CEO's Regret After I Divorced-Chapter 363 The Security Footage

Author’s POV

The Elegant Realm studio buzzed with deceptively normal activity the morning after the hurricane. Sunlight streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows, illuminating workstations where designers bent over sketches and fabric samples. But beneath the surface productivity, tension crackled like electricity in the air.

Vivi had called an emergency meeting at precisely 9 AM, her face a mask of barely controlled fury as she surveyed the conference room. Twenty-three employees filed in with varying degrees of anxiety, none quite sure what they were walking into but all sensing the gravity of the situation.

Claire entered last, her usual nervous energy amplified tenfold. She clutched a coffee cup like a lifeline, her eyes darting around the room before settling on her hands.

"Sit," Vivi commanded, not bothering with pleasantries.

The silence that followed was suffocating. Through the glass walls, other employees pretended to work while straining to catch glimpses of the unfolding drama inside.

"Who did it?" Vivi’s voice cut through the quiet like a scalpel. Her gaze swept the room methodically, cataloguing every micro-expression, every nervous fidget. "I want to know who leaked our designs to ARt, and I want to know now."

The temperature in the room seemed to drop several degrees. Emma, a senior designer with three years at the company, shifted uncomfortably in her chair. Marcus, the newest hire, went pale. But it was Claire who drew the most attention—her coffee cup trembling slightly in her grip, a tell-tale flush creeping up her neck.

Nobody spoke. The silence stretched on, heavy with accusation and fear.

"Fine," Vivi continued, her tone shifting to something dangerously soft. "Let me be clear about what we’re dealing with here. If the person responsible comes forward voluntarily, you’ll lose your job and we’ll part ways quietly. But if I have to identify you myself..."

She paused, letting the threat hang in the air like smoke.

"This becomes a criminal matter. Corporate espionage. Theft of intellectual property. Your career in fashion will be over before it begins, and prison time is a very real possibility."

Claire’s reaction was immediate and visceral—her entire body went rigid, the color draining from her face so quickly that Marcus instinctively leaned forward, concerned she might faint.

"I’ve already requested security footage from yesterday," Vivi announced, watching for reactions like a hawk studying prey. "Whatever you did, wherever you went, it’s all recorded. Every movement, every action."

The psychological pressure was masterful. Claire’s hands had started trembling so violently she had to set down her coffee cup. Emma looked indignant at the implication. Marcus appeared confused, as if he couldn’t quite process how his dream job had turned into a nightmare.

"Everyone, phones on the table. Now." Vivi’s command cracked through the room like a whip.

"Vivi," Emma protested, finding her voice, "what’s checking our phones going to accomplish? Anyone smart enough to orchestrate a leak would be smart enough to cover their tracks. Shouldn’t we review the security footage first?"

Vivi’s eyes narrowed dangerously. "Something to hide, Emma?"

The accusation stung. Emma’s jaw tightened, but she slid her phone across the polished conference table with deliberate calm. "My password is 000000. I’ve been with Elegant Realm for three years. I wouldn’t sabotage everything I’ve worked for."

After a cursory examination of Emma’s device revealed nothing suspicious, Vivi’s attention pivoted to her primary suspect with laser focus.

"Your phone, Claire."

The request might as well have been a death sentence, given Claire’s reaction. Her hands shook as she fumbled with the device, nearly dropping it twice before successfully unlocking the screen.

"Here, Vivi," she whispered, her voice barely audible.

But Vivi didn’t take the phone immediately. Instead, she leaned forward, her voice dropping to an almost intimate level. "Are you absolutely certain it wasn’t you, Claire? Last chance to tell the truth."

"I swear it had nothing to do with me," Claire replied, the words tumbling out in a rush.

A knock at the door interrupted the interrogation. One of the IT assistants entered with a laptop, setting it carefully on the table. "The security footage you requested, Ms. Vivi."

The entire room gravitated toward the screen as Vivi pressed play. The black and white footage showed the design department from yesterday afternoon—Vivi handing a thick portfolio to Claire, who then walked purposefully toward the exit. For exactly two minutes and seventeen seconds, Claire disappeared from view of all cameras.

Vivi paused the video with theatrical precision, her finger hovering over the spacebar. "Where were you during these two minutes, Claire? What were you doing with our most sensitive designs?"

"I—I went to the bathroom," Claire stammered, genuine confusion flickering across her features. "I’m not allowed to use the restroom? And there were dozens of designs in that portfolio. Two minutes wouldn’t be enough time to photograph everything, would it?"

"The designs were last in your possession," Vivi pressed, her tone suggesting this was evidence enough for conviction.

"I reviewed them and returned them to you!" Claire’s voice cracked with frustration and fear. "Do you think I’m insane? I worked so hard to get this position—why would I throw my entire career away?"

The logic was sound, and several employees began exchanging glances. Marcus nodded slightly, as if agreeing with Claire’s defense. Emma’s expression had shifted from suspicion to sympathy.

"Maybe we should keep watching the footage," Emma suggested diplomatically. "Claire’s always been... well, she’s not exactly the corporate espionage type."

Vivi’s laugh was bitter. "Sometimes the quiet ones are the most dangerous. You’d be surprised how deceptive appearances can be."

They continued reviewing the security feed, but no further suspicious activity emerged. Claire reappeared after her bathroom break, returned the portfolio to Vivi’s desk, and went back to her normal duties. Yet Vivi’s focus remained fixed on her assistant like a predator that had caught a scent.

"Claire," Vivi announced, standing abruptly, "you’re coming with me to see Mrs. Lancaster. We’re getting to the bottom of this right now."

The color drained from Claire’s face again, but she stood obediently. To the rest of the room, she looked like what she’d always been—Vivi’s overworked, underappreciated assistant who bore the brunt of criticism for things beyond her control.

As they headed toward Serena’s office, Claire made one last attempt at delay. "Vivi, Mrs. Lancaster is probably in meetings right now. And you have all those client orders to process. Maybe we should wait until—"

"Getting cold feet, Claire?" Vivi snapped, her patience finally exhausted. "I never would have believed you’d betray me like this. Right under my nose, after everything I’ve done for you. We’re settling this today."

That’s when something shifted in Claire’s demeanor. The trembling stopped. Her shoulders straightened. When she spoke again, her voice carried a strength that surprised everyone within earshot. 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝙚𝙬𝓮𝙗𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝒐𝓶

"What proof do you actually have that it was me?" she demanded, taking a step closer to Vivi. "You were the one in charge of those designs! You had access to everything! I never even had the opportunity to leak anything without you knowing!"

The accusation hung in the air like a grenade with the pin pulled.

"Or maybe," Claire continued, her voice growing stronger with each word, "you did this yourself and now you’re trying to pin it on me! You’ve complained plenty of times about not being able to showcase your own design talents at Elegant Realm. Maybe you saw an opportunity!"

The suggestion sent shock waves through the growing crowd of onlookers. Conversations stopped mid-sentence. Designers emerged from their workstations, drawn by the escalating conflict.

Vivi’s face went white, then red, then white again. "How dare you—"

"How dare I what? Defend myself? Point out that you had more access and more motive than anyone?"

The commotion had reached a crescendo when Serena emerged from her office, drawn by voices that could now be heard throughout the entire floor.