Chapter 20

"What do you mean by forget about it?" Julian's gaze softened as he looked at Elena with a tenderness I hadn't seen before. "If she had just misspoken, maybe she could be forgiven. But bullying you? That's unacceptable." The 150 thousand dollars had really done its job. I took a deep breath and asked, "Has it ever crossed your mind that maybe she wasn't acting this way before you showed up? Perhaps her attitude only changed after you arrived?" "Elena wouldn't do that," Julian replied confidently. From the moment Elena stepped through the door, everything had been falling perfectly into place. A hint of helplessness flickered in my eyes as I gazed at Julian with a mix of affectionate pity. "Why don't we check the surveillance footage?" I suggested, spreading my hands. "It just so happens that there are cameras in this area, and they even record audio." "You bullied Elena, and you still have the nerve to suggest checking the surveillance footage?" "There's no need for that. It was