Chapter 113:
Ruby’s heart plummeted into an abyss of despair.
Elena’s gaze pierced through Ruby’s facade. “Who put you up to this?”
Ruby bit her lip, her face draining of all color. “No one made me do it. I resented you for ruining my reputation and costing me my job, so I did that.”
She couldn’t reveal the truth. She found herself trapped between two formidable opponents—unable to risk Elena’s wrath further, yet equally terrified of crossing the other party involved. Having already incurred Elena’s displeasure, she dared not provoke the other person lurking in the shadows.
Elena’s voice remained deceptively calm, but it sent chills down Ruby’s spine, her complexion turning ghostly. “You’re about to start at a new company, right? If I make this public, do you think they’ll still want you?”
“What do you want, Elena?” Genuine panic flooded Ruby’s voice. After Darwin’s wife had discovered their affair, he had cut Ruby from his life without a backward glance. Ruby couldn’t bear returning to a life of mundane poverty, having clawed her way through countless obstacles to secure this promising new position. If she lost it now, she wouldn’t even be able to keep a roof over her head.
Elena leaned back with calculated ease, her unwavering gaze dissecting Ruby’s every reaction. “Who put you up to this?”
Ruby nearly drew blood from her own lip, her internal struggle visible as she weighed her options. After an agonizing silence, fear of losing her financial lifeline finally loosened her tongue.
“It was Elyse.” Ruby clasped her hands together in desperate supplication. “All the defamatory information about you came from Elyse. She said she felt sorry for me and encouraged me to give the information to the media. I acted on impulse.”
“Please, Elena, let me go. I promise I’ll never appear before you again!”
Elena wasn’t surprised. She had long suspected Elyse was orchestrating the entire scheme from the shadows.
With a subtle movement, she deactivated the recording device nestled in her pocket and departed.
Today, she commanded the road in a sleek black Land Rover. Soon, she was back at the Harper family villa.
The entire family had gathered in anticipation of her return. Jeffry, attuned to the subtle shifts in Elena’s demeanor, asked with genuine concern, “What’s wrong, Elena?”
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Elena’s gaze swept across the assembled faces. “Jeffry, Mom, Dad, I’ve discovered who orchestrated the slander campaign against me.”
The atmosphere in the room instantly crystallized into tense silence. Alexander’s features hardened into granite as he demanded in a voice that brooked no argument, “Who is it? They will pay the price!” As CEO of Harper Group, Alexander exuded natural authority. His anger transformed this authority into something truly formidable.
Elyse’s eyes darted nervously, her body coiling with tension. No, it couldn’t be possible that Elena had uncovered her machinations. When she raised her gaze, however, she found Elena standing directly before her, her presence an accusation.
Alexander’s expression was carved from ice, while Jolie’s face reflected her barely contained fury. Jeffry regarded Elyse with cold detachment.
Elyse struggled to maintain her mask of innocence. “Elena, why are you looking at me like that? I’m your family. How could I possibly harm you? Alexander, Jolie, you know the type of person I am. I would never do such a thing.”
