TEMPORARY MATES PERMANENT CRAVINGS novel Chapter 295

Two hundred and ninety five

Isabella POV

The sample pearl set.

I stared at it, then I looked at my open bag.

The pouch sat so close to the top that anyone opening it would have found it within seconds. Whoever planted it hadn’t even tried to be clever. Beside me, Iris turned her head toward me. I met her eyes, and neither of us spoke.

“If I were actually stealing something,” I said, forcing myself to stay calm, “why would I leave it sitting right on top of everything in my bag where anyone could find it?”

“I knew something was off!” Emerald said, a gleam in her eyes.

She stepped forward, loud enough for people from the neighboring department to begin drifting into the hallway.

“I’ve been saying from the beginning that new employees need proper screening.” She pointed toward the pearls in the guard’s hand. “Now look. She hasn’t even been here two weeks, and she’s already stealing from Luna Lisa.”

I wasn’t even surprised. This felt too deliberate to be anything else.

“It was planted,” Iris snapped.

Emerald’s smile disappeared.

“Careful, Iris. You’re defending someone you barely know. It makes you look like an accomplice to a thief.

Iris gave a dry laugh.

“Do you honestly expect us to believe that?” She pointed toward my bag. “If Isabella wanted to steal those pearls, she’d have to be unbelievably stupid to leave them sitting on top where the first person opening her bag would see them.”

Emerald folded her arms.

“Or maybe she simply wasn’t expecting a search.”

“Or maybe,” Iris shot back, “someone counted on everyone jumping to conclusions.”

I looked around. Most of the people watching were studying me. I hated this. Emerald had worked in this department for years; I’d been here less than two weeks. Without anyone saying it aloud, I could already see where their instincts leaned.

Established employee versus new girl.

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“I’m taking this to HR,” Emerald announced. “We don’t tolerate theft here. If people want expensive things, they should earn them.”

“Let’s go, then,” Iris said before I could answer.

She caught my hand and squeezed it gently. It reminded me how badly this could go.

“What if they believe her?” I whispered as we started walking.

“They won’t.”

“You don’t know that. If HR decides I’d stolen the pearls, I’d lose more than a job. Luna Lisa had personally brought me into both her office and her home. How would she look at me after this? This isn’t funny.”

“I know, but I fault you for not reporting Emerald. You thought ignoring her would make her stop, and now she’s trying to destroy your reputation.”

We rounded the corner toward HR.

Emerald and the others were several steps ahead of us, practically marching there. Then they spotted

someone.

I followed their gaze.

Alpha Cameron.

Oh shit!

Anita walked beside him, both of them returning from lunch. The moment Emerald saw the Alpha, her demeanor shifted into one of professional concern.

“Alpha,” she called as she hurried toward him. “I’m so glad you’re here. We have a serious situation.”

“Fucking demon,” Iris whispered under her breath.

“Luna Lisa’s sample pearl set was found in one of the employees’ bags during a routine inspection,” she said. “Considering its value, I thought it was important to bring it to management immediately.”

My heart thrashed wildly. I’d spent too much of my life watching lies become accepted as truth, and I knew exactly how easily that happened.

Beside me, Iris leaned closer. “Don’t panic,” she whispered. “We’ll sort this out.”

I wanted to believe her. I really did.

Anita hadn’t seen me. She was about to leave, and without thinking, I crossed the distance between us.

“Please,” I whispered as I reached for her hand. “You have to help me. I didn’t do this.”

She frowned, looking from me to Emerald, then toward the security guard holding the velvet pouch.

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Behind us, Emerald continued speaking.

“It’s been one problem after another with her. She doesn’t listen, she’s difficult to manage, and now this…

Alpha Cameron didn’t interrupt. I couldn’t tell whether he believed her or not.

“Sir,” Iris called before Emerald could continue. “Those pearls were planted. Emerald has been targeting Isabella since the day she arrived.”

Cameron’s attention shifted to Iris.

