Lavender Hill? Setting Darnell up?
Zoey’s words instantly silenced the room, drawing everyone’s attention to her in shock.
Eliezer’s face changed dramatically, and he shouted, “Zoey, are you crazy? Or did he take naked photos of you to threaten you?”
Brian’s eyelids twitched. “Yeah, what nonsense are you talking about?”
Zoey coughed lightly, pushed away Brian who was supporting her, and looked at Areli and the others as she spoke clearly, “I am not Mr. Izzard’s niece. I was hired by him at a high price to set Darnell up. If you don’t believe me, you can go ask Lavender Hill.”
“If that doesn’t work, you can ask Mr. Izzard himself. See how much he knows about my personal information.”
Zoey smiled delicately. “If he can’t answer, it means I’m not his niece.”
“Don’t listen to her nonsense. She’s had a lot to drink tonight and is not in her right mind,” Eliezer said with a hint of panic, shouting towards Areli, Roberto, and James. “Miss Fanshaw, Mr. Gower, Officer Adington, don’t believe her.”
“She is indeed my niece. She’s just drunk and prone to babbling. Sometimes she even claims to be a deity.”
“Don’t believe her. I’ll take her away now to avoid further embarrassment.”
Brian also spoke up under Roberto’s gaze. “I’ll take her away immediately.”
Darnell chuckled. “Mr. Izzard, didn’t you just say your niece never lies? How has she become a babbler now?”
Everyone thought Zoey was drunk, spouting nonsense.
Zoey pushed away Eliezer and Brian. “I’m not babbling…”
Eliezer shouted, “You’re drunk. Stop talking. I’ll take you home.”
“Mr. Izzard, since this concerns Spectrum Pharmaceuticals and Mr. Halford’s innocence, I think we should let her finish,” Areli said authoritatively. “Besides, we’re all adults here. We can tell truth from lies. If not, Officer Adington can help verify.”
“Tonight’s matter, whether Darnell assaulted Zoey or Mr. Izzard framed Darnell, must be clarified.”
James quickly waved his hand. “I’m not a cop right now. My badge is expired, so Miss Fanshaw’s judgment will suffice.”
Sensing trouble, James distanced himself from the situation.
Eliezer tried to pull Zoey again but was stopped by Areli’s cold gaze.
Zoey exhaled deeply. “Mr. Izzard has had many conflicts with Mr. Halford, so he went to Lavender Hill with Mr. Towne to find me and asked me to cooperate tonight.”
“The first goal was to humiliate the Python Team with a song to crush Casey and her friends’ confidence.”
As Shayla and the others glared at Eliezer angrily, Zoey continued calmly.
“The plan almost succeeded. Casey and her friends made a fool of themselves because of their poor performance, and my song further humiliated them. But Darnell turned the tables and even won ten million dollars from Mr. Izzard.”
Eliezer was furious. “Nonsense! Why would I need to humiliate them?”
“You want to sleep with them,” Zoey teased, drawing scrutinizing looks from everyone towards the three women and making them believe Zoey’s words.
Zoey added, “The second goal was a trap for Darnell, getting him drunk and confused.”
“You asked me to mislead him into the ladies’ restroom. Once inside, I’d lock the door and accuse him of assaulting me while Mr. Towne and others would rush in to catch him red-handed.”
Brian yelled out, “False accusation! It’s frame-up!”
“Whether it’s false can be verified by checking the surveillance footage,” Darnell interjected timely. “Everyone will see Mr. Towne hiding in the shadows.”
Brian was furious but speechless.
Zoey continued, staring at Eliezer, “This was our original plan, one million dollars as payment, and this check serves as evidence too. Tonight, Mr. Izzard added another task for me before accusing Darnell of assaulting me. Reclaiming the eleven million dollars he lost to Mr. Halford.”
She handed a check to Areli, who glanced at it and smiled faintly.
“Mr. Izzard, this check is from a week ago. It seems your niece didn’t just come back today,” Areli remarked.
Eliezer fell silent with a sour expression on his face.
Zoey added, “Unfortunately, Mr. Halford was smart enough not only to avoid this trap but also to set me up in return.”
She then briefly recounted what happened in the restroom.
Hearing this made Eliezer make one last desperate attempt. “Miss Fanshaw! Did you hear that? Zoey is being threatened by Darnell!”
“He used that so-called evidence to coerce Zoey into saying these things. Don’t believe them!”
“Darnell may be a bastard, but he’s not evil. He made me strip as punishment but returned that piece of paper afterward.”
Zoey slowly opened her palm, revealing that piece of paper, hotel comment card, and handed it back to Areli who read it again before passing it around for Roberto and James to see.
Areli nodded at Zoey. “You were honest. No matter how difficult your situation or how many people hate you, I will do my best to protect you because you spoke the truth.”
