Elena's POV:
I drop my eyes almost immediately as humiliation floods me.
After last night, he's probably happy to see me like this. I wanted to return to work so bad, and now I have, and look what I'm met with.
The whole room shifts as Adrian steps in. All the murmurs and whispers die out, now replaced with tension.
My heart is pounding so hard, but I force myself to stand still.
Through my lashes, I watch as he strides towards us. Heavy, unhurried steps echo in the room.
With every step he takes towards us, I keep wishing the ground would open and swallow me whole.
He finally stops just a few steps away from me.
I can't bring myself to look at him. Not now. I'm too…ashamed.
"Mr. Adrian, you're..."
"I don't have the luxury of time to waste," he cuts the manager off, voice as deep and as cold as ice.
"Explain to me what's going on here," he adds icily, putting both hands into his pockets.
The manager straightens, clearing his throat. "Uhh…so, as I said before on the call, your wife here," he gestures at me, and I don't miss the way his hand shakes nervously. "Has been accused of stealing another staff's property," he finishes.
His words cut me.
I didn't do it!
Through the corner of my eye, I see the way Adrian's jaw flexes, but his expression is still indifferent, almost like he's not bothered by what he just heard.
"And how did you come to that conclusion?"
"Well, we did a thorough search of all the other bags, and the watch was found in hers," the manager states.
"Who's watch is it?" Adrian asks.
"It's Mrs. Camilla's." He turns to Camilla.
Camilla steps forward from beside the manager.
"The watch is mine, sir." Her face is stained with dry tears.
Adrian's gaze lazily moves to her, sliding over her body from head to toe with irritation as clear as day on his face.
Camilla lowers her head slightly, probably shaking under Adrian's dark scrutiny.
He tilts his head to the side slightly, studying her for a moment. "And how did you find out your watch was missing, Camilla?"
"I... I went to the bathroom to ease myself, and before I did, I had taken off the watch and put it in my bag. But when I came out, I couldn't find it anymore. So I told the manager. And he searched everyone's bags, and found it in Elena's."
All of a sudden she starts sobbing. Fresh tears roll down her eyes again.
My eyes snap up to her.
"And I…I can't believe Elena would do something like this. I thought we were friends. We were close, but I didn't know she only got close to me so she could steal from me."
My heart shatters. I don't care about anyone else, because out of everyone here, her doubt breaks me more.
My eyes shift to Adrian. His jaw is tight, the vein at the top of his forehead pops, but his expression is still neutral.
And for some reason, it would kill me if he doubted me too.
"And…" Camilla continues. "I know she did it because she's the only one I told I was going to the restroom. She must've used that opportunity to take it."
Camilla, why?
Adrian's right hand leaves his pocket and comes up to his face as he rubs on his jaw steadily. His eyes close for a brief moment, before he opens them again.
"Are you sure about what you're saying?" His gaze is as hard as steel on her.
"There is no other explanation for it, so yes…" she glances at me briefly "I'm sure. It only hurts because I thought she was someone I knew. I didn't think she would steal from me, especially considering the fact that she's married to someone rich," she runs her eyes over Adrian.
"But it turns out she's just a manipulative pretender, desperate for.."
"Watch your tone!" Adrian's deep voice pierces through the whole room.
Everyone stills, including me. I steal a glance at him, and I see that his fists are folded in his pants, his jaw clenched tightly. His piercing gaze is fixed on Camilla. And if looks could kill, she'd probably be dead by now.
He's angry.
For me? Or at me? Does he believe her?
"I know you're upset about your watch missing, but I hope you've not forgotten that it's my wife you're talking about."
"I don't care if it's your phone, your whole bag, or your god-damned dignity that gets stolen, but if you speak about my wife in that manner again, you'll not only be crying about stolen properties."
My insides buzz at his words. I didn't expect him to stand up for me like that.
Camilla's gaze drops to the floor, then hesitantly, she opens her mouth, "I…I'm sorry," she blurts.
But Adrian doesn't listen to her, because now his gaze is on me.
He glares at me, and I can feel the anger radiating off him. At this point, I just want to disappear.
I want to speak. To tell him I didn't do it. Tell him I didn't take Camilla's bag, but I can't. I can't bring myself to speak.
His gaze shifts away from me. And he looked like he was irritated.
"Tessa," he calls, and Tessa steps out, takes her phone out of her pocket, and presses a few buttons on it. Adrian stretches a hand out, and she puts it in his hand.
What's going on? How does he know Tessa? And why did she give him her phone?
Adrian taps something on the phone, and his gaze is fixed on it. He's watching something. And whatever he's watching seems to piss him off because he's gripping the phone so tightly, it might just break.
When he's done, he looks up at everyone again. Then hands the phone back to Tessa.
"Show them," he says, voice cold.
