My heart pounded wildly as I followed Ethan to the CEO's office.
As soon as the door closed, the room fell silent.
There was no shouting.
No furious glare.
Ethan stood with his back to me, gazing at the skyscrapers through the glass wall.
"Do you know why I called you here?"
I bit my lip.
"Because I caused trouble."
Ethan turned around.
"Answer my question."
His gaze was so sharp that I couldn't look away.
"Did you take the document?"
"No."
"Did you delete the backup file?"
"No."
"Are you sure?"
I nodded without hesitation.
"I swear on my mother, I didn't do it."
The room fell silent again.
Several seconds passed without a sound.
Ethan kept staring at me, as if he wanted to see whether there was a lie hidden in my eyes.
Finally, he said quietly,
"I believe you."
My eyes widened.
"What?"
"I believe you."
My chest tightened.
All my life...
Not many people had ever chosen to believe me.
Even Adrian, the man who had once said he loved me, more often chose to believe other people's words than my explanations.
Yet a man who had only known me for a few days said...
"I believe you."
"Why?" I asked softly.
Ethan walked toward me.
"Because someone who risked her life for a child she didn't even know couldn't destroy a company for personal gain."
My tears nearly fell.
Not because I was sad.
But because, at last, someone saw me—not just the circumstances surrounding me.
"But all the evidence points to me."
"Evidence can be falsified."
Ethan's answer was brief.
"A person's character is much harder to fake."
Before I could respond, someone knocked on the door.
Surya entered with a serious expression.
"Sir, all the division heads have gathered in the conference room."
Ethan nodded.
"I'll be there."
A few minutes later...
I stood behind Ethan as we entered the main conference room.
Dozens of eyes immediately turned toward me.
Their gazes were filled with accusation.
The Finance Director stood first.
"Mr. Ethan, we're asking for a decision as soon as possible."
Daniel chimed in.
"The evidence is clear. The document disappeared, and the file was deleted using Maya's account."
"If the company doesn't take firm action, how are we supposed to maintain our clients' trust?"
Several division heads nodded in agreement.
I lowered my head.
I knew...
Not a single person in this room was on my side.
Ethan remained calm.
"Are you finished?"
The room suddenly fell silent.
"Does anyone else want to speak?"
There was no answer.
Ethan then opened the black folder in his hand.
"Then listen to me."
His voice was calm.
Yet it was enough to freeze the entire room.
"First."
"I haven't found any evidence that Maya is guilty."
Daniel immediately stood up.
"But her account was used!"
Ethan turned to him.
"If someone stole your account, would that automatically make you the culprit?"
Daniel fell silent at once.
"Second."
"Someone deliberately deleted the CCTV footage."
Ethan's gaze grew even sharper.
"That means the culprit understands the company's security system."
Several people began exchanging glances.
"And third."
Ethan placed a document on the table.
"The culprit knew where the contracts were stored."
The room fell silent again.
"That's not information a new employee would know."
The statement made several people's faces change.
I began to understand.
Ethan was leading everyone toward a single conclusion.
The culprit was an insider.
Not me.
"Sir."
Surya came back in, breathing hard.
"I just received a report from the IT team."
Everyone immediately turned toward him.
"They found an attempt to log in to Maya's account from another computer at around eleven p.m."
My heart pounded.
"What?"
Surya nodded.
"The login used Maya's password."
Daniel spoke immediately.
"That doesn't prove anything."
Surya continued,
"But the computer used was on the third floor."
I frowned.
"I've never even been to the third floor."
Everyone began whispering.
The third floor could only be accessed by senior employees.
That meant...
Someone really had stolen my identity.
Ethan stood.
"Starting today, no one is allowed to leave the building without my permission."
The room erupted into an uproar.
"What?"
"Why?"
"Is it really that serious?"
Ethan's gaze turned cold.
"Because the traitor is still in this company."
The words made the hair on the back of my neck stand up.
It turned out I wasn't the only target.
Something bigger was happening.
Elsewhere...
A man in a black hat was speaking on the phone.
"Ethan's getting suspicious."
The voice on the other end sounded cold.
"Then speed up our plan."
"What about that woman?"
"Destroy her."
The man smiled faintly.
"All right."
The call ended.
He gazed at the AURELIA GROUP building from a distance.
"I'm sorry, Maya."
"You're just a small pawn."
"If I have to destroy your life to bring down Ethan Aurelius..."
"I won't hesitate."
Meanwhile, inside the conference room, I had no idea that I had just been dragged into a dangerous game that threatened not only my job...
But my life as well.