She then turned back towards Eliezer and said with an icy tone, “And some people are destined for punishment.”
The one-million-dollar check, the truth about Zoey’s identity, the note from the hotel comment card, and flawless recounting along with surveillance surveillance…
At that moment, the hall was eerily quiet, one could hear everyone’s breathing. All eyes were focused on Eliezer.
Roberto and James wanted to speak but ultimately remained silent, to avoid implicating themselves.
“Eliezer, you truly are malicious!” Areli approached him, her voice cold as ice, with intense anger. “You’d go so far as harming colleagues.”
Hearing Areli’s words, Eliezer first looked up at her then turned his gaze towards Roberto.
Roberto shouted, “If you did it, admit it like a man!”
Darnell stepped forward looking at Eliezer’s resentful expression. “Mr. Izzard, I wondered why tonight you were so kind, organizing a celebration party for the sales department, giving bonuses, and introducing your niece. It turns out you were scheming against us.”
“I never intended to oppose you, yet repeatedly, you want me dead. It’s disheartening.”
Many people murmured. They always thought Eliezer was greedy, but didn’t expect such sordid tactics.
Hearing Darnell’s words made Eliezer’s facial muscles twitch violently. He had been with Spectrum Pharmaceuticals for many years living comfortably on top.
If not for Darnell, or completing Roberto’s task, he wouldn’t have given Darnell trouble, and without trouble, today’s incident wouldn’t have happened.
He genuinely hated Darnell from his core.
“Darnell, you bastard, I just don’t like you, so I want you dead! Bite me!”
Eliezer suddenly laughed wildly, “You hurt my good friend Brian. I won’t rest until you’re dead!”
He then pointed at Zoey, cursing, “Bitch, you took my money but didn’t do your job. Where are your professional ethics? Shame on you!”
“Did you fall for this pretty boy too? So much that you’d betray me despite refusing one million dollars?”
He also yelled at Areli and others, “You’re all bitches, for siding against me over some bastard.”
“You got lucky today, but next time, you won’t be so fortunate.”
Eliezer’s outburst made Casey and the others’ faces change. Tthey wanted to curse back but were stopped by Darnell holding their hands.
Feeling warmth from Darnell’s hand, and seeing his smiling face, Casey swallowed back her words.
Darnell didn’t bother responding. To him, it was pointless talking further with Eliezer now.
At this point, the doors opened, and six police officers walked in.
After greeting James, they approached Eliezer under Areli’s direction.
Roberto whispered, “Miss Fanshaw, Mr. Izzard is an old-timer. Even though he made a big mistake this time, we shouldn’t…”
“Shut up!”
Areli cut off Roberto unceremoniously then spoke coldly,
“Last time, I spared Brian for your sake, but he turned around targeting Spectrum Pharmaceuticals staff again.”
“So today, I won’t show mercy. Everything will be handled according to the law.”
Brian looked embarrassed. Though angry, he dared not speak again.
Now, the police stood before Eliezer. “Eliezer Izzard, you’re suspected of extortion. Come with us for investigation.”
Seeing the police arrive, Eliezer felt utterly hopeless. He thought Areli might spare him by just firing but didn’t expect jail time instead.
His despair turned into rage. Pointing viciously at Darnell, he yelled, “Just wait. I’ll kill you eventually!”
“Mr. Izzard, go spend a few days at the police station. When you have the chance to get out, then come find me to settle the score.”
Darnell smiled, not taking Eliezer’s threat seriously. “I’ll be waiting for you at the sales department on the seventeenth floor of the Vertex.”
“If you need the key card, I’ll lend you mine.”
Eliezer almost spat blood from anger. Gritting his teeth, he followed the police officers out, a look of helplessness plastered across his face. Brian and Zoey were also taken away.
“Zoey, I wonder why you refused one million and betrayed your employer Eliezer?”
Areli suddenly asked, gently adding, “You don’t have to answer if you don’t want to.”
“Because I like him.”
Zoey flashed a charming smile at Darnell, exuding an irresistible allure, but her gaze subtly drifted to Lillian standing nearby.
Areli understood immediately and nodded, saying, “Thank you.”
She then turned and walked up to the podium, taking the microphone. “Mr. Izzard has been taken away by the police for questioning. He will likely never return to Spectrum Pharmaceuticals.”
“The sales department cannot be left without a leader, especially with the year-end approaching. We need a strong leader to guide everyone towards success.”
“Therefore, I announce that Darnell will be appointed as the head of the sales department at Spectrum Pharmaceuticals.”
Her speech was direct and to the point, leaving no room for ambiguity. The news stunned not only Roberto and the others but also left Darnell completely speechless.
Inside, he was on the verge of tears, thinking, “I just wanted to be an assistant!”