Was this a wire recorder? Could Vespera be bluffing? Her hands and feet had been tied; how could she have possibly hidden a recorder under the coffee table? But then again… she had survived jumping into the sea…

Blake’s mind raced, frantically calculating his odds. Just as he decided to take the gamble, Vespera suddenly let out a small gasp, as if remembering something.

“Oh! I almost forgot—it uploads to the cloud. It uploads automatically every ten minutes: Does anyone have a laptop?”

Dominic was instantly there. “Bring a laptop.”

Blake’s blood ran cold. His last shred of composure shattered. Within moments, a laptop was placed in front of Vespera. She swiftly logged into her cloud storage. She glanced up, meeting Blake’s eyes with a knowing smirk before pressing her finger to the screen.

Panic overtook Blake as he lunged forward, snatching the laptop and clutching it to his chest. “Ms. Gildon, let’s not be impulsive. We can talk about this.”

“Talk about what?” Vespera scoffed. “You tried to assault me and keep me imprisoned. Hadn’t I risked my life jumping from the second floor into the sea, do you really think I’d be sitting here right now?”

“You’re mistaken!” Blake protested.

“Then prove it. If you have nothing to hide, open the laptop and let everyone hear for themselves.”

“Ms. Gildon, please! I have a family to support! I’m begging you, let me go! I’ll even drop to my knees and apologize if that’s what it takes!”

“Let you go?” Vespera retorted. “Did you ever think about letting me go? I’m my parents’ only daughter. If they knew I was nearly assaulted by a disgusting, shameless coward like you, do you think they’d just forgive and forget?”

Her anger burned hotter with every word. Without hesitation, she turned to the others, signaling for them to see the laptop. She would see this through.

Meanwhile, Blake was unraveling. Clutching the laptop to his chest like a lifeline, he blurted out in desperation, “I was trying to help you! I admit I said some things I shouldn’t have, but it was just a joke! A moment of stupidity. Please, don’t ruin my life over this!”

“Go to hell, you disgusting excuse for a human! You want forgiveness? Sure. Cut your dick off first!”

“Vespera! Don’t be ridiculous! Nothing even happened! I was just passing by, and fine, maybe I made a few offhand comments, but that’s hardly a crime!”

“Then explain why you put your hands on my leg!”

“I was checking if you were injured!”

Their verbal clash had reached its peak. Just as some onlookers were starting to think Vespera was being too aggressive, a chilling realization struck them—Blake had just admitted everything. Not only had he been at that house, but he had also put his hands on her.

Everyone’s gaze was filled with disdain as they looked at him. Nancy stood frozen, her mind reeling. She had never once considered the possibility that Vespera was telling the truth. But now, there was no way to deny it.

On the other end of the line, Samuel let out a cold, mocking scoff. His voice cut through the silence, deep and commanding.

“It’s time for action now, Dominic, handle this properly. Report it to the authorities, take whatever action is necessary—there’s no need to show mercy.”

The verdict was final. Blake’s fate had been sealed. His legs buckled, and he crumpled to the floor in defeat.

Samuel’s voice resonated again, “Ms. Gildon, your bravery is truly commendable.” He gave a knowing smile, aware that the recorder was never there; it had all been part of her clever bluff. She had certainly played her cards masterfully—every move was calculated, every word strategically placed. She had skillfully read Blake’s psychology, manipulating the situation to her advantage. She was sharp, audacious, and undeniably capable—someone with…

“Thank you for the kind words, Mr. Reid Senior,” Vespera responded, her voice calm and steady.

“Welcome to Tavian Group, Ms. Gildon.”

With that, the call ended. Vespera could hardly believe it—Samuel himself had personally welcomed her to the company. The magnitude of the gesture left her feeling overwhelmed. A surge of excitement flooded her, leaving her head spinning; she felt as if she were dreaming.

Out of nowhere, she felt a strange weightlessness, as though she were floating. The sights and sounds around her blurred, fading into a distant…