The certificate is fake

The certificate is fake
Callie was stunned.
The woman, unaware of anyone's presence, was still lost in her reverie, caressing the office desk.
She imagined Shane working there!
"Ugh..."
Suddenly, Leif made a small noise.
The secretary, immersed in her fantasy, snapped back to reality. She turned around but saw no one. The door, which had been closed, was now slightly ajar! She walked over quietly, opened the door wider, and, seeing no one, sighed in relief. She straightened her clothes, lifted her head, and walked out, closing the door behind her.
Callie hid around the corner, her face still showing signs of shock at the secretary's behavior.
She looked down at her son and took a deep breath to calm herself.
Leif, with his big wide eyes, stared at Callie, not understanding anything.
Callie gently kissed her son's forehead, held him close, and turned to walk towards the elevator.
Once inside the car, she finally relaxed.
She thought back to Shane Robinson's secretary and her actions...
Callie felt a wave of disgust.
Goosebumps rose on her skin, and she shivered.
The bodyguard in the front seat asked, "Should we head back?"
Callie nodded, "Alright, let's head back."
On the way, Callie received a call from Shane.
"Where did you go?"
Holding her phone, Callie replied, "I'll be back soon."
"Okay."
After hanging up, Callie put her phone away. Leif, who was in her arms, had fallen asleep, looking quite tired.
By the time they got back to their place, Leif was sound asleep.
Carrying Leif through the door, Callie saw Shane in the living room along with Gabriel and a doctor introduced by Tadeo.
As soon as she stepped inside, Shane walked over to take Leif from her arms and headed into another room, with the doctor following closely behind.
Just as Callie was about to speak, Gabriel reassured her, "Don't worry, Dr. Kyle is just going to check on the child. Shane is concerned about his health."
Callie understood his concern; she was worried too. In fact, this was probably for the best.
A doctor recommended by Gabriel was sure to be skilled.
Callie said, "I'll go in and check."
Gabriel replied, "Let's go in together."
They entered the room where Dr. Kyle was examining Leif.
The doctor also drew some blood to run tests, knowing that Leif had been drugged and needed a thorough check-up.
"I'll get the results to you as soon as I have them," Dr. Kyle said, packing up his medical kit.
"I'll walk you out," Gabriel offered.
Once they had left, Callie finally asked, "How did the tests go?"
Shane looked up, "Luckily, he's fine. Otherwise, do you think the person who drugged him would still be breathing?"
Callie tensed up and quickly defended Myron, "He was threatened..."
"What's done is done. I don't care about the reasons; I only care about the results," Shane said, his tone almost icy.
Callie then asked, "So, are you still angry?"
Shane stared at her, "What about you? Aren't you angry? Just because he was threatened, you're taking his side?"
To Shane, it didn't matter what the reasons were. If someone made a mistake, they had to face the consequences.
Harming his son—Shane was already being lenient by not killing Myron!
Callie wasn't feeling sympathetic, it was just...
Oh, never mind.
As long as Shane could calm down, that was all that mattered.
"Did that doctor agree to be Leif's family doctor?" Callie asked.
Shane shook his head. "No."
No matter how much money Shane offered, the doctor remained unmoved. He had dreams of his own. However, he promised to come immediately if Leif ever needed anything.
Gabriel thought of Kyle mainly because he was planning to move to the country. To be precise, his girlfriend was from here, and he was willing to give up his career for her. But someone as capable as him could succeed anywhere!
Kyle didn't agree to be a family doctor because he wanted to help more children in need.
That was his professional ethics and kindness.
Callie thought, anyone who chooses to be a doctor must have a heart to save the world.
She wasn't surprised by the answer.
Buzz—Buzz—
Callie's phone suddenly rang. She stepped outside to take the call.
It was Principal Lopez. "I need a favor from you," he said.
"What?"
"Our city is hosting a dance competition at the sports center. I've been selected as a judge, but I can't make it. I was hoping you could take my place."
Callie immediately declined, "I can't do it."
"Why not?"
Callie replied, "Firstly, I'm not qualified. Secondly, I don't have the time."
