The Heiress’ Return: Six Brothers at Her Beck and Call (Wynter Quinnell) novel Chapter 2011

Just then, Reese interrupted Colten, "Aren't you rushing this too much, Mr. Audley? You're making decisions based on Ms. Quinnell's one-sided statement. As the accused, don't I even get a chance to explain myself?"

Colten smiled lightly. "Oh? How would you like to explain yourself, Mr. Grier?"

Reese stood up slowly. "First of all, there is no such card linked to my bank account, so it's evidently a lie pulled out of thin air. Secondly, how did you find out that this account belongs to me, Ms. Quinnell?"

Hearing that, Colten looked at Wynter. "Tell us the truth, Ms. Quinnell. Everyone present is more than capable of discerning right from wrong."

Reese looked over at Wynter as well. "You'll be held legally responsible for obstruction of justice if it's discovered that you fabricated evidence, Ms. Quinnell."

Wynter narrowed her eyes and pretended to look slightly nervous. "Legal responsibility? That's…"

Seeing this, Colten asked solemnly, "Do you have nothing to say, Ms. Quinnell?"

Wynter remained silent. After waiting for a moment, Colten had no choice but to continue with a sigh, "Actually, there's something I've been hiding for a while for your sake, Mr. Grier."

Reese looked at him. "What is it?"

Colten replied in a stern and righteous tone, "It also involves bribery. When I saw Ms. Quinnell courageously step up to report you just now, I felt that it was about time I spoke out about it as well."

He took out a leather folder and announced, "Take a look at this, everyone."

Everyone opened the leather folder to see a USB drive and a few printed documents inside.

"What is all this, Mr. Audley?" someone asked curiously.

Colten replied with a troubled expression on his face, "You'll know once you see it. I agonized over it for a long time, unsure whether or not to continue hiding this information.

"However, I thought things through just now. As the Department of State's director, I have my own responsibilities and obligations… Well, you can all judge for yourselves."

The meeting attendees took the documents, which consisted of a bank statement and several photos, out of the folder. In the photos, Reese was conversing with an unfamiliar man at a high-end restaurant. There was a bulging briefcase on the table between them.

On the other hand, the bank statement showed that Reese had received a huge sum of money in his bank account recently, marked as "service fees".

Colten explained coldly, "Ms. Quinnell may only have scratched the surface with her investigation, so she held no concrete evidence. But, I have here sufficient evidence to prove that Mr. Grier has accepted bribes."

Wynter came closer and tapped her phone gently against the edge of the leather folder. Her gaze darted between the photos and the bank statement. She thought to herself that if this was really what Colten had up his sleeve, it might really spell some trouble for them.

Colten then looked at Reese and asked, "You're the person in these photos, aren't you, Mr. Grier? I also questioned your driver about this, and he testified that you went to this restaurant that day."

"I… did indeed go to that restaurant," Reese replied solemnly, "but it doesn't prove that I accepted any bribes. Moreover, how did you obtain this evidence, Mr. Audley?"

Colten met his gaze squarely. "It was from… an informant who wishes to remain anonymous. I've kept this matter hidden on your behalf for a long time, Mr. Grier.

"I think I've treated you fairly enough, which is why I wanted to allow you to resign with dignity. Yet, you don't seem to acknowledge your mistakes at all."

Reese pointed at the USB drive and asked, "What's in that USB drive?"

At that, Colten looked at Wynter. "Insert the USB drive into the computer and bring it up on the big screen. Let's make Mr. Grier give up on trying to worm his way out of this completely."

Wynter nodded. When she walked over to Colten, he murmured to her, "Well done."

Wynter smiled faintly, took the USB drive from him, and plugged it into the computer.

It contained a blurry surveillance video of Reese and that unfamiliar man chatting animatedly at the restaurant. The stranger even left his briefcase behind before leaving.

Everyone stood up from their seats and looked toward Reese.

"There's conclusive evidence this time, Mr. Grier. I didn't expect you to be this sort of person…"

"You represent Havenia as a whole and are a role model to its politicians, Mr. Grier. What are we supposed to think when even someone like you has accepted bribes?"

"That's right. I strongly suggest that you resign of your own accord and allow Mr. Audley to take your place."

The attendees were kicking up a great fuss. Wynter was the only one watching the surveillance video over and over again. Suddenly, a detail stood out to her, and she glanced over at Reese's watch.

Although the "Reese Grier" in the video was wearing the same model of watch, on closer inspection, there was one difference.

At that moment, Colten felt that victory was in his grasp and gestured for silence. "If you wish to leave with your dignity intact, I can grant you that, Mr. Grier. Now that everyone is in agreement of your guilt, not even I can save you anymore."

Reese asked gravely, "How long have you been planning this, Colten?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," Colten replied with a slight smile. "What everyone sees before them is the evidence. You no longer have a way to explain yourself, Mr. Grier."

He paused for a moment, then added, "Please take your leave, Mr. Grier. I'll have someone pack up the things in your office and deliver them to your house."

He couldn't help but smile triumphantly. He'd already made arrangements for everything. As soon as Reese left, someone would abduct him from the streets and stage it as a suicide. The case would then forever remain unresolved.

People tended to kick someone when they were down, especially when that person held a position many dreamed of having.

Just as he was about to urge Reese further, Wynter spoke up. "It's too deliberate…"

Colten turned to look at her in confusion. "What do you mean?"

Wynter said lightly, "I have a few questions for you, Mr. Audley."

Hearing that, Colten immediately got a bad feeling. "What questions?"

Wynter arched an eyebrow and asked, "Why is this surveillance video's quality so bad, Mr. Audley? Also, the person in this video looks very much like Mr. Grier, but it's not him at all."

Colten raised his voice slightly. "What is the meaning of this? Didn't you also make a complaint against Mr. Grier just now? I'm helping you here!"

He didn't understand why Wynter had switched sides so suddenly.

Wynter echoed with slight disdain, "You're helping me, you say? Ha. I admit that I was the one who framed Mr. Grier just now, but you were the one who instructed me to."

Colten snapped coldly, "Nonsense! How could I have instructed you to frame Mr. Grier? Don't say such outrageous things."

"Please watch this surveillance video." Wynter operated the computer and uploaded another surveillance video to it—a video of Colten's house yesterday. It showed Colten and Wynter sitting and chatting together for a long time. She eventually left after being handed a folder.

Colten's expression darkened. "What can this prove? There's no audio in the video. Are you trying to claim that I instigated you to frame Mr. Grier based on this alone?"

Wynter replied lightly, "In that case, what makes you think Mr. Grier must have accepted a bribe based solely on that blurry video of yours?"

She paused before adding, "Is it just because he shared a meal and conversation with an unfamiliar man? Just because an item exchanged hands, does that mean it's a bribe?"

Colten's eyes flashed dangerously. "I understand now. You and Mr. Grier were colluding to bring me down from the start."

Wynter raised her voice slightly. "That's where you're wrong. It's because you were too eager to take his place as chief executive."

Suddenly, Colten smiled. "However, everyone present believes what they see with their own eyes, and they all believe that the person in the video is Mr. Grier himself. So, it's useless no matter how much you try to explain it away."

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