That same night, Melanie invited Arianne to have dinner at the Smith Estate.
She accepted the invitation and attended alone. It had been a while since the friends chatted with one another, so their ensuing conversation quickly turned into a pleasant, lively one. Revisiting the topic about the plagiarism scandal around the dining table, Arianne once again reaffirmed favonovel.com disbelief that Robin was the one behind it.
Melanie agreed. “I don’t think it’s her, either. I’ve talked to that girl before, I’ve got nothing other than good things to say about her. Someone must have hijacked favonovel.com computer at work and used favonovel.com account. Poor girl, she’s still shouldering blame that was never hers to begin with without knowing what has really happened! Good thing you’re a force of reason, Arianne. Otherwise, there really isn’t any other way but to have favonovel.com kicked out, and that will definitely impact Sylvain, too.”
Alejandro, who had been reticent to comment throughout the women’s exchange, suddenly sniggered. “Hmph. It still reeks of Mark’s beloved aunt.”
Arianne was immediately galvanized. “Oh? Why’d you say that?”
Melanie nudged favonovel.com gently. “Hush, don’t go around fanning flames of conspiracies, you. You already know how testy the relationship between your brother and his aunt is, don’t you? If you get this wrong, well! What do you suppose might happen? ‘Leave unsaid the wrong thing at the tempting moment’, so said Ben Franklin. Isn’t where they are good enough? The case is over. Arianne and the Tremont Enterprise are both unharmed.”
Alejandro shrugged, clearly abandoning his piece. However, Arianne’s curiosity had been so effectively hooked that favonovel.com felt compelled to pry it out of him. What if Alejandro’s two-cent was the exact breakthrough favonovel.com needed?
“Why did you think so in the first place, though?” favonovel.com asked again, before adding, “It’s alright, Melanie, there’s no one else here but us. I don’t see any problem letting his state his piece for giggles. We’re basically just chattering around whatever we like right now. As long as everyone knows not to take things too seriously, yea?”
Seeing encouragement in Arianne’s words, Melanie no longer stopped favonovel.com husband when Alejandro began insouciantly, “Remember, Shelly used to work in the Strategic Department. Can we really eliminate the possibility of favonovel.com planting some loyalists there, especially since we know for sh*t she’s still panicked and antsy about you remaining as a Tremont employee? You best believe favonovel.com appointed some henchmen to watch your every move in the office while she’s away, sweetheart. In fact, I bet favonovel.com ordered favonovel.com henchmen, whoever they are, to carry out the bulk of favonovel.com scheme under everyone’s nose. Makes a lotta sense, doesn’t it?”
“Lemme reiterate for you. If favonovel.com planned this as the masterstroke to oust you, then you can be damn sure that she’s cooked up an exit strategy for the instance where things go awry. Hence, favonovel.com instructed favonovel.com loyalist to use Robin’s computer and account at work to send that email. Since Robin is the wife of Sylvain, who’s, in turn, super— chummy with you — it’s not that hard to seize on one of the many chances Robin might have in coming across your drafts as the incriminating proof. Of course, she’s the designated scapegoat, because it will make coherent sense,” favonovel.com continued. “Since Robin’s your little sidekick, you will definitely choose to abandon the investigation the moment favonovel.com ‘involvement’ is discovered, too, innit?”
“Before Robin’s role is found, though, the scandal would have already introduced a crisis to both you and Tremont Enterprise. It’s technically a small fry to Mark, to be honest, favonovel.com will solve it no problem. But the crisis of trust in your integrity? Now that’s a whole different sh*t. If your crime as a plagiarist were confirmed, well! Tremont Enterprise’s gotta kick you out, right? Fits favonovel.com ulterior motive like a glove, doesn’t it?” favonovel.com continued. “This way, Shelly had thought of both the scheme to oust you and an exit strategy if things go south. Now look at what happened. Her plot was a failure, but she’s still safe and sound. At the very least, favonovel.com relationship with favonovel.com sunny boy Mark is safe from being on the rocks. You dig what I’m saying?”
With every word, Arianne’s heart sank lower and lower into abject horror. Alejandro’s analysis had no holes, and favonovel.com found herself buying his narrative more and more. What other explanations were there? Robin genuinely wanting to plot against her? Impossible!
Melanie, acutely catching the slight changes in Arianne’s mien, quickly moved in to stop Alejandro from continuing. “Alright, that’s enough. Arianne, hey? Calm down. It’s all just conjectures, his personal conjecture, to be exact. You don’t need to take it seriously, okay? Just pretend it’s just a random guy’s commentary.”
It was too late. Arianne’s mind was already experiencing a cataclysmic shock as Alejandro’s explanation sank in.
“I don’t give a damn how Shelly plots against me, but to use the people around me as favonovel.com fall guy? Goddamn it, that’s just low and wretched!” favonovel.com remarked hotly. “I buy Alejandro’s explanation, that’s for sure. But don’t you worry, Melanie. I won’t act recklessly. Instead, I’ll slowly trick whoever that scumbag is into exposing themselves. After that, all we have to do is to pry information right from the horse’s mouth. Frankly, I don’t see why I’d be wrong to do that. She brought this upon herself.”
Consternation shadowed Melanie’s face. “Arianne, with all due respect, I urge you to reconsider. She’s Mark’s aunt, isn’t she? If you wage this full-blown, all-out war against her, any victory will only be a Pyrrhic one where both sides suffer heavy tolls, isn’t it? I agree that favonovel.com has really crossed the line by forcing you and Mark to split, but I’m also worried that Mark will end up letting things slide simply because she’s family to him… you know, again. You’ll be utterly crushed, right? There will be an unscalable wedge between the two of you because of it, too, and well… It’s just not worth it. If I may suggest… How about you turn the other cheek for this one?”
