Chapter 1986
“Thank goodness,” Ivy thought to herself, relieved.
It stood to reason that if this whole area belonged to the Harris Group, they’d be under surveillance.
And surveillance meant there was a chance to retrieve yesterday’s footage.
Upon reaching the CEO’s office, Ivy and Quinton entered together.
Nolan knew Quinton’s identity, nodded in greeting. He knew his presence with Ivy was certainly on Balfour’s orders.
“Nolan, I need a favor. Can we pull up yesterday’s outdoor surveillance footage?” Ivy cut straight to the chase, her voice tinged with urgency.
Nolan was one step ahead, pivoting his laptop towards her. “I’ve already got the footage queued up, ready to clear the air whenever you need it.” The screen displayed yesterday’s recordings. Fortunately, they had installed cameras at various angles at the shoot location to avoid any potential mishaps.
The multiple camera angles had captured everything Nolan and Ivy did yesterday, clearly showing there was a respectable social distance between them. Nolan had merely reached out to remove something from her hair. Beyond that, there was no contact.
“Thanks, Nolan. This footage will prove my innocence,” Ivy said, her eyes brimming with gratitude. “Could you make me a copy?”
“Of course,” Nolan replied as he transferred the video onto a USB drive and handed it to her. “I’m sorry to have caused you trouble. I owe you an apology”
“Not at all. Nolan, I need to get going and clear the rumour, Ivy said, taking the USB and hurrying out.
Back in the car, Ivy handed the USB to Quinton. “Take this to Balfour for me and then send a copy to my email.”
Quinton, holding the USB, hesitated for a moment before taking it. “Yes, ma’am.”
Upon returning to the Howard Mansion, Ivy had already received the video from Quinton. She quickly showed it to Alyssa and Dean.
After viewing the clips, the elders saw the whole story.
Alyssa was furious. “Ivy, it’s clear someone orchestrated this. Does Balfour know?”
Ivy nodded. “I’ve had Quinton take the footage to him. He’s seen it already.”
“Good,” Alyssa said, taking Ivy’s hand with a sympathetic look. “It seems it’s time to reveal your identity as Mrs. Howard. Otherwise, they’ll think you’re unprotected, an easy target for bullying.”
Ivy was surprised and a bit flustered. “Alyssa, let’s… let’s discuss this with Balfour first.”
Alyssa agreed. “Alright. We’ll wait for him to come back.”
That day, the Harris Group’s official account released several surveillance clips, proving nothing untoward had occurred between Nolan and Ivy.
Nolan also posted a message on his personal social media: “A brief exchange with an old schoolmate led to an awkward mix-up. Please don’t jump to unsubstantiated conclusions.”
With these two clarifications, the public quickly grasped the true nature of the incident.
Ivy breathed a sigh of relief and called Balfour. “Balfour, Nolan has posted a clarification. Have you seen it?”
“I have,” Balfour replied, his gaze still fixed on the surveillance footage.
In the video, Nolan was bending towards her, reaching out to remove something from her hair.
Even though it wasn’t an intimate gesture, the proximity between them still irked Balfour, leaving him with an uneasy feeling.