"It won't take much of your time, just an afternoon," Principal Lopez said. "Please, do me this favor."
Callie glanced at Leif, who was lying in bed. She still hadn't had much time to properly take care of him, and now she had a bit of time. "I really don't have the time right now..."
Principal Lopez sighed, "Alright, I'll be honest with you. It was Moira who asked me to say this. She really wants you to be the judge."
Callie narrowed her eyes, "What?"
"Last time, didn't you ask me to find her? You two became good friends or something, right? Otherwise, why would she think of asking me to get you to be the judge?"
After all, being a judge isn't a bad thing; it's a good thing.
Only someone who has reached a certain level of expertise is qualified to be a judge. It's actually a form of recognition!
Principal Lopez thought it was indeed a good thing, which is why he agreed to help get Callie to be the judge.
Callie, quick-witted as always, immediately sensed that something was off.
Was Moira trying to set her up by asking her to be a judge?
"Have you ever mentioned anything about me to her?" Callie asked.
Principal Lopez replied, "No, I haven't."
"Did you tell her that I can dance?" she pressed further.
"I know you might be busy and not have the time, so when she approached me, I tried to excuse you by saying you couldn't dance. But hearing that, she insisted even more strongly that you should be the judge. I found her behavior odd, but then I thought maybe you two are close, and she just wants to help you."
Callie smirked internally. Now she understood everything.
"Alright, I'll do it," Callie said. "But don't tell her that I can dance. Also, I need a favor from you..."
"Sure, what do you need?" Principal Lopez asked.
Callie explained her plan and then asked, "Can you manage that?"
After a moment of contemplation, Principal Lopez responded, "I'll take care of it for you."
"Thank you," Callie said.
"No need for such formalities between us," Principal Lopez replied with a smile.
After exchanging a few more words, Callie hung up the phone and turned around, only to find Shane standing there.
She glanced around the living room and asked, "Where's Gabriel?"
"He left," Shane replied.
Callie nodded, thinking about what she had seen at the office. She hesitated for a moment before asking cautiously, "Your secretary... does she have a thing for you?"
Shane frowned at the sudden and unexpected question. Why was she bringing up his secretary out of nowhere?
The topic shift was too abrupt.
"She's just my secretary," Shane replied, never having paid much attention to his secretary's behavior. "Why do you ask?"
Callie recalled the secretary's behavior in his office, her brow furrowing tightly. "I went to your office and saw her there."
She spoke vaguely.
Sometimes the secretary would enter his office, and Shane didn't find anything unusual about it. "So, what's the problem?"
Callie's lips twitched. Was she over-thinking this?
But she clearly saw the secretary leaning over Shane's desk, and the posture...Or maybe she had seen it wrong? But she was sure she hadn't!
"Callie, are you jealous? If you're uncomfortable with me having a female subordinate, I can replace her," Shane's usually stern face suddenly softened with a hint of a smile.
Callie blinked, asking, "Do you think I'm jealous?"
"What else could it be?" Shane chuckled softly, countering her question.
Callie admitted that she was startled and felt a bit grossed out when she saw the secretary acting that way. But she wasn't jealous. After all, he wasn't even in the office; it was just the secretary putting on a one-person show!
"I'm not jealous at all."
Shane pulled her into his arms, circling her tightly. "Really not jealous? Hmm?"
His face moved close to her ear, and his warm, moist breath tickled her ear, making her neck shrink involuntarily. She surrendered, "Okay, okay, I'm jealous. Happy now?"
Shane kissed her cheek, lingering near her ear. "You being jealous proves that you like me..."
His voice was somewhat low.
Sensing something was off, Callie quickly said, "You probably haven't eaten yet, right? I'll make us something..."
She pushed Shane away and headed towards the kitchen. Mrs. Ford wasn't around, so there were no servants to cook for them.
Callie opened the fridge, finding it nearly empty.
"Should we go to the grocery store?" she asked.
Shane walked in and hugged her from behind. "We can eat out..."
"We can, but Leif is still little. He drinks formula, but he's also starting to eat solid food. There's nothing at home, and it's really inconvenient," she whispered. "Stop messing around."
