Chapter 136: Shifting Loyalties
"The court will now pass sentence."
The judge’s voice was like thunder. "The defendant, Sophie Martin, is found guilty of misappropriating trade secrets. She is ordered to pay Omni Group fifty-two million dollars in damages and penalties, effective immediately."
The gavel fell. Bang.
That sound shattered Sophie’s last line of defense.
As they walked out of the court, a light rain began to fall. Evelyn opened her umbrella and hurried to Sophie’s side, trying to put an arm around her.
"Sophie, don't lose heart," Evelyn said. "We’ll appeal. I’ll go to Professor Hayes, I’ll talk to Ryan... there has to be a way to prove those records were fake."
Sophie’s body went rigid. She subtly stepped away, avoiding Evelyn’s touch. "Thank you, Evelyn," she muttered. "You always... always have a way, don't you?"
Evelyn thought she was just traumatized. "Stay at my apartment for a few days. The debt collectors won't find you there. Trust me, I’ll fix this."
"Fix it?" Sophie looked up at her. Even in the depths of misery, Evelyn’s face was still breathtakingly beautiful. The anonymous text flashed in Sophie’s mind: She’s just using you.
"Evelyn, if I hadn't followed you, I’d be studying abroad right now, or working as a designer at a normal firm. I wouldn't be fifty million dollars in debt with a criminal record. Right?"
Evelyn froze, her hand trembling on the umbrella handle. "Sophie, I know you’re hurting, but this is Damian and Sienna’s fault..."
But I only came to New York because Evelyn was in trouble... and Professor Hayes always told me to look after her...
"Right. Their fault," Sophie interrupted. She flashed a smile that looked more like a grimace, a dark shadow crossing her eyes. "I’m tired, Evelyn. I want to be alone."
Without waiting for a response, she ran into the rain, hailed a cab, and disappeared. Evelyn stood there, watching the taillights fade, a sudden, heavy sense of dread sinking in.
Across the street, in a black sedan, Sienna lowered her window. She watched Evelyn standing alone in the rain, then looked at the direction Sophie had gone. She sneered. "Human nature... the one thing that never passes the test."
She spoke into her phone. "Contact Sophie Martin. Tell her if she testifies against Evelyn, the debt is gone. Not only that, but Omni will give her a Lead Designer position."
The rain got heavier. Evelyn was still frozen on the sidewalk. Suddenly, a wave of dizziness hit her. The days of running, the weakness from the fake miscarriage, and the worry for her friend finally broke her.
"Sophie..." her voice broke in the wind.
The world began to spin and turn black. She felt herself falling backward. But the impact of the concrete never came. A powerful arm caught her around the waist.
A second later, she was pulled into a warm chest that smelled of cedar. The familiar scent chased away the cold. Ryan Lawrence looked down at the pale woman in his arms, his brow furrowed, a dangerous rage simmering in his eyes.
He looked toward where Sophie had vanished. The street was empty and muddy.
"Bring the car around!"
Ryan didn't hesitate. He swept Evelyn up into his arms. His shoes splashed through the puddles, but he didn't slow down. The woman in his arms was shivering from cold and fear.
"To the hospital. Tell Ethan to be ready," Ryan ordered as he got into the back seat, wrapping his coat around her wet body. He brushed the damp hair from her forehead. Touching her icy skin, a flash of undeniable heartache crossed his face.
When she woke up again, she was greeted by a blinding white. There was no smell of disinfectant; instead, the room was filled with a faint, calming incense. Evelyn moved her fingers, feeling as though every bone in her body was aching.
"You’re awake?"
A familiar voice spoke from the bedside, but it wasn't its usual gentle tone. It was heavy with suppressed tension. Evelyn turned her head and saw Ethan. He was in his white coat, his hands gripped together, a dark cloud hanging over his face.
"Where’s Ryan?" Evelyn asked, her voice raspy. She tried to sit up.
"He’s handling some things. He’ll be back soon." Ethan helped her up and placed a soft pillow behind her. "You’ve pushed yourself too hard. You need rest."
Evelyn saw him avoid her gaze. Her heart sank. "What happened? Is it Sophie? What’s wrong with her?"
Ethan seemed to be fighting with himself. Finally, he sighed, pulled his phone from his pocket, and handed it to her.
"Thirty minutes ago, Sophie posted a video statement on social media. Evelyn... you need to be prepared."