Devil's Prisoner of Love by Prefer

The hospital.

The group had already received medical treatment, their hearts pounding with anxiety. Initially, they thought applying the ointment would only cause a few blisters on their faces-a small price to pay. They assumed it was a simple matter: stay indoors for a few days, and they'd walk away with a generous reward. Naturally, they were thrilled at the prospect.

Sof them even entertained the idea of using this incident to blackmail Aurora, thinking they could squeeze further compensation from her. A group driven by greed, willing to sacrifice dignity for profit. However, their joy was short-lived. Despite the ointment, the doctor had warned that the damage could leave scars.

When they left the treatment room, dejected and downcast, they were met with an even greater challenge. Aurora, accompanied by her team of lawyers, was already waiting for them.

"Ladies, shall we discuss this somewhere more private?" Aurora greeted them with her usual polite smile. Her calm demeanor was unnerving. Having witnessed her methods before, none of them dared to underestimate her. Subdued and stripped of their earlier arrogance, the group, along with their family members, followed Aurora to a private room in a quiet café.

Aurora wasted no time. "There are four of you here today. I've already understood the situation. Your malicious slander has caused significant financial loss and irreparable damage to my company's reputation.

"As of now, the canceled orders alone have reached six figures. The broader negative impact is immeasurable and will require my legal team to assess. Ladies, I suggest you prepare yourselves-we'll be meeting in court." Aurora blew gently on her coffee, her tone calm yet cutting. Life was good-why did these people insist on sabotaging theirs? At the mention of six figures, their faces turned pale. They were ordinary people; there was no way they could afford such an astronomical amount.

"Miss Montgomery, you don't have any concrete evidence, do you?" one of them dared to protest.

"No evidence?" Aurora's smile didn't waver. "Are you joking? The doctor has already confirmed that the allergens on your faces have nothing to do with our perfume. Yet you've been spreading lies online, claiming otherwise. Did you think defamation comes without consequences? "Your actions constitute slander, which is a criminal offense and can result in imprisonment. Surely, as frequent users of social media, you're aware of this? Beyond the criminal charges, you'll also need to compensate my company for the damages to its reputation." The weight of her words crashed down on them. Aurora's tone was soft, but every word pierced like a needle. A gentle blade, yet every cut was lethal.

"Miss Montgomery, we were wrong," one of them finally broke down. "We shouldn't have let greed drive us to do something so despicable. Please forgive us." "Forgive you?" Aurora's gaze turned icy. "Do you have any idea how much your actions have cost us?" "Miss Montgomery, we didn't mean for it to go this far... Someone told us to apply the ointment and pretend to have an allergic reaction. They said we could make seasy money. We didn't think it would escalate like this." Aurora let out a cold laugh. "Easy money? Aside from slander, it seems you're also guilty of extortion. Ladies, for a bit of petty profit, you've thrown away your dignity and your futures.

"Do you know how much effort has gone into this perfume? How many nights I stayed up late, working overtto perfect it? How many workers poured their energy into its production? If you're loving the book, nel5sis where the adventure continues. Join us for the complete experience-all for free. The next chapter is eagerly waiting for you! "And what did you do in return? You've destroyed the image we worked so hard to build. In just one day, our phones have been ringing non-stop, our staff bombarded with hateful messages online. My employees didn't even have tto eat lunch today- they're still at their desks, cleaning up the mess you've left behind.

"So many people rely on this company to support their families. Your actions didn't just harm me; you've hurt every innocent employee who works here.

"Respect is mutual. If you don't respect us, why should I respect you? Why should I let you off the hook? And if I do, who will stand up for them?" Aurora's voice carried the weight of her anger and frustration. She had been deeply involved in the perfume's development, enduring the shardships as her employees. The fallout from this scandal could mean layoffs, unsold products, and a tarnished brand.

"The butterfly effect," she thought bitterly-a single incident rippling outward to disrupt everything. She wasn't just fighting for herself but for everyone at her company.

"Miss Montgomery, we didn't think it through. We were just..." "I know exactly what you were," Aurora interrupted sharply. "Now tell me-who put you up to this?" Her tone shifted, cutting through their excuses. These people were nothing more than pawns. The true mastermind was still out there, and Aurora wouldn't rest until she exposed them.

"Miss Montgomery, I don't know what you're talking about." At the mention of a larger scheme, their faces changed, fear flashing in their eyes. None of them dared to speak the truth.

"Don't play dumb," Aurora said, her voice laced with quiet menace. "You already slipped up during your public statements. My investigation has revealed everything. All of you met with the sperson on the sday." She pulled a stack of photos from her bag, placing them on the table. Though blurry, the surveillance footage clearly showed the swoman meeting with them individually. In one frame, they were even seen leaving together, smiling brightly-likely after receiving their advance payments.

Aurora's private investigators had done their job well. While others might have struggled to obtain this evidence, they had no such issue.

Confronted with the photos, the group fell silent. Aurora pressed on. "Moments ago, you admitted to everything. My lawyers heard it all, and it's been recorded.

"The evidence is overwhelming. If you don't reveal the truth, you'll be held accountable for all the damages. My company's reputation has been destroyed, and I demand justice. Whether it's from you or the person behind this, I will get it."

Aurora's tone was deceptively casual, but her intent was clear. She clear. wasn after the person pulling the strings, and she wouldn't let these pawns stand in her way. Panic set in. They knew they couldn't afford to take the fall.

"I'll talk, Miss Montgomery!" one of them cried. "I'll tell you everything, even return the money she gave me. Just please, don't take this to court." too, Miss Montgomery," another chimed in. "I'll say everything!" mmMwWLlilofiflo&1 mmMwWLlilofiflo&1 mmMwWLlilofiflo&1 mmMwWLlilofiflo&1 mmMwWLliIofifl0&1 mmMwWLlilofiflo&1