When the topic of the child came up, Shane didn't refuse. "I'll take you there."
Callie Norris looked up at him. "Why do I feel like you've been quite free these past couple of days?"
He hadn't been going to the office much.
Shane smiled. "Isn't it good that I have time to spend with you?"
Callie sensed something was off, but since Shane didn't want to talk about it, she didn't press further. She smiled back. "Alright."
"Then let's go."
The two of them left the house, instructing the bodyguards at the door to call them as soon as Leif woke up.
The bodyguard replied, "Yes, sir."
Shane put his arm around Callie's shoulder as they headed to the car.
"I have something I want to tell you," Callie said after thinking it over. "Myron drugged Leif because someone kidnapped his mother, Gianna. That's why he did it..."
Shane started the car, his face showing no reaction, but he was listening intently to every word she said.
"I've been thinking, the person who really wants to harm Leif must hate both you and me. That's why they would target our child. I think I have a clue," Callie said, piecing together what Principal Lopez had mentioned earlier. "I think it might be Damian."
"Why do you think it's him?" Shane asked.
"Do you remember his girlfriend, Moira? She wants me to be a judge for the dance competition. I don't think her intention is just to have me as a judge. There's definitely something fishy going on. I suspect she and Damian might be behind what happened to Leif."
"I'll look into it. You don't need to go," Shane said, worried about the potential danger.
Callie replied, "It'll be fine. There will be lots of people at the competition. She wouldn't dare do anything in public."
Shane still wasn't convinced. Callie, sensing his concern, playfully hooked her arm around his. "If you're really worried, you can go in disguise and watch over me from the shadows. You're not busy these days, right?"
Shane couldn't resist her charm and gave in with a mix of helplessness and amusement. "Alright, have it your way."
Callie beamed with happiness.
"Why are you so happy?" Shane raised an eyebrow.
"I just want to see what she's up to with my own eyes," Callie said.
Shane glanced at her adventurous spirit had a competitive edge, but he knew she enjoyed it.
He didn't like girls who were too soft-hearted. Callie wasn't one of them; she had a bit of a tough character and was quite smart.
But she wasn't completely unyielding either. Her body was soft.
Holding her in his arms made him never want to let go.
She was a woman who balanced strength and gentleness.
They soon arrived at the supermarket. After parking the car, they got out. Callie dug into her bag to find a coin for the shopping cart. Shane, whose daily needs were always taken care of by others, had never shopped at a supermarket himself.
Everything at home was prepared by Mrs. Ford.
Since he wasn't familiar with this kind of task, he remained silent and simply followed Callie. It wasn't because he was afraid of getting lost; he just wanted to stay close to her.
Callie freed one hand to hold his and asked softly, "You've never been to a supermarket, have you?"
Shane nodded slightly, a bit prideful. "Very rarely."
Callie laughed. "It's okay if you haven't. You were born into the Robinson family, and you've always had someone to take care of these things. It's normal that you haven't done this before. You don't need to hide it."
Shane grasped her hand in return and said softly, "Is it really that funny?"
"…Not funny, not funny at all," Callie admitted, conceding defeat.
Shane glanced at her. This woman always played smart in front of him—first mocking him, then backing down, leaving him unable to hit or scold her.
Yet, this very behavior made him like her even more.
They took the elevator to the shopping area, strolling and browsing as they went.
It took almost an hour, but they finally finished shopping, carrying two bags.
That evening, Callie personally cooked dinner while Shane held baby Leif, once he woke up.
That night, they lived like an ordinary couple—wife cooking, husband taking care of their child.
During dinner, Shane asked, "Have you picked a date yet?"
Callie replied, "No, my mom might not have time these days."
Shane frowned, "Hmm? What do you mean?"
"She has to take care of Myron," Callie said with a 'don't you know?' expression.
Shane was speechless, "…"
Was this his fault?
No, it wasn't.
Anyone who harms his son must pay the price!
…
The next day.
Callie arrived at the sports center on time. There were already many kids there for the competition, mostly girls, though there were a few boys, but not many.
