My Mirror Image by Maybe Not (Candice And Alex’s)

Chapter 0315

Candice followed Alex into Aether Corporation.

The first floor of the building was nearly empty due to the late hour.

The sound of their footsteps reverberated gently through the empty space.

Pausing by the elevator, Candice voiced her hesitations, "You have important business matters to attend to. It might not be appropriate for me to go with you."

Though she hadn't fully grasped the specifics of the earlier phone conversation, Candice had a clear sense of the critical circumstances that prompted Alex's late return to the office.

She looked around the dimly lit lobby and concluded that she would rather wait outside.

Alex repeated his earlier remarks, "You were the one who delivered that document."

His figure was cloaked in shadow, stripped of the earlier warmth the streetlight had provided, making the memory of his softer side seem like Candice's imagination.

There was no mistaking his goal. The situation made it difficult for Candice not to accompany him, given her involvement with the matter.

Resignedly, Candice walked with Alex to his office.

Unlike the vacant first level, the president's office was well-lit.

Present were Sawyer, Julie, the intern Candice recognized, and several executives, all of whom reacted differently to the two entrances.

Candice appeared unfazed. She settled herself on a couch, curious about Alex's next steps.

Unexpectedly, Alex's command was singular and pointed.

He directed, "Sawyer, gather the last week's surveillance footage surrounding my office and list everyone who's been in my office," He paused and added, "Particularly, focus on the times I was absent."

His directive was loaded with implications, narrowing down the list of potential visitors who would have access to his office in his absence.

Silently observing from the sidelines, Candice kept to herself, offering no comments.

Julie was moving around with files. She gave Candice several glances, but she remained calm and unfazed by the attention.

The atmosphere in the office was thick with tension. Everyone moved purposefully, except for Candice, who appeared relaxed on the sofa.

She was engaged in a conversation with Yana on the phone, who was lamenting family pressure to meet Mason on a blind date.

Candice was just about to respond when her phone rang. The cheerful ringtone cut through the heavy air.

She paused a little before taking the call.

On the line, Hanley's laid-back voice came through, "Why aren't you back yet?" Text content © NôvelDrama.Org.

He knew about her plans to dine with Shawn.

Surrounded by the office's hustle, Candice calmly informed, "I'm currently at Aether Corporation, dealing with some issues."

Hanley's voice betrayed his worry, "You're at Aether Corporation? Why?"

Before Candice could offer details, a voice overhead announced, "Mr. Elysian has a question for you."

Glancing up, Candice locked eyes with Alex's composed look.

She quickly wrapped up the call with Hanley and focused on Alex, questioning, "What's up?"

He questioned her, "Did you tamper with the document in any way upon delivery?"

Candice sat upright. For years, she had a habit of maintaining perfect posture even when sitting. She replied, "If I remember correctly, the document was sealed. Any tampering would have been obvious from the start."

Julie interjected with a speculative tone, "What if it was tampered with and then meticulously resealed?"

Alex's scrutinizing gaze joined the others on Candice.

Candice faced their gazes without wavering, her response crisp and forthright, "Considering my knowledge of Aether Corporation's more critical information, would I really concern myself with such a trivial document?"

Her statement came across as bold, but not without truth.

Daniel had insisted that Candice sign a non-compete agreement because she was familiar with the company's confidential information due to her position as the former Chief Secretary and the fact that Alex was her mentor.

Julie was going to say something else when Alex tossed the document on the table.

He instructed in an even tone, "Bring Sonia here, now."

Candice had a suspicion that Alex had discovered something. Despite her lack of interest, she reasoned that she would eventually find out what was going on because she was stranded here.

Sawyer heeded the command and exited with his mobile phone in hand. The office was plunged into a dreadful silence where no one dared to speak.

Alex was concentrating on the security footage Julie had retrieved as well as the list of names they had narrowed down.

His gaze was grave as he replayed a segment of the footage, capturing Sonia entering the office with documents in hand.

Sawyer re-entered before the video finished. His demeanor was uneasy as he faced Alex and reported, "Ms. Summers claims she's too unwell to come."

Despite the news, Alex's face betrayed no emotion, though his gaze upon Sawyer was both sharp and frosty.

Feeling the weight of his stare, Sawyer quickly added, "I'll reach out to Ms. Summers once more."

This time, however, he did not leave the room and dialed Sonia's number directly in front of Alex.

The call connected. It immediately broadcasted a woman's flirtatious moan, then a man's deep, seductive coaxing, "Baby, look at me."

It was clear what they were up to.

As Alex's face darkened, Sawyer cleared his throat and reminded the couple on the line.

"Ms. Summers, it's urgent. Mr. Elysian is asking you to come to the office now."

The interruption seemed to jolt Sonia back to reality. She let out a sharp scream and shoved the man aside.

Sonia cried out in distress as mayhem broke out on the other side of the phone line.

The drama that was playing out surprised Candice. She kept her gaze down, avoiding looking at Alex. She didn't have to see him to understand how upset he must be.

The disturbance over the phone lingered until Alex's chilly voice broke through, "Do you intend to come voluntarily, or should I arrange for someone to bring you here?"

His softly spoken ultimatum echoed ominously in the quiet office.

Sonia's end fell silent. Then, she responded in a flurry of panic, "Lex, please let me explain. It's not what you think."

Alex cut the tension, stating firmly, "Twenty minutes. I expect to see you in the office."

He gave Sawyer a glance after giving his instructions.

Sawyer quickly disconnected the call.

The atmosphere in the office became even more gloomy and tense. Everyone held their breath and tried not to make any noise.

Suddenly, hurried footsteps announced Sonia's chaotic entry into the office. She exclaimed, "Lex, you have to listen to me. I didn't mean to. I…"

Her plea ceased upon noticing the audience, her gaze filled with absolute dread settling on Alex.