Chapter 9 Unbelievable
With a sullen look, Stefan suppressed his anger.
“Delay the filming time. Now, you return to the company with me.”
‘Could I explain this clearly if I returned to the company?’
Martha stared down at the tip of her shoe and pursed her lips.
Since she didn’t speak or move, Stefan looked more sullen.
Martha could see the fury in his eyes, but she didn’t want to just leave.
Watching the scene, Rhys walked to Martha, stood aside with a smile, and deliberately lowered his voice to ask, “You don’t want to leave me, do you?”
His flirty voice was clearly heard in the silence.
Stefan cast an icy glance at Martha.
Feeling it, Martha bit her lip tightly, sweat oozing from her palms. Blood drained from her lips. “I didn’t break the necklace,” she said softly.
She didn’t want to leave without sorting out this issue.
“I won’t hold you accountable for the necklace.”
Stefan felt irritable while watching Rhys almost cling to Martha, his face full of impatience.
His words, however, made Martha’s heart sink and disappointed her so much.
In Stefan’s opinion, she should be responsible for all the mistakes, whether it was a trifle or a big event.
But this time, she must let him know it was not her fault.
Thinking of that, Martha looked more determined. She yanked up her head and looked into Stefan’s eyes. “”It’s your business whether to hold me accountable. But I’ll never admit things that I’ve never done.”
Then she looked over at Joann. “Before sending the necklace to you, I checked it and it was intact.”
“Why is it broken now?” Joann sneered at Martha who was isolated, with undisguised smugness in her eyes.
Gazing at her, Martha said, “That’s what I want to ask you.”
“Do you mean I’ve broken it?” Joann asked in disdain.
She didn’t think Martha could do anything to her if she didn’t admit it.
Stefan furrowed his eyebrows slightly.
The air was really tense, with everyone staring at Martha and Joann.
After a long while, Rhys broke the silence.
With both hands in the pockets of his slacks, he snorted, “Isn’t it simple to find out who has broken it? There are surveillance cameras here everywhere. Check the surveillance record. We’ll see who has touched the necklace clearly.”
Looking over at Stefan, he continued while arching an eyebrow, “Mr. Harrison, haven’t you thought of such a simple way?”
The expression on Stefan’s face froze.
He could have thought such a way, but he had never thought it was done by someone else except Martha.
With a sullen face, Stefan turned around to hint at his assistant, Flora, who then went to check the surveillance record.
Joanna clenched her fingers tightly while listening to them.
If the surveillance record was checked, what she had done would be exposed certainly.
A panic appeared on her face.
Seeing that, Martha curled her lips into a faint smile and blocked her way. “Miss Lowe, let’s watch the surveillance video together.”
She wouldn’t want to be blamed for something she hadn’t done anymore.
Joann only wished to escape there. Pressing her lips, she said stiffly, “I’m busy. Since the necklace is broken, let’s continue the shooting some other day.”NôvelDrama.Org © content.
Then she was about to turn away.
“We’ll date later. What else are you busy with?”
Rhys smiled and reached around her shoulders to stop her from leaving.
Joann’s legs weakened. Wearing an awkward smile, she had to stop.
Shortly after, Flora returned with the surveillance video.
“Flora, please project the video onto the screen. It’s big, so everyone can watch it,” said Rhys.
Flora glanced at Stefan for his permission. Then she strode towards the projector.
Soon, the video was played on the screen.
Earlier in the morning, Martha passed the necklace box to the staff. Later, when a staff member took it out, it wasn’t broken.
After the staff member brought it to Joann in the dressing room and left, Joann took out the necklace and tore the string to break it.
The truth came out.
All people turned to look at Joann in disbelief. She was a very popular female star, and no one had expected her to do such a dirty trick.
Stefan scowled at Joann sharply.
The scene became pin-drop silent.
Under others’ gazes, Joann shook her head in a panic and explained, “It’s not like what you’ve thought… I… I didn’t break the necklace purposely.”
As she refuted, her eyes reddened. She stammered gradually. Everyone had mixed feelings, but only a few believed her.
After all, the evidence was solid. Several staff members tried to help her look for the troublemaker, feeling ashamed and humiliated.
Stefan darted at Joann coldly and asked, “Tell me. You don’t think the Harrison Group’s endorsement is good enough for you?”
Joann shook her head vigorously and couldn’t help trembling.
Her agent could tell she was too scared to utter a word, so she bit the bullet and mediated, “Mr. Harrison, Joann didn’t mean it. She didn’t do it purposely.”
Her words made others discuss in low voices.
As it was shown on the screen, everyone saw Joann break the necklace. But her agent just lied about it shamelessly.
