Chapter123 Celeste Deliberately Set Her Up
Miranda said nothing. She picked up the photos and examined them carefully, one by one.
The photos were blurry, clearly taken covertly.
But that silhouette...
Did look similar.
The same white riding outfit, the same build, even the hairstyle bore some resemblance.
If Miranda herself didn't know she hadn't done this, even she would suspect the person in the photo was her.
Her gaze landed on the timestamp.
Last Friday afternoon at 3 PM.
That was when Thomas bought the outfit.
There were also several timestamps for Thomas's supposed "business trips" and meetings with that mysterious woman.
Miranda set down the photos, opened her computer, and typed rapidly on the keyboard.
Then she turned the monitor to face Elara directly.
"Elara, take a look at these."
On screen was Miranda's work schedule, along with the company's internal OA system clock-in records and meeting minutes.
"Last Friday at 3 PM, I was in a video conference with representatives from Jack's company. Here are the meeting minutes and the full video recording."
Miranda clicked open a video file.
In the footage, Miranda was clearly negotiating with the other party.
"And at this timestamp, when you say he was at a hotel."
Miranda pulled up another photo. "This is me inspecting raw materials at the factory. There are dozens of workers in the background. You can verify it."
"And this one..."
Miranda laid out evidence piece by piece, her logic clear and airtight.
"My work schedule is packed every single day. I don't have spare time for anything else."
As Miranda explained, Elara's face grew increasingly pale.
She wasn't stupid.
These work records and meeting videos couldn't be faked.
Especially that video conference, timestamped down to the second, perfectly overlapping with when Thomas bought the outfit.
Which meant at that time, Miranda couldn't possibly have been at the International Finance Center.
"How can this be..."
Elara slumped in her chair, murmuring, "If it's not you, then why would Thomas admit it was you? Why would that woman have the exact same outfit as you?"
Miranda looked at her dejected state and felt no satisfaction, only a trace of sadness for their shared experience as women.
She closed her computer, clasped her hands on the desk, and softened her voice slightly.
"I don't care whether your husband cheated or who his mistress is. But when false accusations land on me, I'll pursue legal channels to protect my rights."
"I'm showing you this evidence not to explain myself to you, but because I refuse to take the fall for this."
Miranda paused, looking into Elara's eyes, enunciating each word clearly:
"Elara, you've navigated the business world. Think about it. Why would Thomas admit it was me?"
"Because I appeared in public yesterday. Because I wore that outfit. Because I seemed like the perfect scapegoat."
"He directed you to come after me, to unleash all your fury on me. Why?"
Elara's head snapped up.
"To protect... the real mistress?"
"Exactly."
Miranda nodded coldly. "That woman is more important to him than you, more important than offending me. Or rather, that woman has something he absolutely must protect."
Something he must protect...
Elara's mind suddenly flashed back to Thomas kneeling on the floor swearing "she's definitely not pregnant."
Pregnant!
That bitch is pregnant!
Only a child would make Thomas take such a huge risk, muddying the waters and redirecting the fire toward Miranda.
Because if Elara found out the mistress was pregnant, given her temper, she would absolutely destroy that child.
Thomas wanted that bastard child!
Understanding this, Elara felt her blood run cold, followed immediately by a towering wave of hatred surging from her feet to the top of her head.
"I understand now."
Elara had completely calmed down, but that calmness was frightening.
She slowly stood up, swept all the photos from the table back into her bag, and stuffed them inside.
"Miranda, I was impulsive today."
Though the apology came out stiffly, for someone as proud as Elara, it was already her limit.
Miranda didn't press her advantage. She stood up, her expression neutral.
"Impulsiveness has consequences. When you get home, think carefully. It's best to find concrete evidence. Otherwise, being used as someone's weapon like today could easily make you enemies you can't afford."
Elara nodded, her eyes chillingly venomous.
"Don't worry. I won't let those two cheaters get away with this."
About half an hour later.
The office door finally opened from inside.
Lisa, who had been waiting outside, immediately walked over with a freshly printed damage assessment list.
"Miranda, this is the loss report compiled by cleaning and administration."
Miranda took the list and handed it directly to Elara without even glancing at it.
"The total is 1.28 million."
Miranda's tone was all business. "This includes the smashed antique vase, damaged computer equipment, carpet cleaning and replacement costs, plus employees' medical expenses and compensation for emotional distress."
Elara glanced at the figure without even raising an eyebrow.
For her, over a million was pocket change, the price of a handbag.
"Send me the account details. The money will be there within ten minutes."
Elara pulled a business card from her bag and tossed it on the table, then put on her sunglasses, hiding her red, swollen eyes.
"Hope you catch whoever's destroying your family soon." Miranda leaned against the doorframe, watching her.
Elara's steps faltered, but she didn't respond.
She turned around and waved at the four bodyguards.
"Let's go!"
The clicking of high heels on the floor gradually faded into the distance.
Watching them leave, Lisa let out a long breath, her legs feeling weak.
"By the way."
Miranda withdrew her gaze, a glint of darkness flashing in her eyes.
"Look into Celeste's recent movements. And... find out who Thomas has been associating with lately."
Based on Elara's behavior today, Miranda could tell that if she hadn't remained composed enough, Elara would have nailed her to the pillar of shame as a mistress without caring about the truth.
Even if things were clarified later, the damage to her reputation wouldn't be easily undone.
Considering that the outfit was given to her by Celeste, and Thomas's mistress had the same outfit, if there was a connection between these two things...
Celeste had deliberately set her up.