Moira walked up with a smile. "You made it?"
Callie returned the smile. "Yeah, I had to muster up the courage to come and help out."
She pretended to look a bit timid and somewhat guilty.
Moira, having learned from Principal Lopez that Callie couldn't dance, smiled smugly, feeling even more confident. "See you in a bit."
Callie also smiled. "See you in a bit."
Pretending? Who can't do that?!
As soon as Moira walked past, Callie's face immediately turned cold.
She watched Moira's retreating figure, a slight smile curling at the corners of her lips. She was almost certain now about what Moira intended to do.
The event staff were still checking the schedule, so she waited in the lounge.
Someone approached her and struck up a conversation. "Are you a dance instructor?"
Callie shook her head. "No, I'm not."
"Then are you a judge?" the person asked.
He was a male judge. Typically, male dancers have lean and slender builds. This man had a clean appearance, with his hair meticulously combed. His neat attire didn't seem greasy on him, probably because of his sunny demeanor.
Just as Callie was about to respond, she saw Moira approaching. She immediately put on a guilty expression and whispered, "I'm a judge, but I'm here as a substitute."
"Oh, that explains why I haven't seen you before. I've met and know quite a few judges from previous dance competitions, but your face is new to me."
Callie lowered her head. "It's my first time here. I don't know much about it."
"No worries, you can sit next to me later," the man offered warmly.
Callie nodded lightly, looking timid and meek. "Thank you."
"You seem really nervous. All you need to do is watch if the dancers perform well and if their movements are correct. Don't worry. If there's anything you don't understand, you can ask me. I'll help you out," the man said with a smile.
Not far away, Moira pretended to be inspecting the dance costumes hanging on the rack, but in reality, she was eavesdropping on their conversation. Callie knew Moira was listening, so she deliberately acted secretive and fearful of being overheard. She leaned slightly closer to the man and whispered in a low voice, ensuring that Moira could still hear her, "Didn't I just say I was here on behalf of someone else? Honestly, I don't know anything about this. I don't even have the qualifications to be a judge. I'm telling you this in confidence. You must help me keep it a secret. I can't even dance."
The man's face showed obvious surprise.
She couldn't do anything, yet she was a judge?
This... seemed a bit too much?
"Um, you..." The man was at a loss for words.
"You must help me keep this secret," Callie pleaded, looking genuinely scared of being found out.
Now the man finally understood why Callie was so afraid.
Seeing her pitiful expression, he reassured her, "I won't say anything."
"Thank you."
The man smiled, "I'm only helping you because you're so beautiful. But from what I can see, you have a great physique for dancing. Although it's better to start learning dance at a younger age, you could still learn it as a form of exercise and to maintain your figure. If you're interested, I could be your dance teacher."
Callie smiled, "I'm already married and have kids to take care of. I probably won't have time to learn dancing."
The man was taken aback for a moment. It seemed he hadn't expected that she was already married and had children.
"You don't look that old. You already have kids?"
Callie replied, "I'm not that young anymore."
The man looked momentarily disappointed but quickly smiled again. "You don't look it. If I didn't know better, I'd think you were a college student. You're not in a dance-related profession, so do you work at a company?"
Callie shook her head. "I'm a doctor."
The man was surprised once more.
"What kind of doctor?"
"Surgery," Callie answered simply.
The man widened his eyes, looking at her slender frame, which didn't seem like it could handle a scalpel.
Regardless of the type of surgery, it required being on the operating table.
Anyone who could wield a scalpel must have a strong and resilient heart.
Looking at such a delicate girl, he couldn't believe she was a surgeon.
"So, your specialty is..."
Before the man could finish his question, someone entered the room and announced that the event was starting, urging them to head to the venue.
The man had to stop talking. He handed Callie a card and explained how to use it. "The contestants will come on stage one by one. Each of them has a number on their back. If you think they dance well, just check the box behind their number."
Callie Norris smiled and said, "Thank you."
As the contestants entered the competition arena, the music had already started, everyone was in their places, and the lights came on.
The competition began!
