Chapter 214

Isabella's words hit Odette like a ton of bricks.

Odette slumped back in her chair, muttering, "So we were doomed from the start."

Everyone thought Isabella would join the competition, but that assumption turned out to be their downfall.

Odette took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. "You say you didn't enter, but how can you prove it? And why should we care if you did or didn't?"

Odette shot a cold glare at Isabella, determined to protect Madeline. As long as Madeline ditched the plan right away, Isabella wouldn't have any dirt on her. Worst case, Isabella would win a prize, which would suck but wouldn't get her fired.

"Think I don't have proof?" Isabella suddenly grinned.

Panic washed over Odette.

"Mr. Larson got your submission, under my name, from the organizers. It's clearly Madeline's style," Isabella smirked.

Odette relaxed a bit. "Design style alone isn't proof."

But then Isabella pulled out her phone and played a video.

"What about this?" Isabella pushed the phone toward Odette.

Odette's face went pale as she watched the footage. It showed her sneaking around on Isabella's computer.

"You know, a lot of people want to take me down, so I had to take some precautions, like installing a camera in my office." Isabella shrugged, her smile mocking.

"My computer had a Trojan virus that stole my username. You and Madeline must've used that virus to publish the work under my name, right?" Isabella pulled out a clear evidence bag.

Inside was a USB drive, the one the cops had found on Odette. It was the same USB drive shown in the video.

"I had the police check out the USB drive. It's confirmed to be a virus. They also checked my computer and found traces of the virus. Now all the evidence points to you, Odette. How many years do you think you'll get?" Isabella leaned forward, fingers interlaced on the table.

In psychology, this posture creates a sense of pressure. Isabella used it to break down Odette's fragile nerves.

"You know how scary our boss can be. You secretly photographed and pissed off his client. On top of that, you framed me. How much longer do you think your sentence will be? Or which awful prison do you think you'll end up in?" Isabella's smile was ice-cold.

Odette's body shook violently, and she finally broke down. Unable to handle the pressure, she begged Isabella for mercy.

Odette cried and pleaded, "I'm sorry, I was wrong. Please, forgive me. I won't do it again. I'm sorry."

Isabella looked at Odette with indifference. "You're even worse than Madeline's last assistant. A complete idiot. If you want me to let you go, you need to offer something valuable."

Isabella leaned back in her chair, crossing her arms, waiting for Odette to make up her mind.

Odette clenched her fists, her eyes full of conflict. She knew what Isabella wanted-to betray Madeline.

"You better think hard. Remember what happened to the last person who stayed loyal to Madeline? Madeline has no connections; she can't protect you." Isabella's mocking smile grew wider.

Isabella's words completely broke down Odette's defenses.

'That's right. Madeline can't save me. I'm the only one who can,' Odette thought, a ruthless glint in her eyes.

Odette suddenly looked up at Isabella. "If I testify against Madeline, will you let me go?"

Isabella scoffed. "I can handle her without your testimony. I need valuable info, not just a witness statement. If you can't give me something useful, get ready for prison."

Isabella stood up and headed for the door.

"Wait a minute, I've got something! Don't you find it suspicious that Madeline won first place in a national design competition, even with her skills?" Odette exclaimed.

Isabella paused. She realized she'd overlooked a key point. Then again, she hadn't seen the other entries, so comparing them to Madeline's work was impossible.

Isabella turned around, looking at Odette. "Now you've got my attention."

Isabella sat back down, and Odette let out a sigh of relief.

"Honestly, there's no way Madeline could have won legitimately. She bribed the judges! I have proof," Odette declared.

Isabella looked at Odette, intrigued. "Madeline has no connections. Even if she had money, why would they agree?"

Odette quickly added, "What if Bianca was involved? Don't forget, your dear cousin has a pretty influential boyfriend."

Isabella was stunned. She hadn't expected Bianca to be involved. If that was true, it all made sense.

Through John's connections, Bianca could reach the competition organizers and set up a deal for Madeline, in order to get Isabella out of the company.

"So that's it. Now that I think about it, your tactics seem familiar. Isn't this the same trick Bianca used to plagiarize my work last time?" Isabella shook her head, a disdainful smirk on her lips.

"Now that I've told you everything, will you let me go?" Odette asked, her eyes filled with hope.

Isabella nodded. "Hand over all the evidence you have, testify as a witness, and I'll drop my charges. Your sentence will be significantly reduced."

Odette's face lit up with excitement as she nodded eagerly. "Okay, I'll tell you where the evidence is right now."