappointment weighing on her heart—it all lingered, making it difficult to focus. As she approached her desk, Becca greeted her with a bright smile. "Good morning." Anne mustered a small smile in return, pushing her distress deep down. "Good morning, Becca," she replied as she settled into her chair. Becca’s eyes flickered with curiosity. "How are you feeling today? You didn’t work too late last night, did you?" "It wasn’t that late," Anne assured her, pulling out her laptop from her bag. As she placed it on the desk, Becca’s gaze instinctively dropped to the device, a strange glint flashing through her eyes. Her heart raced in anticipation—soon, Anne would realize the report was gone. Soon, Denis would be furious. Just the thought made it difficult to contain her excitement. But before she could relish the moment, Anne’s voice interrupted her thoughts. "You know," Anne began casually, "something funny happened last night." Her gaze moved to Becca fleetingly. "I thought I saw you sneaking out of the office just as I was about to leave. But you had already left, hadn’t you? Or did you stay late?" Becca’s body stiffened, her expression faltering for a fraction of a second. A sudden wave of nervousness crept up her spine. ’She noticed me!’ Panic surged through her veins, but she quickly smothered it. "You must have been imagining things," Becca said smoothly, brushing off Anne’s words with a light chuckle. "I left right after I waved goodbye to you." Anne studied her for a moment before nodding slowly. Maybe she had been mistaken. ’After all, why would Becca be sneaking around the office late at night?’ Shaking the thought away, she turned her attention to her laptop and clicked open the folder where she had saved the report. Her fingers hovered over the trackpad—then stopped. Her stomach dropped. The file was missing. Anne blinked, her eyes scanning the folder again. ’It was here last night. I saved it. I am sure of it.’ But now—it was gone. Anne squinted at the screen, confused. "Where could it have vanished?" she mumbled under her breath. Her fingers moved quickly, searching through the folder she knew she had saved it in. "I saved it right here last night. Why isn’t it here?" Frowning, she navigated through her laptop, opening other folders, hoping she had misplaced it somewhere. But no matter where she looked, she couldn’t find the file. A flicker of unease crawled up her spine. Maybe she had deleted it by accident? Holding onto that hope, she quickly checked the Trash folder—only to find it empty. Across the desk, Becca watched Anne’s distress with concealed delight. Her plan had worked. Still, she quickly masked her smirk with a look of concern, standing and stepping closer to Anne’s desk. "Is everything alright, Anne?" she asked, feigning worry. "You look flustered." Anne’s gaze lifted, and to Becca’s surprise, she smiled. ’She is smiling!’ Becca’s brows furrowed. She had expected panic. Nervousness. Maybe even an attempt to explain herself. But Anne looked... unbothered. Irritation flickered beneath her forced concern. "It’s nothing. I just can’t find the report I prepared," Anne replied casually as if it was not a big deal. Becca’s eyes gleamed, but she gasped dramatically. "The report? You mean the project development report?" She deliberately raised her voice, loud enough for the entire office to hear. Several employees turned their heads in curiosity. "You lost it?" she exclaimed, pretending to be shocked. Anne’s lips parted, about to respond, but before she could, a cold, authoritative voice cut through the air. "What is the commotion here?" A heavy silence fell as Denis approached, his sharp gaze sweeping over the room before settling on Anne. Beside him, Tania stood smugly, her arm linking with Denis’s. Becca inwardly smirked but kept her face carefully composed. She stuttered, faking nervousness, "S-Sir, it’s... Anne... she lost a file." Denis’s eyes darkened. "What file?" His voice was ice-cold.

Chapter 25: The file is missing.

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