Chapter 190: It's Impossible…

Thea's heart pounded as the realization hit her. In a panic, she frantically scrambled to delete the defamatory posts she'd made in the dead of night. But the posts remained, stubbornly clinging to the screen no matter how desperately she clicked. Staring in stunned disbelief, she saw a new comment appear: Allison had entered the fray.

"I've already gathered evidence, and my lawyer will be in touch," the comment read.

The ground seemed to drop out from beneath Thea. Of all the things she'd anticipated, being caught red-handed by Allison herself was not one of them. Frantically, she tried to cover her tracks, her fingers flying across the keyboard.

"Ms. Clarke, I think there's been a misunderstanding," she typed. "The forum is glitching. Those aren't my posts. I don't know why it's showing my name like that…"

Allison's reply was swift and brutal. "Oh, no worries. We'll let the lawyer verify that with the forum administrators. I'm sure they'll uncover the real identities."

Thea's fragile defense crumbled. Worse, the forum users began to turn against her. Comments like, "Looks like there might be a bug, but the ID is definitely yours," and "Come on, Thea. Are you going to lie your way out of this?" rained down. One user even added, "Whether it's true or not, like Ms. Clarke said, the evidence will speak for itself. We'll see soon enough. And by the way, if the post reaches 2,000 hits, isn't that grounds for a lawsuit? You could end up in jail for defamation!"

Each comment chipped away at Thea's nerves, like a slow, agonizing drip of water wearing down a stone. She'd thought hiding behind anonymity would keep her safe, that she could spread rumors without consequence. Now, not only had Allison tracked her down, but the post's popularity was surging—2,000 views was just around the corner! Sweat beaded on her forehead as she typed a trembling apology.

"I'm so sorry, Ms. Clarke. I was… I don't know what came over me. I was jealous. I made a huge mistake. Please, please forgive me."

The apology felt rehearsed, mechanical, hollow, but Thea knew she had no other option. Behind her words, anger simmered. How had she been so careless? If only she had hired someone else, or passed the photos to a tabloid. Why had she been so reckless?

Before Allison could respond, others jumped in, the mockery raining down like stones. "Good thing I didn't fall for it," one wrote. "I've worked with Ms. Clarke in the lab. She's not that kind of person." Another added, "Exactly. Too late to apologize now, Thea. Just brace yourself for the legal consequences!"

Thea clenched her fists, fury swirling inside her. Yet she had no choice but to grovel and hope for mercy. A lawsuit would ruin her financially and professionally. How had the forum, her haven for gossip, betrayed her? She didn't understand the technical details, but she knew one thing: Allison was not someone who forgave easily.

In the end, Allison's response was simple and chilling: "Everyone must answer for their own words."

Thea's breath caught in her throat. Her fate was sealed. Her limbs went numb as she collapsed in front of her computer, staring at the unrelenting flood of insults. Her career, her reputation, everything she'd built—it was all on the brink of collapse. She cursed herself for ever stepping out of line. If Allison sued, it would ruin her.

Logging off, Allison calmly handed the laptop back to Kellan. "Thank you, Mr. Lloyd. Is everything alright? If you need anything, just say the word."

Allison took a sip of her coffee, her gaze cold and composed. "Just dealt with a minor inconvenience. Nothing worth mentioning."

Sherman, observing from the corner, could hardly believe his eyes. The sight of Kellan handing over his personal computer, loaded with sensitive information, to someone else so easily was unthinkable. As Kellan's personal assistant, Sherman knew how fiercely guarded that device was; he wouldn't dare touch it without permission. Yet all Ms. Clarke had to do was ask, and Kellan had given it to her without hesitation. What kind of trust did they share?

Two hours later, Allison and her companions reached the Vrining MDH Pharmaceutical Research Institute. The institute loomed ahead, shrouded in mystery. Few outside the upper echelons even knew of its existence; those who did spoke of it in whispers. Its location was equally secretive, buried deep within an impenetrable maze of land. Kellan surveyed the rugged terrain. Without someone with intimate knowledge of the area, navigating to the institute would have been a fool's errand. But Allison moved with the confidence of someone who had been there many times before. With Lorna by her side, she nodded toward Kellan. "Mr. Lloyd, follow me. Let's get Lorna inside first."