Chapter 202
Chapter 202:
Abbie’s shaking hands moved to her pocket. She withdrew a small black digital voice recorder and slid it across the desk.
“It was Alycia Beasley,” she said, her voice thick. “She had photographs of me from high school. She threatened to send them to my mother’s nursing home. I recorded her when she gave me the order p>
June picked up the recorder and pressed play.
Alycia’s voice filled the office, arrogant and unmistakable. “Just do what I told you with the special ingredient tonight. Make sure she has a night she’ll never forget p>
The language was veiled — but combined with the toxicology report and Abbie’s testimony, it formed a lethal, airtight chain of evidence.
𝗝𝗼𝗂ո 𝗈𝘶𝗋 с𝗈𝗺𝘮u𝗻𝗶𝗍у 𝗈ո
June set the recorder down. A cold, precise fire ignited behind her eyes. Alycia had just handed her the weapon.
“You understand that what you did constitutes a felony,” June said, her voice dropping further. “If I hand this to the police, you will spend the next ten years in federal prison p>
Abbie closed her eyes. “I know. I’ll confess to everything. Just — please don’t let my mother see those photographs p>
June studied the broken young woman across the desk. The anger in her chest shifted, slowly and deliberately, into calculation. She needed a weapon to dismantle Alycia. Not a scapegoat.
“I won’t call the police,” June said quietly.
Abbie’s eyes flew open.
“Not only that,” June continued, settling back in her chair, “I will deploy the litigation team from my personal trust to sue Alycia for blackmail and extortion. I will get your photographs back p>
“You would do that for me?” Abbie whispered, her entire body trembling.
“On one condition,” June said, placing both hands flat on the desk. “From this moment forward, you are my double agent. You will continue playing the role of the frightened, blackmailed assistant for Alycia’s benefit.” Her eyes locked onto Abbie’s. “You are going to help me lead her straight into her own trap p>
Abbie didn’t hesitate for a second. Her hatred for Alycia was total, and with June’s protection behind her, she finally had a way to fight back.
“I will do anything you say, Dr. Erickson,” she said, her voice hardening with fresh resolve. “I belong to you now p>
June gave a single, satisfied nod. She photographed every page of the toxicology report with her phone, uploaded the files to a heavily encrypted cloud server, and locked the original in the biometric safe built into her desk drawer.
“Good,” she said. “Wipe your face. Our counterattack begins in five minutes p>
June handed Abbie a glass of warm water and waited until her breathing steadied.
“Alycia is deeply paranoid,” June said, her voice calm and precise as she laid out the plan. “If she senses that you are at ease, she will know you confessed. We have to give her exactly what she expects to see p>
“What do I need to do?” Abbie asked, gripping the glass.