"Dominic has already tracked him down," Michael said, looking past her. "He's being brought in for questioning now. I suggest you prepare a better explanation than 'I didn't know,' because right now, the evidence says my wife is a corporate spy."
Evelyn recoiled as if he had slapped her. First the dog, now the company. It felt like someone was out to get her.
"You have to believe me, Michael," Evelyn pleaded, her voice trembling.
"Why would I sabotage my own husband's company? There's no reason for that!"
Michael looked at her, his eyes cold. "Isn't there? Maybe you're still angry about the dog issue. Maybe you wanted to throw a tantrum to get my attention, not realizing that what you destroyed cost millions and years of Elizabeth Bern's life's work."
Evelyn went still. The accusation from Michael cut deeper than any insult from Erica. She looked at the man she had married and realized that in his heart, she was just a volatile, vengeful girl.
A knock at the door broke the standoff between the two. And Dominic popped his head in "Boss, Mark Campbell is here."
The man from the security footage was brought in and Evelyn's eyes lit up with hope. "It was him. He said his name is 'Timothy Sanders!' tell them! Tell them you told me you were a new employee!"
The man looked at Evelyn with a mask of confusion. "I'm sorry, do I know you? Who are you?"
At this point, Evelyn realized it was a trap and became quiet. Michael looked from the man to Evelyn and finally spoke. "You better speak before I change my mind Mr Campbell". In fact, you have just five seconds left"
Mark's face physically paled, his eyes darting toward Evelyn. "Mr. Thorn... I'll talk!" He hesitated before continuing. It was Miss Meyers! She contacted me and said she'd sell me a proprietary mask sample if I met her at noon. I didn't want to go through with it, I swear!" He reached into the bag he came with and pulled out the same file Evelyn had given to him earlier. "Here! I don't want this again! Miss Meyers, please, just let me go!"
The room was silent. The "evidence" was now physically on the table.
"Evelyn," Michael said, leaning back in his chair, his eyes closed. "I am disappointed. First the dog, then pushing Erica into the pool, and now this? You're more vindictive than I thought."
"It's a setup, Michael! Can't you see that? Someone must have planned this!! I don't even know this man from anywhere, I just met him for the first time today at the office when he came to request for the sample. No, it must be Erica, or maybe my ex, Tail Watson, they're framing me!"
"ENOUGH!" Michael roared. He kicked the laptop off the table. It hit the floor with a sickening crack, the screen going black. Outside the room, even Dominic flinched. Michael had never lost his temper like this. "The evidence is right in front of my face, and you're still shifting the blame? You are disappointing Evelyn."
"Fine!" Evelyn screamed back, the tears finally falling. "Believe the lies! I'm done! I quit!"
She stormed out of the boardroom, through the whispering Design department, and headed straight for the villa.
Within an hour, an official notice was posted on the company platform: "Evelyn Meyers of the Design department is dismissed for Office misconduct and corporate espionage. She is ordered to pay 5 million dollars in damages." Shortly after, the accounting department received a transfer of exactly 5 million in Evelyn's name. She was buying her freedom with every cent she had.
Back at the Springfield Villa, Evelyn found Erica sitting on the balcony, scrolling through her phone with a smug, leisurely grace.
"Erica Jones!" Evelyn kicked the bedroom door open. "You shameless snake!"
Erica didn't even flinch. She looked up with a smile eyeing Evelyn from Toe to Head. "You seem stressed, Evelyn. Losing your job and your husband in twenty-four hours must be hard."
"I know it was you!" Evelyn grabbed Erica, dragging her off the chair. Erica landed on the floor with a dramatic cry, clutching her "injured" knee.
"Are you crazy, you bitch?" Erica hissed, her eyes flashing with malice.
"I'm sane for the first time in months!" Evelyn ran to the closet, throwing out Erica's designer suitcases onto the bed and stuffing them with clothes. "Get out of my house! You've used your little 'foot injury' to rot this marriage long enough. Out!"
She grabbed Erica's wrist, hauling her toward the stairs. The house keeper and the house staff, rushed over to intervene.
"Mrs. Thorn, stop! Miss Jones is hurt!" Mrs. May cried, trying to pry Evelyn's fingers loose.
"She's not hurt, she's a parasite!" Evelyn screamed, her grip tightening. "She framed me, lied to my husband, and murdered her dog just to stay here. Today, it ends!"
