132: A gambling father, a sick mother, a younger brother in school, and a broken woman!

The moment the words fell, the entire hall fell silent.

Everyone's eyes turned in unison toward Wang Yan.

Stunned!

Suspicious!

Unbelieving!

Like a tide, these emotions spread across every face.

Wang Yan?

How could it be Wang Yan?!

She was usually soft-spoken, polite to everyone, had strong professional skills, and was well-liked; she had worked here for five years without ever making a mistake.

In fact, many of the new employees had been personally trained by her.

"Boss!"

A girl with a ponytail couldn't help but squeeze forward, her face full of anxiety.

"Are... are you mistaken?"

"Sister Wang could never be that kind of person!"

Ye Chen turned his gaze toward her and asked calmly, "What is your name? Why do you say she isn't that kind of person?"

"I... my name is Lin Xiaofang."

The girl shrank her neck back slightly but still mustered the courage to speak.

"Sister Wang has always taken good care of us. When I first arrived and knew nothing, she taught me everything bit by bit..."

"She's been here for five years, and no one has ever had a bad word to say about her!"

Ye Chen nodded. "And so? Does that prove her innocence?"

Lin Xiaofang opened her mouth, her face flushing red, but for a long while, she couldn't squeeze out a more convincing argument.

It was true... her few words certainly couldn't prove anything, but she didn't want the boss to wrong a good person!

However,

before she could speak again,

a male colleague behind her hurriedly tugged at her sleeve and lowered his voice, saying, "Xiaofang, keep your mouth shut! Since the boss named her, he must have a reason! Don't get mixed up in this..."

Lin Xiaofang bit her lip and finally lowered her head, not daring to speak up again.

Ye Chen looked back at Wang Yan.

Wang Yan had been keeping her head down, but now she finally looked up.

She forced a smile onto her face.

"Boss, I really don't understand what you're talking about."

"I, Wang Yan, have been at Tiangong for five years. I've been diligent and conscientious, and I've never done anything to betray the club or you."

"If you suspect me, at least... you should have some evidence, right?"

That look!

That expression!

That demeanor!

It was as if she were deeply wronged... Ye Chen suddenly smiled, a somewhat cold smile.

"Evidence?"

"Fine, I'll give you evidence."

He took two steps forward, his gaze falling on Wang Yan's face like a blade.

"Today I was taken to the station. The police followed the trail and identified the mastermind behind the framing as the Jincheng Dragon Shield Security Group."

"And while the police were pulling the financial records, they discovered something very interesting."

"Over the past three days, your personal account received three separate transfers from accounts associated with Dragon Shield Security."

"Totaling three million."

"The times of the receipts happen to be the days following the adjustments to the club's security shift schedule and the gaps in warehouse inspections."

"Wang Yan."

"Can you explain..."

"Why a legitimate security company would transfer three million to you, a club Floor Manager?"

Indeed.

While at the station, he hadn't just investigated that encrypted number.

After that investigation, he had followed the clues deeper and eventually confirmed the financial transactions between Wang Yan and Dragon Shield... otherwise,

he wouldn't have been so blunt.

And his words undoubtedly exploded like a thunderclap in everyone's ears!

The room erupted in an uproar!

Every gaze instantly shifted from doubt to shock, and from shock to anger!

"Three million? My god!"

"No wonder the surveillance happened to be broken that day... it was you!"

"Sister Yan... how could you do this?!"

...The sounds of discussion, questioning, and anger instantly flooded the hall.

The color drained completely from Wang Yan's face.

Then,

her legs gave out, and she stumbled back against the coffee table behind her.

She had completely panicked.

"No... that's not it!"

"That money was... lent to me by a distant cousin who works at Dragon Shield..."

She defended herself incoherently, her voice weak and trembling.

Ye Chen didn't give her a chance to weave a lie, coldly interrupting her.

"What is your cousin's name?"

"Which department at Dragon Shield?"

"What is his employee ID?"

"Do I need to call the Jincheng police right now and ask them to verify it?"

Wang Yan was in despair.

The last shred of hope in her heart was crushed to pieces by Ye Chen's words.