Photographers on the sidelines captured the captivating moments of the participants, while most of the audience, consisting of parents accompanying their children, kept their eyes glued to their kids.
There were passionate jazz performances, sexy and powerful Latin dances, and enchanting cha-cha routines!
Round after round, the competition became more intense, the arena buzzed with excitement, and the screams of the crowd, mixed with the heat of the moment, hit everyone like a wave!
Before the final round, the host's voice echoed through the arena.
"The competition has reached its final and most crucial round. However, it is with regret that I must inform you that the results of this competition will not be counted..."
Before the host could finish, the audience erupted in an uproar.
The parents were not happy. After all, they had spent half the day here, only to be told the results wouldn't count?
"Why? Our kids have worked so hard, and we've been waiting here all day. How can the results not count?"
"Exactly! I took time off work just for my child."
"Why won't the results count? What happened? Don't we deserve an explanation?"
The parents in the audience couldn't stay seated any longer and began to walk down, causing chaos.
The contestants were equally confused.
"Please, everyone, calm down. Here's what happened: we just received news that someone has been impersonating a judge, which is why the results of this competition have been nullified."
The dissatisfaction among the crowd grew even louder.
"How could this happen? How could someone impersonate a judge?"
"Must be a flaw in your plan, huh?"
"......"
Voices of discontent filled the air, echoing around the room.
The man who had just been talking to Callie seemed to sense something was wrong. He leaned in close to her and whispered, "Do you think someone found out about your plan?"
Callie knew this was aimed at her. Right now, Moira was probably hiding somewhere, ready to watch her fall.
Callie put on a scared expression. "What should I do?"
The man suggested, "Maybe you should leave first?"
Callie knew she couldn't just leave, but she pretended to agree. "That's a good idea."
She made a move to leave.
But Moira suddenly appeared from some hidden corner and grabbed her arm. She turned to the disgruntled parents and said, "It's her! She pretended to be a judge. She can't even dance, and she doesn't have the qualifications to be a judge. So, the results this time don't count. If you want to blame someone, blame her."
As soon as Moira finished speaking, all the accusations were directed at Callie.
Callie hung her head low, looking like she was terrified. Only Shane, who had just entered the room, noticed the cold, calculating look in her eyes.
Seeing her confidence, he decided not to interfere and watched from a distance.
"How did you even get this position? You can't do anything, yet you're a judge?"
"Did you rely on your looks, or did you...," she trailed off, not finishing the insinuation, "use some backdoor connections?"
She couldn't do anything, yet she managed to become a judge. It was obvious she must have used some backdoor connections.
"My child practiced hard for over a month for today's competition, and now it's all ruined? How are you going to compensate for our time and my child's effort?"
An overly aggressive parent tried to get physical, but a man stopped him.
"She didn't use any backdoor connections. She's just filling in for someone else. She didn't mean any harm," the man explained on behalf of Callie.
His explanation only made things worse. "She has no qualifications. Why is she filling in for someone else? Isn't that harmful?"
"Exactly! She's causing harm. She must apologize..."
"Someone who resorts to such underhanded methods should face more than just an apology."
Moira watched Callie being scolded with a satisfied smile.
Just when she thought victory was in her grasp, Callie suddenly raised her head and looked directly at the disgruntled parents, saying, "Did I ever say I don't have the qualifications?"
Everyone was stunned.
To Moira, this move seemed like a desperate attempt to muddle through.
"Do you have a certification? Who are you trying to fool?" Moira sneered. "You'd better apologize to everyone."
"An apology isn't enough. She canceled our scores; she needs to compensate for our losses."
The scene grew chaotic.
The scene grew chaotic.
Callie calmly took out her certification. "You can check if it's real or not."
She had Principal Lopez help her get this certification.
Moira was in disbelief. "How could you possibly have a certification? You must be lying!"
Callie waved the certification in front of her. "I do have it."
Moira was still convinced something was wrong. There was no way Callie could have a certification. Sure, anyone could get a certificate, but learning to dance overnight was impossible. She regained her confidence. "Even if you have a certification, you can't dance. So, your certification is fake!"