Mysterious Mrs. Pansy

Patrick’s expression darkened as he held Jane firmly in his arms. He was determined to show her that he was more than just her contractual fiancé. Perhaps changing the dynamics of their relationship was what they both needed.

Jane struggled to break free from his grasp, her fiery spirit undeterred. “Let go of me!” she demanded, her voice filled with defiance.

“What if I don’t?” Patrick countered, a cold smile playing on his lips.

The tension in the break room was palpable, the air seemingly freezing. However, the moment was interrupted by a knock on the door.

“Is someone in?” a voice from outside inquired.

Another voice joined in, impatiently complaining, “Who locked the door from the inside? Do they think the break room is their private space? This is ridiculous!”

Jane seized the opportunity to escape Patrick’s embrace. “Let me go!”

She opened the door and left the room, brushing past the two employees who stood outside, dumbfounded.

“Isn’t that Jane?” one of them asked, curious.

“Yes. Do you think she came here to hide because of the rumor? I guess she’s guilty. I can’t believe a murderer is working at this company. How dare she show up to work after what she did?” the other said, their judgment clouded by rumors.

A stern voice interrupted the gossip. “You two are fired!”

Startled, the gossiping women turned to find Patrick, the cold and imposing CEO, staring at them with a piercing gaze. The temperature in the room seemed to drop as he emanated an aura of authority.

Patrick left the break room, and the two employees were left stunned by the encounter.

Back at her desk, Jane received a call from Officer Bray, the police officer involved in her case.

“Hello, officer. To what do I owe this call?” Jane answered the phone politely.

“Monica is awake!” Officer Bray delivered the news with a serious tone.

“Really?” Jane responded, her interest piqued.

“Yes! As soon as she regained consciousness, we went to hear her side of the story. She insists that you pushed her into the lake,” Bray reported, his voice even more serious.

Jane frowned slightly. She wasn’t surprised by Monica’s claims; she had expected Monica to lie, given their antagonistic relationship. It was ironic that the person she had saved was now trying to frame her.

“Thanks for informing me,” Jane said, acknowledging the situation.

“Pending the completion of the investigation, you shouldn’t leave Guavo. You can be summoned to the station at any time. Don’t worry; we will uncover the truth,” Bray assured her.

Jane nodded, understanding the necessity of cooperating with the investigation. “All right, officer.”

Despite Patrick’s efforts, the rumors surrounding Jane being an attempted murderer continued to circulate. Monica’s allegations upon waking up had renewed interest in the story. Reporters gathered outside the hospital, eager to interview Monica, although they were denied access beyond visiting hours.

One reporter, however, managed to obtain Monica’s phone number and placed a call.

“Word on the street is that you were pushed into Lover Lake by Jane, the fiancée of Pansy Group’s CEO. Is that true?” the reporter inquired.

Monica began to feign tears. “Yes, it’s true. I didn’t fall into the water by accident. Jane pushed me. She wanted to kill me. I heard she’s still walking free. Please use your platform to demand justice for me.”

The reporter pressed for more details, asking, “Can you provide additional information? Why did Jane want to harm you? Were there any prior disputes between you?”

Monica, with a sly and malicious gleam in her eyes, replied, “It’s a long story. How about this? Come to my hospital room tomorrow during visiting hours, and we can discuss it face to face.”

Monica intended to reveal her story gradually, building anticipation and milking the situation for both fame and to damage Jane’s reputation further. She knew that a live interview would garner more attention than a phone conversation, as viewers would be outraged upon seeing her cry in real-time.

Monica scheduled an exclusive interview with reporters for the following day. She planned to describe how she was framed, pushed into the water by Jane, and how her assailant had heartlessly refused to rescue her while she was drowning.Belonging © NôvelDram/a.Org.

After the call, Monica’s eyes sparkled with malice. She was convinced that Jane would be sent to prison, making her near-death experience worthwhile.

At the same time, Jane’s opponent, Florence, called her. Monica answered the call with a fake pitiful tone.

“Hello.”

“Monica, it’s me,” Florence’s voice came through.

“You’ve done well this time.”

“Thank you. Jane will be defeated this time, trust me.”

A smug smile crossed Monica’s face. “I plan to put on an excellent act in front of the media and the police. Melissa and her classmate have already testified in my favor. Jane is sure to be locked up for a few years.”

“I like the sound of that,” Florence responded with satisfaction.

“Although this wasn’t our initial plan, it’s still effective. I just want that nuisance out of my way. By the way, there’s no evidence implicating us, right?” Florence inquired.

“Of course not,” Monica confirmed confidently. “I scouted the location thoroughly before taking any action. Jane and I were the only ones there at that time. Even Melissa and her classmate didn’t arrive until I had fallen into the lake. I’m certain no one else knows that I accidentally fell into the water while attempting to push Jane.”

“That’s good,” Florence acknowledged.

Monica was determined to see Jane removed from her path and to regain her position at Pansy Group. She had put everything on the line, and there was no room for failure this time.

As night fell, the most trending news online revolved around Jane and Monica. With Monica pointing fingers at Jane after waking up, the public’s condemnation of Jane escalated further. Many people called for her immediate arrest, and the online backlash intensified.

In his office, Patrick leaned back in his chair, scrolling through his Twitter feed. His timeline was dominated by posts about the Jane and Monica incident, and he squinted slightly as he read through the comments and articles.

Morton entered the room and reported, “Sir, I’ve found what you asked me to look for.” He handed a USB drive to Patrick.

Patrick accepted the drive, inserted it into his computer, and reviewed the contents. Afterward, he parted his lips and said, “Very good.”

Morton inquired, “Should I have all the slanderous posts about Jane taken down?”

The media had proven to be increasingly untrustworthy, often publishing stories for the sake of web traffic. They had even begun seeking live interviews, which Patrick found rather foolish.

Patrick contemplated for a moment before responding, “No need.”