Her legs went limp, and she collapsed to her knees on the ground.

Tears poured down; she could no longer hold it together and cried out in a breakdown.

"Boss... I was wrong! I was really wrong!"

"I have a gambling father, a sick mother, and a brother in school!"

"Now my husband and my father have both incurred gambling debts; I really had no choice!"

"The people from Dragon Shield came to me and said..."

"If I didn't cooperate, they would kill my whole family, but if I did, they would give me three million. Not only could I settle the debts, but I could also live a life without worries."

Ye Chen: "???"

Holy shit!

Shouldn't a background like this belong to the protagonist of a web novel?

How did it end up on an ordinary person?

Speechless for a few seconds, his gaze fell on Jin Meiting, his eyes full of inquiry.

Jin Meiting stepped forward and whispered in Ye Chen's ear.

"Her situation... is indeed like that."

"Her father and husband are both addicted to gambling and are buried in debt. Her mother has uremia, and her brother is still in university..."

"She also has a three-and-a-half-year-old son who needs a significant amount of medical expenses every month."

"At the time, I saw that she was efficient and dutiful, and her family was indeed in difficulty, so I made an exception and promoted her to be one of the Floor Managers, thinking I could help her out a bit."

"I just didn't expect..."

Jin Meiting sighed and didn't continue, but a look of complexity flashed in her eyes.

There was anger at her failure to live up to expectations, as well as a bit of helplessness.

Ye Chen nodded, his gaze falling back onto Wang Yan.

Wang Yan's hair was disheveled, and only fear and regret remained in her eyes.

"Boss, Sister Jin, I'm sorry..."

"I was truly at the end of my rope..."

Ye Chen listened in silence until her crying subsided slightly before speaking calmly.

"In the adult world, nothing is easy."

"But everyone must take responsibility for their choices."

"There are thousands of paths, and you chose the one you should have never taken."

"Go turn yourself in."

"Explain exactly how you were threatened, how you took the money, and how you cooperated with them to hide the items—tell everything clearly."

"By confessing and cooperating with the police to testify against Dragon Shield Security Group, it might count as a service to the state, and you might serve a few fewer years in prison."

"This is the only path you can choose now."

Wang Yan's body trembled violently, her face showing a look of utter desolation.

She knew that what Ye Chen said was the truth.

From the moment she had nodded and agreed to that person from Dragon Shield and accepted the first payment, there was no turning back on this path.

If she turned herself in and went to prison, what about her son? What about her sick mother?

But if she didn't... She looked into Ye Chen's calm, emotionless eyes, and a chill ran up her spine.

This man could easily uncover her deepest secrets and could kick a giant like Dragon Shield until it was in disarray... the 'path' he gave was never a negotiation.

It was a notification!

After a long time, Wang Yan wiped the tears and snot from her face with the back of her hand and stood up unsteadily.

She bowed deeply toward Ye Chen and Jin Meiting.

"I understand."

"Thank you, Boss... for showing me a path."

With that,

she didn't look at anyone else. Like a puppet with its soul removed, she dragged her heavy steps and stumbled toward the entrance of the hall.

Her lonely figure disappeared into the deep darkness of the night outside.

Everyone remained silent.

Everyone watched the direction where Wang Yan had vanished, their hearts heavy with complex emotions.

There was a sense of justice served, sighs of pity, and a certain chill of shared sorrow.

Indeed.

A pathetic person must have a hateful side.

As long as Wang Yan turned herself in, she would only spend a few years in prison, and her debts would basically be cleared.

Otherwise... it would likely be a different story altogether.

Ye Chen withdrew his gaze and scanned the dense crowd below.

"Everyone, disperse."

"The club will be closed for three days to cooperate with the police investigation, which will also give everyone a break."

"In three days, those who wish to stay, come back to report."

"Those who don't, go to the Finance Department to settle your wages, and we'll part ways amicably."

"Today's matter ends here."

"In the future, keep your hands clean and guard your hearts."

"Tiangong offers generous compensation; don't ruin yourself and your family for petty gains."

"Understand?"