Chapter 16: Suspended

"...you are hereby suspended from all company duties, effective immediately."

The envelope felt impossibly heavy in my hands.

I stared at it without opening it.

Around us, the lobby had gone silent.

Employees pretended not to look.

But everyone was watching.

"There has to be a mistake," Adrian said firmly.

The chairman met his gaze.

"We hope there is."

"Hope isn't evidence."

"Neither is loyalty."

Adrian took a step forward.

"Emma has worked here for three years without a single disciplinary issue."

"Which is exactly why we're investigating before making conclusions," another board member replied.

"An account using Miss Hayes' credentials accessed confidential Morrison files at 11:47 p.m. two nights ago."

My heart skipped.

"That's impossible," I said.

"At 11:47 p.m. I was asleep."

"Can you prove that?"

"I..."

I couldn't.

Who could prove they were sleeping?

"This discussion belongs in the boardroom," the chairman said.

"Mr. Carter. Miss Hayes. Please."

The elevator ride felt endless.

No one spoke.

Adrian stood beside me, his expression unreadable.

When the doors opened, Nora was already waiting outside the conference room.

She quietly squeezed my hand.

"We're going to fix this," she whispered.

"I hope you're right."

Inside, the atmosphere was colder than the Chicago storm.

The board occupied one side of the long table.

Internal Audit sat beside them.

Legal representatives filled the remaining seats.

"Miss Hayes," the chairman began, "please take a seat."

I did.

"Mr. Carter, thank you for returning early."

"I came because this involves my team."

"Exactly."

A projector lit up.

The screen displayed a login report.

"Employee ID: Emma Hayes."

"Access Time: 11:47:13 p.m."

"Files Downloaded: Morrison Financial Proposal."

"External Transfer Detected."

I stared at the screen.

"I've never seen this before."

"Are you denying this login?"

"Completely."

"Did you share your password?"

"Never."

"Write it down anywhere?"

"No."

"Allow anyone to use your laptop?"

"No."

"Then how do you explain this?"

"I can't."

The room remained quiet.

"I'd like to ask a question," Adrian interrupted.

"Go ahead."

"Where was the login made from?"

The head of IT clicked to the next slide.

"Emma Hayes' workstation."

I frowned.

"That's impossible."

"Why?"

"Because I wasn't in the office."

"How do you know?"

"Because..."

I paused.

Then I remembered.

"I was having dinner with Lily."

"Can anyone verify that?"

"Yes."

"Restaurant receipts?"

"Yes."

"Security footage?"

"Probably."

Adrian immediately looked toward the board.

"Then we have an alibi."

"Not necessarily," one director replied.

"Her computer could've remained unlocked."

"It automatically locks after five minutes," I answered.

"Exactly."

"Then someone knew my password."

The IT director leaned forward.

"Or someone unlocked it."

"Without me?"

"Possibly."

"That's ridiculous," Adrian said.

"Maybe."

"Maybe?"

"We're examining every possibility."

I suddenly remembered something.

"Wait."

Everyone looked at me.

"The week before Chicago..."

"Yes?"

"Someone asked to borrow my laptop charger."

"Who?"

I tried to remember.

"I... I don't know."

"Think carefully."

"It was late."

"Most people had already gone home."

"Daniel walked past..."

"Nora had already left..."

"Then someone from IT stopped by."

"Name?"

"I don't remember."

"Could they have accessed your computer?"

"Maybe."

"Maybe isn't enough," the chairman said.

"No," Adrian replied.

"But it's more than we've had so far."

The meeting continued for another hour.

Questions.

Reports.

Logs.

Nothing proved I had leaked anything.

But nothing cleared me either.

Finally, the chairman closed his folder.

"Miss Hayes will remain suspended until the investigation concludes."

"How long?" I asked quietly.

"Hopefully a few days."

"And if you don't find anything?"

"Then you'll return immediately."

"If you do?"

Nobody answered.

That silence said everything.

The meeting ended.

As people filed out, Adrian remained seated.

"Chairman."

"Yes?"

"I'd like permission to conduct my own investigation."

"Internal investigations are handled by Audit."

"This concerns my department."

"Which is exactly why you should stay objective."

"I am objective."

"You're emotionally involved."

The chairman glanced briefly toward me.

"That's a conflict of interest."

Adrian didn't respond.

Because they weren't wrong.

Outside the conference room, I leaned against the wall.

My legs felt weak.

"Emma."

It was Lily.

She had rushed upstairs the moment she heard we were back.

"Are you okay?"

"No."

She wrapped her arms around me.

"We're going to prove you didn't do this."

"What if we can't?"

"We will."

"How are you so sure?"

"Because whoever framed you made one mistake."

I looked at her.

"What mistake?"

"They picked the wrong person."

"Meaning?"

"You're too stubborn to lose."

Despite everything, I laughed.

"That's supposed to make me feel better?"

"Absolutely."

Across the hallway, Adrian was speaking quietly with Nora.

A few seconds later, both of them walked over.

"Emma," Adrian said.

"Yes?"

"Officially, you're suspended."

"I know."

"Unofficially..."

He lowered his voice.

"I need your help."

"What?"

"Someone inside this company betrayed us."

"Yes."

"They think removing you weakens my team."

"Maybe it does."

"No."

He shook his head.

"It gives us an advantage."

"How?"

"Because they'll assume you're out of the investigation."

"I'm not?"

"Not if you're willing to trust me."

I stared into his eyes.

"What are you planning?"

He glanced down the hallway to make sure no one was listening.

"We're going to find whoever framed you... before they realize we're working together."

"Even if it means breaking a few company rules?" I asked.

A slow smile appeared on Adrian's face.

"Especially if it means breaking a few company rules."