Chapter 81 The Man Out of Control
Bates grabbed the piece of paper and unfolded it. Relief washed over his face as he let out a deep breath. "Where'd you find this?" he asked.
The room got tense. Everyone's eyes were on Jack, waiting for him to answer.
Just as Jack was about to speak, Alison cut in softly, "Mr. Bates, it was in my purse."
"What? You?" Bates looked shocked. "Our dealings with these clients are top secret. Miss Fairchild, I never thought you'd be a corporate spy."
Alison glanced at Bates, then at Aimée and Cherry, who both seemed unfazed. She couldn't figure out who had slipped the paper into her purse. But thinking back, she realized it must've happened while she was in the restroom. Except for those two minutes, her purse had been with her the whole time.
She suspected Cherry and Bates the most.
"Mr. Bates, can I ask where this paper was originally kept?"
"In my briefcase."
"Mr. Bates, think about it. Since we got here, I never got close to you or your briefcase. So, even if I wanted to, I didn't have the chance. Right?"
"You're saying someone set you up, and it wasn't you?"
"Yes," Alison replied calmly. "To do this, two things had to happen: first, someone had to take it from your briefcase, and second, someone had to put it in my purse. I didn't have the first chance, so it wasn't me. My purse was only away from me once, when Mr. Winston and Miss Rolland stepped out, which was when you and Cherry were dancing."
"Wait, let me think." Bates tapped his forehead, trying to remember.
After a moment, he said, "You're right, Miss Fairchild never got close to my briefcase. Mr. Winston, what were you and Miss Rolland doing then? No offense, but if I remember right, Miss Rolland came back once while Miss Fairchild was in the restroom, but then left again."
Aimée smiled slightly, showing no sign of worry. "Mr. Bates, are you saying I took the client info from your briefcase and put it in Miss Fairchild's purse?"
"Miss Rolland, that's not what I meant. I just want to know where you and Mr. Winston went. Don't you want to clear your name?"
Aimée looked at Jack, blushing a bit, as if embarrassed. "Jack..."
"Mr. Bates," Jack cut in before she could finish, "Aimée went to the restroom..."
Alison's heart sank. It seemed like Jack and Aimée were really in love, with Jack even caring about such personal stuff. He had always been a considerate guy, but only when there was no bad blood. He used to treat her well too, but that only lasted three short months.
"Then why did Miss Rolland come back and leave again?" Bates asked.
"She forgot her phone," Aimée and Jack answered at the same time.
Bates shrugged and spread his hands towards Alison. "Miss Fairchild, looks like I can't help you. No one can prove it wasn't you."
Alison pushed aside her discomfort and focused on clearing her name. This was her only shot. If she couldn't prove her innocence tonight, she'd be stuck with the blame. The thought was unbearable, and she finally understood Jack's anger when he was wrongfully accused.
"Mr. Bates, can I see your briefcase again?" she asked.
Bates stood up, picked up his briefcase, and handed it to Alison. "Miss Fairchild, I hope I can help you." His tone had a hint of trust. "I believe you're not a thief."
How ironic. The people she thought would believe her didn't, but Bates now showed some trust. "Thank you," Alison said gratefully.
The briefcase was heavy with documents. Alison checked them one by one, struggling to find any clues.
Suddenly, her eyes lit up. "Perfume! There's a perfume scent here. Come and smell it!"
Jack took the briefcase from Alison, sniffed it, then nodded and handed it back to Bates. "Mr. Bates, there's definitely a perfume scent. Are you sure no woman touched your briefcase?"
"Absolutely," Bates confirmed.
Aimée walked over gracefully, sniffed the briefcase, and thought for a moment. "This scent isn't Miss Fairchild's, nor mine or Cherry's. If I'm not mistaken, it's a cheap perfume."
"Waiter..." everyone said in unison. They all remembered that when Aimée and Jack left the room, a waiter had brought in drinks and fruit.
Soon, the truth came to light, and Alison was exonerated.
It all seemed like a farce, but Alison knew it wasn't. It was a setup, just like when she was forced into Jack's apartment and became his woman. Someone was framing her.
It seemed her presence at YD had caught someone's attention.
However, no matter how much Jack and Bates questioned her, the waitress insisted she only intended to steal money and had no intention of framing Alison. She said that when she opened Bates' briefcase and found no money, she grabbed the paper out of habit. When Aimée walked in, she panicked and stuffed the paper into Alison's purse on the sofa.
And so, everything unfolded.