“If that’s true, why wasn’t it reported?”

Iris hesitated.

“I told her to.”

No sooner had she spoken than Emerald cut in.

“Sir, we can review the security footage.”

She sounded so confident that even I wondered how she’d managed to pull this off.

“Please help me,” I whispered again, looking at Anita.

She gave my hand a squeeze before stepping forward.

“Dad, she didn’t steal it.”

Emerald stopped and turned to her in disbelief.

“Miss Anita…”

Anita raised a hand, cutting her off.

“I believe those pearls were planted.”

Alpha Cameron looked at his daughter.

“And how would you know that?”

“I know Isabella.”

“Anita, these women have worked for your mother for years. Isabella has been here less than two weeks. You don’t dismiss an accusation so carelessly.”

“I know that. But I’ve walked past Mom’s department several times, and also because I needed something different for my gala dress, and Isabella’s sketches stood out immediately.” She looked toward Emerald. “I suppose someone didn’t like that.”

Emerald gasped.

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“So now I’m jealous?”

“I didn’t say you weren’t talented,” Anita replied evenly. “I said you’ve had a problem with her since she

arrived.”

Emerald’s face flushed.

“That’s ridiculous. You think I’d risk my career because of some new employee?”

“Yes,” Iris said. “She dumped work on Isabella, insulted her daily, and kept provoking her. Doris wasn’t

around to witness it because she traveled with Luna Lisa.”

Emerald pointed at Iris.

“You’re lying.”

“I’ve reported concerns about this department before,” the HR officer said quietly, and everyone turned toward her. “Not formal complaints from Isabella herself, but concerns raised by other staff about how the new employee has been treated.”

Emerald looked like a deer caught in headlights.

Alpha Cameron looked at me.

“You never reported any of this?”

I shook my head.

“No, sir.”

“Why not?”

“I thought… if I worked harder…” I swallowed. “I thought eventually she’d stop.”

Anita turned back to her father.

“Dad, instead of letting this continue, why don’t we move Isabella to Executive Administration?”

He looked genuinely surprised.

“That’s quite a leap.”

“Emma has been asking for another assistant in Accounting,” Anita said. “Someone to help with errands.”

Alpha Cameron glanced at me, then back at Anita.

“They’re accusing her of theft, and your solution is to transfer her into Executive Administration?”

“I’m asking for a temporary transfer until Mom gets back.”

The HR officer agreed.

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“That could work.”

“What?” Emerald blurted out. “She stole, and she should be punished, not promoted!”

“No one said she’s being promoted,” Anita replied. “She’s being moved while this accusation is investigated.”

“But-”

“And,” the HR officer added, “it also removes her from a department where there are already concerns about workplace hostility.”

“You can’t be serious.”

“I am.”

Emerald looked from one face to another, clearly waiting for someone to agree with her.

No one did.

Alpha Cameron checked the time on his watch.

“I have a meeting in five minutes,” he said. “We’re not resolving this in a hallway.”

He looked at HR.

“Transfer Isabella to Executive Administration temporarily. Investigate the accusation thoroughly. Make sure the security footage is reviewed, everyone involved is interviewed, and a full report is prepared. As for any final decision, we’ll wait until Luna Lisa returns.”

“Yes, Alpha.”

He walked away.

“Process the transfer today,” Anita told HR. “And don’t forget the investigation. I’m very interested in knowing how my mother’s pearls somehow ended up in Isabella’s bag.”

The HR officer nodded.

“I’ll handle it.”

Anita looked at me and winked, then she followed after her father, her boots clicking down the hallway.

Iris threw her head back and burst into loud laughter. I couldn’t help smiling. Across the hallway, Emerald stood frozen, her lips pressed into a thin line.

Our eyes met.

“This isn’t over,” she said quietly.

Then, before she turned away, I caught the single word that slipped under her breath.

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“Witch.”

She walked off with her two friends trailing behind her.

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