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Chapter_24
Vanished Into Thin Air
Sure enough, Matthew soon arrived at the office.
With a composed smile, I casually asked, “Did Johnson call you? Where were you so early this morning?”
“Yes, he called me,” Matthew replied, brushing a hand through his hair. “He mentioned you were coming to work, and I was surprised you didn’t tell me last night.”
He shrugged off his coat and hung it up before sitting down, continuing, “I was just checking out a construction site on the way here.”
I nodded, trying to sound casual. “It was a spur-of-the-moment decision. I felt a bit free after dropping Ava off at daycare.”
Matthew nodded, but he seemed a little more relaxed. Then he leaned forward slightly. “I’ve been thinking. If you’re set on working, I think the general office would be a better fit for you. It’s flexible, no pressure, and you can oversee the company matters without too much stress.”
I shook my head, refusing his suggestion. “No, I’m going to the marketing department. That’s where I’m best suited,” I said with determination, making my stance clear.
Matthew furrowed his brow, his tone shifting slightly. “But Johnson’s in the marketing department.”
I smiled lightly, brushing off his concern. “I can start as a regular employee. He’s your right-hand man, and I’m not trying to usurp his authority. I just want to challenge myself and see if I still have my previous drive. I miss those days,” I added with a hint of nostalgia.
I laughed softly before continuing, “Besides, the schedule there is flexible too. If you expect me to work every day, I might not adjust well. I haven’t worked in four or five years, so I need to ease back into it.”
Matthew relaxed at my words, chuckling as he moved closer. “All right, honey. You get to decide. Whatever makes you happy.”
True to his word, Johnson was efficient and quickly cleared out an office for me—decently sized and located right next to his own. I settled in and began easing back into the routine of work life. I went through the motions, checked in with various departments, reviewed client information—basically doing nothing too substantial all day. I didn’t follow strict protocols; some days, I’d disappear for half the day, only to show up again just before closing time. My routine was unpredictable, and nobody seemed to know what I was really up to.
At first, Johnson was quite nervous. He hovered around me, watching my every move, unsure of what to make of my irregular working patterns. But after three days of this—me idling for two, working minimally for one—he seemed to relax and lose interest in monitoring my every action.
But this was all part of the plan.
While everyone assumed I was just passing time at the company, I had other motives. Ivanna had managed to get her hands on Tanum Corporation’s clientele information, and I was busy sifting through those records. I knew I had to be strategic, take my time, and gather all the evidence I could.
However, time was running out.
One evening, Matthew was on a business trip in Operose, and Ava came down with a high fever. She was burning up, and I immediately rushed her to the hospital. I was frantic, my heart pounding in my chest, but when I got there, I learned the billing counter only accepted cash.
Frantically, I searched through my purse, hoping I had the money, but then I remembered. The bank card—our savings account that we hadn’t touched in years, meant for the house we were going to buy.
I almost felt sick when I reached into my wallet and realized the card wasn’t going to work. I tried withdrawing money, but I couldn’t even take out a hundred dollars. I checked the balance multiple times, hoping it was a mistake. But it wasn’t.
There was no money in the account.
Panic gripped me as I pulled out my phone and called Matthew. My voice was shaking as I demanded, “Where’s the money, Matthew? What happened to it?”