The Last Rope

Hannah held up her phone to show everyone the video.

The footage showed me carrying a cardboard box into the storage room. Not long after, a fire broke out in the storage room. Soon, the flames spread, and everyone in the company was trapped.

Hannah pointed at me and accused loudly, "It was her! She secretly started the fire in the storage room. She caused the company massive losses and got all of us caught up in this."

After hearing that, Peyton shoved aside the doctor and nurses trying to save me.

He grabbed my collar viciously. "Serena, I gave you a job out of kindness. Is this how you repay me? You know this company is my life's work, yet you set fire to it! What gives you the right to hop on an ambulance? You should go straight to prison!"

As he spoke, he dragged me by the collar, pulling me away.

While dragging me, he shouted, "Officer, I've found the arsonist! Arrest her and take her to jail! Legal team! Where's the company's legal team? Start drafting documents to sue her in court. I'm going to make this stupid woman pay for what she's done!"

Under Peyton's violent dragging, my collar tightened around my neck until I could barely breathe.

My subordinate, Sophia Carter, finally could not stand it anymore. She rushed over and pried Peyton's hands open, allowing me to catch my breath.

My face had turned purple from the suffocation. I coughed violently.

Sophia held me protectively, tears streaming down her face in distress. "Serena, why do you have to go through this..."

Peyton's expression darkened. "Sophia, you're my employee. Are you taking Serena's side now? If you dare say one word in her defense today, don't bother coming to work tomorrow."

Everyone fell silent at his words. Who would dare interfere in the CEO's family affairs and voluntarily lose their job?

I pushed Sophia, telling her to leave quickly. However, Sophia refused.

She turned to Peyton and shouted, "Mr. Shepherd, Hannah's video doesn't prove anything. You're the company's CEO. Can't you make a fair judgment?"

Peyton snorted dismissively. "Serena carried a cardboard box into the storage room for no reason. Isn't that suspicious? And after the fire started, she had a rescue rope and a protective mask. If she wasn't the arsonist, why would she have those things?"

Sophia felt indignant on my behalf. Her voice nearly broke as she said, "Serena is the administrative director. Normally, she wouldn't need to move things into the storage room herself.

"But with the company's declining performance these past two years, she's been moving inventory herself to save on labor costs.

"As for the fire safety equipment you mentioned, she prepared it long ago. Serena discovered fire hazards in the company ages ago and gave every single one of us an escape kit."

Peyton's expression changed. He said sharply, "You're lying! If everyone had one, why didn't Hannah and I get them?"

Sophia's eyes turned red as she pointed at Hannah. "Then you should ask her! Where did she put the things Serena distributed?"

Hannah's whole body trembled, and she waved her hands defensively. "Mr. Shepherd, I didn't. I didn't pocket them."

Hannah's inadvertent confession made Peyton's expression darken. Sophia looked at my stomach as tears poured down her face. She sobbed as she spoke to me. "Serena, the baby... Is the baby gone?"

Peyton flinched and demanded, "Baby? What baby?"

I shook my head, signaling Sophia to stop talking.

Peyton realized something. He moved toward me, desperate for answers, but just then, the police arrived.

"We heard you caught the arsonist. Who is it?"