"The VIP in Red Stilettos"

A whole week had passed.

Aesop and Lia became even closer during those days, and it was the same for Sanno and Sanya. The naive young scientist still didn't know Sanno's schemes. Every day, Sanno spent his evening listening to some of the recorded audios and videos where he planted the hidden cameras and spy voice recorders. There was also a voice recorder attached inside Sanya's expensive Ricci wristwatch. He had developed a program that automatically transcribed conversations, and it also cut out unnecessary details like nonsense chitchats. The computer program also automatically sends the data to his father's computer and erases its trace on the internet.

That morning, Lia, Gem, and Lovely had just finished eating breakfast, so they walked out of the South Wing building. When they almost reached the main building, they saw people in blue-green polo shirts flocking towards the e-train platform. At first, they thought that they were scientists without their laboratory coats, but they were part of the Security division, specifically in the Cybersecurity team.

A woman with red lipstick and fair skin, wearing red butterfly shades, black fitted polyester shirt, black leather pants, and a pair of red 3-inch high stilettos got out of the e-train. People from the security team then gave way to her so that she could come inside the main building. Then, they followed her and led her to the 15th floor.

"Who's that?" Gem asked one of the people wearing the blue-green uniform.

"Ah, she's the security head's sister from abroad," the woman answered.

"Is she like a celebrity?" Lia curiously asked.

"No, she's a programmer and a cybersecurity expert,"

"Well, we don't know anything about that, so let's just go to work, shall we?" Lovely said, looking at the digital clock hanging on the wall.

"Lovely is right, thank you miss," Gem said and waved goodbye to her.

The woman, who had just arrived, walked gracefully on the hallways of the 15th floor. Her light brown, wavy hair that extended up to her waist was swaying left to right as she walked, and her red stilettos were echoing in the quiet hallway. She was guided by the crowd of uniformed employees who followed her to the e-train station to fetch her.

As soon as she entered the main door of the cybersecurity team's office, she shouted, "I'm here!!! Paul!!!"

Paul facepalmed in her sister's loud voice. She knew that was an office, and not their house, but she shouted anyways. "She's really a very strange girl," he thought.

Paul approached his sister and smiled at her. "Gwyn," he called.

"Why didn't I see you on the platform?" Gwyneth asked, then pouted.

"I was preparing the computer that you will use. I've prepared the fastest one." Paul said as he led his sister to the computer's desk.

"Hmph, okay, you're forgiven, then," she said, and sat down. "I need to finish this today. Shall we start?"

Gwyn inserted a USB drive. Then, there were two pop-up windows, one asking to proceed, and the other one was a window full of codes. She clicked the 'proceed' button, and when it closed, the other window listed a lot of directories. The computer program continued scanning the whole system of D.M.Cadre. It took so long, but after three hours, it was finished. Gwyneth looked at the final window that popped.

"What's the result?" Paul asked.

"The initial entry came from an assistant scientist's computer," she explained.

"Who is it?"

"It says… Sanya Mayheart."

Sanya was called to the security office and was confused.

"You're aware that the system has been hacked, right?" Paul asked her.

"Yes, everyone's been talking about it," she answered.

"Did you know that the virus originated from you?"

Sanya was shocked. "No, it's impossible," she said, firmly and with conviction.

"Why do you say so?" Gwyneth questioned her. "If you're the culprit, of course, you will say that you didn't do it."

"It wasn't me, I swear," the young scientist insisted. "Why should I do that? I'm running for a promotion!"

"Ms. Mayheart," Paul called, "I know that you're a very dedicated Assistant Scientist. If it's not you, do you know someone who might want to harm your career?"

Sanya thought deeply, who the person might be. There was only one person who popped into her mind. That someone who was always hostile towards her. The person who was always giving her extra jobs which were not included in her actual tasks. The lazy boss who never got promoted. The one who was always giving her the hate signals. "I know someone who wanted to take me down. He didn't want to get me promoted."

"Who?"

"Dr. Ryzer Brown."

Minutes after, Dr. Brown, Sanya, Paul, and Gwyneth were called to the Head Scientist's office on the 9th floor.

The Head Scientist stood beside the glass panel staring at the view of Eulim City.

"It's not me, sir! I wouldn��t dare do that!" Dr. Brown pleaded, kneeling before him. "They just accused me because of this… mere assistant scientist!" He was so angry that when he spoke, his nostrils were enlarging.

The Head Scientist slowly turned his body and faced them. He fixed his gray hair towards the back of his head and said, "How can you be sure that Dr. Ryzer Brown here is the culprit?"

"My computer program can trace the exact address of the virus' origin," Gwyneth explained. "Isn't it too weird that the address of the culprit, Newton Grand Tower, and Dr. Brown's address is the same? Is it just a coincidence? What do you think?"

"It's not me!" Dr. Brown continued shouting. "Mayheart! You insolent brat! After all the help I did-"

"You never helped me! It was only Dior who did… you never…" Sanya said while holding back her tears, and clenching her fist. She was emotional at that moment because several flashbacks of Dr. Brown's unfair treatment towards her came to her mind.

Gwyneth patted Sanya's shoulder, comforting her. Because of her sad expression, the Head Scientist, the Azirean siblings, and the other people who peeked through the open door were convinced that it was truly Dr. Brown's doing.

"This is just Mayheart's scheme because she didn't want my leadership!" Dr. Brown stood up from kneeling. "Don't believe her!"

"You have always been scared that I'll have a higher rank than you. I don't see why you shouldn't be a suspect!" Sanya raised her voice.

"Just tell us where you got that virus," Gwyneth said with a cold tone.

"I don't know! It's not me!" Dr. Brown kept on pleading, but nobody believed him. The majority of them knew how he had been treating Sanya, or any other employees below him, who had dreamt to be promoted.

"Let's resolve this issue, shall we?" the Head Scientist suggested. "Send him to one of the interrogation rooms, Paul. You know what to do with him."

"Yes, sir," Paul said, and suddenly, a group of armed men went inside to tie Dr. Brown's hands at his back. "We're going to make him talk."

"Alright, you may all go." the Head Scientist said, then faced the glass panels again, ignoring Dr. Brown's loud cries.

Sanya accompanied Gwyneth to get her things on the 15th floor, and then they went down the lobby.

"I'm sorry that I can't stay for too long, I'm needed at our company," Gwyneth said, as they stopped at the side of the elevator.

"Thank you for your help," Sanya said, facing her.

"You're welcome, I'm glad to help at my brother's working place," Gwyneth replied.

Then, the elevator opened. Sanno went out of it and was surprised to see Sanya.

"Sanno!" Sanya called. She walked towards him. "Let me introduce you to someone."

When Gwyneth looked back, her eyes widened in shock.