" It is either this woman leaves or I burn this place down!" Evelyn shook off the housekeeper's hand and lunged toward Erica.
Erica dodged behind a decorative pillar, smoothing her ruffled robe. "You think you can just kick me out? Why don't you ask Michael? He's the one who invited me to stay."
"This is my home!" Evelyn screamed, her voice cracking. "I don't need Michael's permission to take out the trash!"
Before she could move again, the phone in her pocket rang. She pressed the button, her eyes burning. "What do you want, Michael?"
"Evelyn, stop it," Michael's voice hard over the car's Bluetooth. "Don't take your frustrations out on a guest."
"A guest? She's a parasite! I'm driving her out today, You should try and stop me."
"Her foot is still injured," Michael said, his voice lower as he accelerated down the highway. "When she's healed, I'll send her away. Until then, be reasonable."
"Reasonable? She's framing me for corporate espionage! If I wait for her to heal, I'll be in a jail cell!" Evelyn slammed the phone shut. She didn't wait. She grabbed Erica's designer suitcase, dragged it to the top of the marble staircase, and sent it tumbling down.
Thud. Crack. Snap.
Evelyn marched down, opened the front door, and kicked the suitcase into the gravel driveway just as Michael's Car screeched to a halt.
Michael stepped out of the car, his face full of irritation. He grabbed Evelyn by the arm and pulled her back inside. "Can't you just talk like an adult for once?"
"Did you talk to me like an adult when I told you I was framed?" Evelyn sneered, her heart breaking at the look of disappointment in his eyes. "You think I'm a criminal. Why do you care if I kick her out?"
"Face up to your mistakes, Evelyn," Michael said, pressing her down on the sofa.
"My mistakes?" Evelyn pointed a trembling finger at the second floor landing where Erica stood, looking like a fragile flower that had been blown away by the wind "She's a snake, Michael! And you're letting her venom rot our home!"
"Enough!" Michael's tone turned lethal. "I told you already, she stays until she recovers. Now, shut up. And stop throwing a tantrum."
Evelyn looked at him, a harsh realization settling in. She didn't say another word. She pushed him off and sprang upstairs. Michael tried to hold her back, but he wasn't fast enough.
Evelyn burst into the guest room. She ripped the sheets off the bed and threw them into the hallway. She grabbed a heavy glass vase and smashed it into the crystal chandelier. Shattered glass rained down on the floor. She knocked over the vanity, sending perfumes and powders flying.
"Stay!" she screamed at the staff gathered at the door. "Every room she moves into, I will smash! I'll break every inch of this villa before I let her sleep peacefully!"
Michael looked at the wreckage of the guest room and felt a massive headache forming. "That's enough, You've had your fun," he said, his voice dangerously low.
"I'm not finished!" Evelyn retorted.
"Yes, you are." Michael lunged forward, grabbing her by the waist. He hauled her over his shoulder, ignoring her kicks and screams and carried her into their suite. The door locked with a click.
Evelyn sat on the bed, panting, her hair a wild mess. "I won't stop, Michael. If she doesn't leave, I'll make this house a living hell for her."
Michael didn't argue. He walked to the walk-in closet and returned with a necktie and Evelyn's eyes widened. She remembered the last time he'd used one of these to restrain her in the car. She stood from the bed, and scrambled to the other side of the room.
"Don't you dare, Michael Thorn! If you tie me up, we are finished!"
But Michael was faster. He grabbed her and pinned her wrists together, he bound them with the tie and tied it to the headboard.
"I have an emergency board meeting because of the mess you made today," he said, straightening his suit. "You aren't going anywhere. I'll be back tonight to deal with you properly."
"You beast! You son of a... Michael! Let me go!"
Michael ignored her, exiting the room and locking the door from the outside. "Mrs. May," he called out to the housekeeper. "Clean up the guest room. And do not untie the lady. If she's hungry, feed her. But she stays there."
Hours passed. And Evelyn's voice grew hoarse from shouting and crying. By the time Mrs. May entered with a bowl of porridge, Evelyn was slumped against the headboard, her wrists chafed by the tie.
"Mrs. May," Evelyn whispered, taking a bite of the food the housekeeper offered. "Please. I really need to use the bathroom. I've been holding it in for hours..."
She looked up with the most pitiful, wide-eyed expression she could muster. But Mrs. May just sighed and reached for another spoonful of porridge. Michael's orders were law in the Thorn household.