Upon hearing others’ disdainful remarks, Joann looked at Rhys for help.
Watching the scene, Martha only felt bitter and heartache.
She took a deep breath, clenched her fists, and turned to Stefan, her eye rims reddening. “See? I told you, I haven’t done it!”
With those words, she immediately turned around and trotted out.
As soon as she turned around, tears trickled down her cheeks.
She had experienced such matters countless times. Everyone blamed her for what she had never done.
Finally, she was proven innocent once today.
Stefan was startled, wondering why she ran so fast.
Suppressing his anger, he watched Martha trot away and was about to follow her.
An ironic voice sounded behind him, “Mr. Harrison, you don’t trust your wife. Why did you marry her?”
Stefan stopped mid-step, turned around, and asked expressionlessly, “Does it have anything to do with you, Mr. Williams?”
Rhys saw a strong sense of possession in his eyes, but he wasn’t surprised.
He guessed Stefan didn’t notice it himself.
With a faint smile, Rhys said, “I never forced a woman. Nothing happened between Martha and me that night.”
Stefan was taken aback. Frowning slightly, he replied, “You don’t have to tell me that, Mr. Williams.”
With those words, he pressed his lips together and turned away.
Somehow, his irritation faded.
Rhys raised his eyebrows while watching him. After straightening his cuffs, he headed for the entrance.
Joann hurriedly followed him and tugged his arm as soon as he took a step. “Mr. Williams, you…”
Rhys pushed her hand off and snorted, “I only have a three-minute passion for a woman. Unfortunately, I lost my interest in you a minute ago.”
His words made Joann baffled.
She realized he had dumped her.
Seeing Rhys’ figure fading. Joann wanted to chase him, but several staff members stopped her.
“Miss Lowe, you can only leave after paying the compensation for the necklace.”
She glared at them in anger, her eyes full of hatred.
‘Damned Martha! If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t have become like this,’ her inner voice cursed.
…
On the other side, Martha returned to the Harrison Villa after sitting on the bus for half an hour.
Earlier, she was too agitated, so her symptom worsened.
She felt weak, her back full of cold sweat. Also, she had bearing-down pain in her lower abdomen.
Martha tried hard to reach the drawer where her medicine was. After a few steps, she felt warm liquid dripping from her nose.
When she touched it, she saw blood on her fingers.
‘My nose is bleeding?’
Frowning, Martha changed her way and headed for the bathroom.
She pulled out two paper napkins to block her nose. Anxiously, she turned on the tap to wash her blood off her fingers.
Much to her surprise, the blood didn’t stop, but more dripped.
Shortly after, the sink was full of her blood.
…
Meanwhile, Stefan arrived home.
The scene where Martha trotted out repeatedly appeared in his mind. He frowned slightly.
He had to admit that he had misunderstood her, but he thought she should be alert.
The thought made him sullen. He disdained Martha for being so stupid, thinking she truly deserved the trouble.
After taking off his suit jacket, Stefan frowned at the second floor. After a while, he went to the second floor.
He didn’t see Martha in the bedroom when he pushed the door open.
Furrowing his eyebrows, Stefan wondered where she had gone.
Suddenly, he heard the sound of the running water from the bathroom.
He strode in that direction. As soon as he entered, he saw Martha almost fall beside the sink, which was full of blood.
The color contrasted sharply with the white sink.
Stefan’s pupils constricted. He rushed up, grabbed her arm, and asked, “What happened to you?”
Feeling the warmth on her arm, Martha grabbed his sleeves. Then she blacked out.
“Martha? Martha?”
Stefan gently shook her in his arms. A trace of anxiety appeared in his eyes.
He had never seen her like this before. Somehow, he panicked.
Pressing his thin lips together, Stefan scooped her up and strode towards the door.
He frowned deeply as Martha was too light, as if she was made of paper. He couldn’t feel her weight at all.
Subconsciously, he looked down at her.
Seeing the bloodstain on his white shirt, Stefan looked more solemn, his eyes dark.
‘Damn! Why does she bleed so much?’
His intuition told him to send Martha to the hospital as soon as possible, so he quicken his steps.
Carrying Martha in his arms, Stefan strode into the basement garage, started his car engine, and drove towards the hospital as fast as he could.
On the way, he contacted the doctor. Thus, Martha was sent to the emergency room as soon as they arrived at the hospital.
Stefan gazed at the red light above the operating room door, his eyes full of mixed feelings.
Right then, Rupert arrived at the emergency room door as he was on duty.
Seeing the bloodstains on Stefan’s shirt, he realized Martha had a seizure.
Rupert’s eyes reddened in anxiety. He rushed to grab Stefan’s collar and threw a punch at him. “You bastard! Do you know she got…”