Chapter 5

The next morning at nine, the moment I arrived at the company, I immediately sensed something was wrong.

Four visitors stood at the front desk: a camera brand representative, a platform representative, and two police officers.

Everyone's eyes kept darting toward the scene.

Adrian stood at the doorway of the meeting room, his face looking terrible.

"Nicole, step inside for a moment."

Just as I walked over, Rachel stood up from her desk.

Her face was pale, yet she spoke up before I could: "What happened?"

There was no reply.

The door to the meeting room closed after I stepped in.

The platform's risk control representative placed a stack of printed materials onto the table.

"Ms. Sullivan, over the past three-plus months, twenty-one high-value orders were placed using your name and work address as the delivery details.

"Among them, eleven resulted in post-sales requests.

"Seven resulted in refunds or compensation on grounds like item not received, damaged goods, or item not as described.

"The remaining four are currently under dispute processing."

My fingers turned stiff. There were even more than what I had uncovered.

The brand representative then spoke up.

"Our side is involved in three orders.

"One camera, two lenses.

"For the first two returned items, the serial numbers did not match the original orders.

"For the camera return requested yesterday, the submitted photos also showed signs of irregularities in the components."

Adrian's face sank instantly.

"What does this mean?"

The representative looked at me.

"Put simply, we suspect a case of fraudulent returns involving replacing new items with old ones or swapping out parts."

The room fell terrifyingly quiet.

The police officer's tone remained diplomatic.

"This is an ongoing investigation.

"Since multiple delivery records list you as the person who signed for the packages, and several return labels name you as the sender, we need to verify a few things with you."

I nodded.

"Understood."

Just then, the door to the meeting room was pushed open abruptly.

Rachel stood outside the doorway, her eyes red.

"Nicole, what on earth did you do?"

I looked at her without saying a word.

She took a step back as if completely unable to process it.

"Those things were mine. I only had you help receive them.

"Why did it turn out like this?"

Adrian whipped his head toward her.

"What do you mean?"

Tears instantly spilled from Rachel's eyes.

"Some of those orders were bought by me.

"My apartment isn't convenient for receiving packages, so I occasionally had them shipped to the company.

"Nicole kept saying she could help receive them.

"I had no idea what she was doing with those packages."

I knew all along that she would pin all responsibility on me.

The bullet comments had forewarned me days ago.

And still, hearing someone I had known for two years deliver lie after lie so seamlessly felt so absurd.

I asked her, "You had no idea?"

She shook her head while sobbing, taking a step forward.

"Nicole, were you short on money?

"You could have told me.

"Why would you do something like this?"

Quite a crowd had gathered outside the meeting room.

Everyone heard her.

Adrian's face was now a dark storm.

"Nicole, until this matter is cleared up, your involvement in current projects is suspended.

"Hand over your computer and access badge for now.

"Cooperate with the police and the platform's investigation staff.

"Don't let your personal issues affect the company."

Rachel's shoulders trembled as she wept.

"I just trusted her.

"I really never expected—"

"Enough."

I cut her off for the very first time.

Everyone looked over at me.

I pulled out my phone, tapped open the complaint acceptance text message sent to me by the platform yesterday, and opened the identity misuse ticket I had submitted three days ago.

Then I pushed the phone in front of the police officer.

"Officer, before you arrived, I was planning to involve the police myself."

Rachel's sobbing paused for a split second.

I continued:

"I want to report Rachel Stone for long-term misuse of my identity for receiving high-value deliveries.

"And for suspected fraudulent post-sales returns.

"I have the shipping logs, chat logs, audio recordings, return receipts right here, along with something she said herself."

I raised my head.

For the first time, I looked straight at Rachel's now ghostly pale face.

"Didn't you have no idea?

"Let's get to the bottom of it then."