When Love Becomes a Cage (Melanie)

Chapter 77



The lawyer worked his magic swiftly, given the police had nothing solid on me. So, I was released in no time.

Still, by the time I stepped out, the sky had already turned pitch black. Hours had gone by, and I had no clue how things were faring on Clyde's end. “What in the world happened at the construction site? Which supplier messed up this time?"

I was acquainted with most of our partners, having worked closely with many of them alongside Merritt Construction, so a mishap of this magnitude seemed improbable.

Moreover, our sites were always under the watchful eye of safety officers. The reason Merritt Construction had earned its stellar reputation was precisely because of our emphasis on safety and efficiency in our projects.

A mishap, if not swiftly and effectively managed, could tarnish our reputation in no time.

The lawyer shook his head. "Mr. Patterson asked me to assist you first; he's dealing with it with another colleague. I haven't had the chance to get in touch yet."

"But it appears several sites encountered substandard materials. There was an accident on the downtown project site during overtime work tonight. A worker fell from a height and died instantly. Quite a few workers caught it on video, so there's no escaping this one."

"The media is not painting us in a favorable light, and the PR department is under a lot of pressure..."

Kemp had been with the company for ages. The serious, tense look on his face told me Merritt Construction was in for some trouble.

Any accident involving injury or death could significantly impact the entire project, and it wasn't just about compensating financially.

Clyde, known for his decisive and sometimes ruthless business tactics, had made a fair share of enemies. It wouldn't take long for someone to exploit this situation.

"I need to go to the company to check some documents. You deal with the victim's family. I'll catch a cab."

After Kemp dropped me off, I hurried to the office.

Numerous documents needed immediate review; any loophole could spell disaster for us.

Today, of all days, I felt a persistent twitch in my right eyelid. Ever since my illness, I'd become superstitious, sensing an impending crisis.

Little did I expect, upon reaching the office door, to spot a shadowy figure inside, rummaging around in the dark.

"Who's there?"

Instinctively, I grabbed a broom by the door and dialed security as I flicked on the lights, ready to strike, only to come face to face with Kayla.

She looked momentarily panicked but regained her composure upon seeing me.

"What the heck? You scared me to death. Clyde sent me to get some documents."

I noticed she was clutching several files, which she quickly tried to hide behind her back.

"Clyde sent you? What are you doing snooping around in the dark? And why are you in the marketing department fetching files? How'd you even get the key?"

Recalling that one of the material batches was supplied by Kayla's family's factory, I wasn't surprised to find her here.

She jingled the keys in her hand. "Clyde gave them to me. What else?"

I recognized the keychain; indeed,

only

to Clyde. His ID was the

with access to all

but my suspicions only offices,

"Don't believe me? Call him. He'll vouch for me."

She seemed genuinely confident now, dialing Clyde's number herself.

Unfortunately, there was no answer.

I tried calling him too, to no avail.

Impatiently, Kayla pushed past

"These documents are crucial,

especially now. Do you have anl

idea a man died on site? Don't get in my way."

But I stood firm, blocking the door.

My gut told me letting her leave would only spell trouble.

However, how could I, weakened by illness, stand a chance against the pampered Kayla?

She managed to slip past me shortly.

"Ms. Crawford, what's going on?"

Security had arrived, and I urgently instructed, "Stop her, she's stealing files."

With the news of Merritt Construction's mishap spreading like wildfire, the security guard immediately detained Kayla.

Infuriated, she glared at the guard. "Do you know who I am? Dare to stop me?"

The guard hesitated, looking between us.

"I am Clyde's lawful wife, a shareholder of Merritt Construction, and the head of the Design Department. I'll take responsibility!"

Kayla's defiance only made me more anxious, solidifying my resolve not to let her leave.

Glaring fiercely at me, she yanked the files out and scattered them in the air.

"Want the files? Here, explain this to Clyde!"

As the guard helped collect the papers, she hurried into the elevator.

Ignoring her, I gathered the

documents, all related to projects partnered with Apex Group - it was

clea Kayla's family's factor was

the issue.

was

The guard looked at me worriedly. "Mrs. Patterson, Mr. Patterson won't blame us, will he?"

Everyone knew Kayla was Clyde's favorite, even more than me, his actual wife.

I shook my head, reassuring him. "Don't worry, I won't let you take the fall."

"But I need today's surveillance footage, especially of Kayla's movements. Miss one, and you're out!"