On his order, she passes the phone to the manager. Everyone clusters around, except me, I can't move. It's like my legs have been glued to the ground.
Everyone's eyes widen, and gasps leave their lips, as all their eyes are on Camilla now. Camilla stiffens, fidgeting nervously. And now, I can't help but wonder what was in the video.
"And her," Adrian turns to me, hands still in his pockets.
Tessa takes the phone back from the manager, then walks over to me, and stretches her hand out.
I look to her, confusion written all over my face, and then to Adrian. No one says anything. They just wait for me to take it. Hesitantly, I take it from her and press the play button.
My stomach drops instantly.
Oh my God!
It can't be.
Camilla…she…she's in the video. And it shows her putting her watch into my bag.
I don't understand…why would she even do something like this?
We were cool, I can't think of anything I did that would make her want to frame me.
Tessa slides the phone out of my hand, and returns back to her former position.
I'm left stunned and in shock. My gaze lifts to Camilla's, but she's avoiding any eye contact with me. My eyes burn at the sense of betrayal.
Why lie?
Adrian takes a few steps towards her, then stops.
"I asked if you were sure of what you were saying, didn't I?"
Camilla is trembling under his gaze. She doesn't answer.
"Answer me!" Adrian seethes and I can feel his anger from where I'm standing.
"I…Sir—"
"You acted like her friend," he takes a step closer to her, and she takes one back, "pretended to like her, and all for what? So you could frame her for theft, and then act like the proper victim?"
He takes one hand out of his pocket, bringing it up to her face. For a second I think he's going to hit her.
"Please don't hit me!" Camilla rushes out, squirming, and shuts her eyes tight.
Adrian drops his hand as a humorless laugh escapes him.
"I wish. I really truly wish. And you're lucky you're not a man because I wouldn't even waste a single drop of saliva with you. You would be dead already before you could even blame my wife for something like this"
Low gasps and murmurs break out. My chest rises and falls unevenly.
"Now listen to me, camel, or whatever your name is, I don't know why you did what you did, or what you thought would come out of any of this, but I want you to know something."
"No matter how many cheap tricks you try to perform, no matter how many lies you try to fabricate against my wife, you will never be up to her."
"And if you so much as look at or breathe against my wife again, or speak of her in that manner again, you will regret it. And of course I'm going to make sure of that, cause you're fired!"
Her eyes widen the same time my brows shoot up.
"What?!" She drops to her knees instantly "Please…I…sir, please I don't.."
"Get up and get out," Adrian's voice slices through the room.
"Sir, please I promise…"
"Don't make me repeat myself before I drag you out of here myself. And trust me," he drawls, narrowing his icy gaze on her. "It won't be pretty."
Camilla trembles, shaking intensely, as her gaze slides to me. She looks at me like she expects me to beg for her. And part of me wants to, but that is the foolish, naive part that still thinks she was ever a friend.
I force myself to look away. She deserves whatever she's getting.
Through the corner of my eye, I see her face drop in defeat.
"Adrian, I promise…I ….i–"
Before she can finish, Adrian grips her arm, pulling her up from the ground, then with angry long strides, he drags her to the door. She yells, pleading, and crying, but Adrian doesn't care. He pulls open the door, then shoves her hard to the ground, before slamming the door closed again.
His anger is palpable, rippling out of him in folds.
My heart is beating fast. I'm completely overwhelmed by this whole situation.
Adrian strides back towards us slowly, running a hand through his hair.
"If I find that she has stepped foot into this building again, everyone else is getting fired immediately."
Low whispers break out. His threat hangs in the air like a disease.
"And let this also be a warning to each and every one of you. In case you're thinking of trying anything stupid like the camel girl did, then you'd better start rethinking because I won't be as forgiving as today." His gaze lowers on all of them.
He knew.
He knew all along that I was innocent. And I was here, thinking that he probably believed Camilla.
Meanwhile, he trusted me.
His eyes slowly shift and he catches me in his gaze.
I swallow hard. There's irritation in his features, but he doesn't say anything. We stare at each other like that for what feels like minutes, me taking heavy, deep, unsteady breaths.
And then he turns, and makes his way for the door. "And don't call me again, if it's not important," he throws over his shoulder as he pulls the door open and leaves.
A sense of relief washes over me as the door closes behind him. I can finally breathe.
"Uhh…Mrs. Elena," the manager calls.
I lift my head.
"I'm sorry… on behalf of all of us for doubting—"
I turn and walk out. It's not like me to do something like this, but I can't help it. None of them believed me. They all thought I stole the watch.
And now they want to give me fake apologies. They expect me to laugh it off and smile at them. But I can't. I won't.
And as I keep walking, I realize something. The one person whom I thought wouldn't believe me, was the one who did. From the very beginning, he never doubted. And I realize too that he was the only one I wanted to prove my innocence to.