Mysterious Mrs. Pansy

“What’s going on?” Monica and Sherry turned to Jane, their attempt to mask their dissatisfaction palpable.

Jane held up the blank sheets she had discovered in her folder, asserting, “Let’s address this now.”

Upon seeing the blank sheets, Monica felt a pang of guilt. “What do you mean?” she inquired.

Jane walked up to Patrick, handing the blank sheets to him. “The drawings that were in the folder have been replaced with these blank sheets. Don’t you think something’s amiss, Mr. Pansy?”

Patrick accepted the blank sheets, placing them on the conference table. He impatiently tapped his slender fingers on the table, his gaze locked onto the sheets. It was evident that someone had stolen the drawings and substituted them with these blank pages. With only a handful of individuals having access to the drawings, and Jane being meticulous in her work, he knew she wouldn’t entrust such critical documents to just anyone. Two possibilities loomed: either someone had substituted the drawings to embarrass Jane during the meeting, or Jane herself had made the switch. The latter scenario, however, left the question of motive unanswered.

Finally, Patrick decided, “I’ll have Morton investigate.”

“Of course, sir,” Morton concurred respectfully.

Jane clarified, “I had inspected the file before heading to the airport, and the drawings were intact. Upon returning from the airport, I brought the folder to the conference room, only to find the drawings replaced with blank sheets. Clearly, someone must have made the switch during my absence at the airport.”

“Jane, you’ve misplaced the drawings, and now you’re trying to shift the blame. That’s all it is,” Monica interjected.

Unease washed over Monica when Patrick announced the impending investigation; she was well aware of Patrick’s ruthless nature. If he discovered that she had stolen the drawings, the consequences would be severe, sending shivers down her spine.

“What? You believe I’ve lost the drawings?” Jane retorted. “Why would I substitute them with blank sheets? Do you think everyone’s as foolish as you?”

Monica glared at Jane, feigning indifference. She consoled herself with the idea that her actions had been executed discreetly, and Jane could not possibly have uncovered her scheme. “What do you mean?” Monica retorted, concealing her unease.

Jane offered a cynical response, “If you don’t wish to be exposed, the best course of action is to abstain from engaging in such activities.”

Monica’s heart quivered in fear. She swiftly stole a glance at Patrick, who remained silent, his expression stern and his gaze piercing. She quickly turned her gaze away.

“I… I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Monica stammered. “By the way, I have other business to attend to. This meeting is over, Jane. I don’t have time to waste on you.”

Jane immediately called, “Wait!” in a cold, firm tone.

Monica hesitated and then reluctantly returned to the conference table. “What do you want?” she queried, feigning nonchalance. She remained confident that her covert actions would remain undisclosed.

Jane retorted, “I believe you instigated the theft of the drawings.”

Patrick abruptly stood, tall and composed, his expression unwavering and his lips forming a thin line. He fixed his gaze on Jane and uttered in an indifferent tone, “Since you claim to possess evidence, please present it.”

He then turned to Monica and Sherry, instructing, “Return and sit down.”

Monica, with no alternative, complied, feeling highly anxious. Could Jane truly have incriminating evidence against her? It seemed implausible since her actions had been stealthy and flawless.Property belongs to Nôvel(D)r/ama.Org.

“Do you possess any evidence of my involvement in the theft of the drawings?” Monica challenged Jane. “I caution you that making baseless accusations is a grave offense.”

Taking a deep breath, Monica added, “I know you don’t respect authority, but that doesn’t justify framing me.”

Jane responded with a derisive laugh, unperturbed by Monica’s threats. She had prepared for every possible scenario, and exposing Monica was an inevitability.

“I have evidence to prove that you orchestrated this scheme,” Jane affirmed confidently.

Patrick’s sudden stand, his unflinching posture and icy demeanor, signaled his intention to allow Jane to address the situation. This decision raised a peculiar question in his mind: Why had Monica undertaken such an act? While Monica possessed a measure of arrogance and a domineering disposition, her work had always been executed proficiently. Engaging in an act that could jeopardize the company’s interests and potentially tarnish her own career was perplexing.

Upon realizing that Patrick was no longer objecting, Jane cleared her throat and announced, “Let’s proceed. Now that I have identified the timeframe during which the drawings were likely stolen, I only need to review the surveillance footage from that period to ascertain the perpetrator.”

Monica quickly protested, “But the surveillance camera is broken, isn’t it?”

Jane’s response was scornful. “You seem rather attentive to such trivial details.”

Indeed, the surveillance camera in Jane’s office had been intentionally damaged the day before, an action Monica took to erase any evidence of her involvement. As Jane pointed out, Monica had not anticipated that the surveillance camera would be promptly repaired, thus walking into Jane’s trap.

“Broken? That’s what you heard?” Jane countered, smiling. Unbeknownst to Monica, Jane had clandestinely arranged for the camera to be fixed.

Monica, her face now displaying surprise, voiced her doubts. “Really? How could it have been fixed so quickly? I didn’t break it!”

Patrick’s sharp gaze fell upon Monica as he instructed Morton, “Retrieve the surveillance footage.”