Once a Doormat Now Untouchable (Caleb and Sydney) novel Chapter 393

**Chapter 393**

As Penelope’s words escaped her lips, they cascaded through the hall like a stone disrupting a still pond. Heads turned in unison, drawn toward the entrance as if compelled by an unseen force.

Sydney’s gaze locked onto Penelope immediately.

With determination etched on her face, Penelope pushed past the security guards, her resolve unyielding as she fought to forge ahead. Sydney met the head of security’s eyes, conveying a silent message that prompted him to part the way for Penelope.

Julian, standing a few paces away, glanced at Sydney, his voice barely above a whisper. “Were you anticipating this?”

“I’ve been prepared for quite some time,” Sydney replied, her tone steady and devoid of any pretense.

She observed Penelope striding confidently toward the stage, her heart racing with a mix of anticipation and trepidation. Then, with a cool detachment, she addressed the crowd. “You keep insisting that I fabricated the data and that Sterling Corp. orchestrated a fraudulent promotion. Where is your evidence?”

Penelope’s response was immediate and fierce. “The evidence is right here!” She forcefully slammed a hefty stack of files onto the table, sending a few papers fluttering to the ground. She thrust copies into the hands of startled onlookers. “Look closely! These are the authentic clinical trial results for that so-called zero-side effect cancer drug. It’s no more effective than standard treatments, yet they’ve jacked up the price to astronomical levels. They’re robbing the public blind!”

Her outrage was palpable, each word laced with a righteous fury that seemed to electrify the air around her.

Those who began to sift through the documents turned ashen, their expressions shifting from curiosity to shock.

“What is this? These figures bear no resemblance to Sterling Corp.’s reports,” one voice murmured, tinged with disbelief.

“A company of this magnitude wouldn’t risk its reputation over a trivial amount, would it?” another questioned, skepticism creeping into their tone.

“Who knows? Maybe someone’s lost their grip on reality,” came a snide response.

The murmurs buzzed like a swarm of angry bees, reaching Sydney’s ears with an unsettling clarity. Julian, too, absorbed the whispers but chose to remain silent, his mind racing with implications.

Sydney redirected her attention back to Penelope, her voice steady and unwavering. “Fine. You have documents. But what about witnesses?”

Penelope’s lips curled into a knowing smirk. “You want witnesses? You think mere paper can conceal a guilty conscience? Someone on your team has finally found the courage to speak up.”

Her gaze swept across the project group, a predator sizing up her prey.

Henry’s brow furrowed deeply. Had there been a breach of trust under his watch?

With a decisive motion, Sydney placed the document back on the table, her voice turning icy. “These aren’t my files. I won’t concede to something that doesn’t belong to me.”

“Still arrogant even when backed into a corner, huh?” Penelope scoffed, a mocking laugh escaping her lips as she pressed harder. “Those results originated from clinical trials of the drug you developed yourself. Do you still deny it?”

Sydney’s smile faded, replaced by a steely resolve as she dissected Penelope’s claim with surgical precision.

“How could my drug possibly end up in your possession?” she challenged, her tone light yet laced with sharpness. “Let me remind you that stealing trade secrets is a serious offense.”

But Penelope had overlooked one critical aspect.

Clenching her fists, Penelope fought to maintain her composure. “Accusing me of stealing trade secrets? You’ll need more than mere words to back that up. If I managed to obtain these, it simply means you were negligent.”

Sydney allowed a faint smile to play on her lips. “You’re correct about one thing. But here’s the catch: the drug you went through all this trouble to steal is not the one I developed. And it certainly isn’t the one we’re unveiling today.”

From the moment Penelope leveraged her government connections to request a “collaboration” with Sydney’s project team, Sydney had been on high alert. She was acutely aware that Penelope would seize any opportunity to strike. Thus, she meticulously prepared every detail, laying a trap with calculated precision and waiting patiently for Penelope to walk directly into it.