Chapter 429 No Proof


    "Mr. Larson, the surveince system has just been updated. It was scheduled to be done yesterday,


    but the tech department was worried that something important might ur while the security


    cameras were out of service, so they put it off until after the employees left for the day." The


    assistant exined the situation in a shaking voice. He wasn''t sure what was going on, but he was


    scared nheless. Especially given the dark and formidable face his boss was sporting.


    Even so, his fear did not curb his curiosity. Why was the president suddenly investigating this


    matter?


    "Keep looking into it. Contact me once you find new leads." Brandon''s lips curled into a sneer. "Call


    Miss Turner here."


    He was nearing the end of his tether. The mandate to execute the system update at such a


    fortuitous time hade from the senior executives—all of them, it seemed. Clearly, whoever was


    behind this was meticulous. They had made sure that there were no loose ends, no trace left.


    Charis entered Brandon''s office with a stack of documents and herptop. She looked tired, as


    though she had spent thest several nights buried in work.


    "We just had three separate meetings in a row. The recent turmoil in Wall Street and the copse of


    the stock market has put everyone in a state of panic." She sounded weary as well, but she


    brightened up as she approached Brandon''s desk. "You never ask me to stop by around this hour.


    What''s up?"


    By all ounts, she appeared unaware of what was happening behind the scenes.


    "What were you doing at the stairwell yesterday after work?" Brandon asked bluntly, though his


    voice remained calm.


    Charis frowned for a brief second before it was reced with a smile. She dropped the documents


    she was carrying on his desk and said in a yful tone, "You must be kidding, Mr. Larson. You know


    that I hate taking the stairs. I had a meeting until ten o''clockst night, long after everyone has gone


    home. As soon as I was finished, I packed up and left the office through the elevator."


    Brandon stared at her in silence, a myriad of emotions flickering in his eyes.


    Charis was no fool. It didn''t take long for her to put two and two together, though she didn''t let on


    just how much she knew.


    "Did you have a quarrel with Miss Lind again? You''ve been wearing a long face since yesterday."


    She heaved a long, dramatic sigh. "I don''t know what you fought about, but if you think I had


    anything to do with it, then feel free to check into it. There are surveince cameras everywhere in


    thepany. You can confirm my whereabouts throughout the day."


    Charis seemed unbothered, and anyone would have immediately thought that she was innocent in


    all this.


    Sure enough, she was in a meeting when J had left the day before. Brandon had confirmed it


    himself, and more than a dozen senior executives served as her witnesses.


    He was starting to have doubts. Deep down, his instincts told him that Charis was involved in this


    debacle in one way or another, but he didn''t have any proof to back up his hunch. He had no choice


    but to overlook his suspicions, at least for now. "I''m not suspecting you. You''re thinking too much."


    Charis'' smile widened. She didn''t believe him, of course, but she would dly take his word.


    "In that case, I''ll be taking my leave. Look at you, you should go home soon, too. No matter how


    important your work is, you still need to take care of yourself."


    As soon as Charis left and closed the door behind her, Brandon received a call from Laney.


    "Mr. Larson! J booked a ne ticket out of Seacisco. It leaves at 2 P.M."


    "I''ming right now. Make sure she doesn''t see you." Brandon''s heart was hammering inside his


    chest. He grabbed his suit jacket from the sofa and strode out of his office.


    The airport was crowded when he arrived.


    Laney walked over, looking really anxious.


    Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.


    "Mr. Larson, her ne just took off. I followed your orders and stayed out of sight, so I wasn''t able to


    stop her..." Laney was visibly distressed. She could have stopped J from leaving. Hell, she


    could have dragged her friend away from airport if necessary.


    Brandon raised his hand and shook his head.


    "She hasn''t been at her besttely. Let''s just give her some space. She probably needs a break."


    Even as he said that, his face turned glum, like a dark cloud had formed above his head. He had felt


    his heart sink into a bottomless pit with every word Laney spoke.


    "Go and see where she''s headed." He stared out of the floor to ceiling windows and watched a


    ne soar into the distance, disappearing into the clouds. His scowl deepened, and people


    noticeably steered clear of him as they passed by. *******


    At six o''clock that afternoon.


    J finallynded in Barnes after a four-hour flight.


    The winter in the North was very cold, much colder than anything she had experienced back in


    Seacisco.


    She wrapped her down jacket tighter around herself before walking out of the arrival area. However,


    before J could even reach the end of the lobby, a group of burly men wearing ck surrounded


    her.