Chapter 9 Suspicion

Jemma stood firm, her posture unwavering as she fixed Caiden with a piercing stare. "Mr. President, without this recording, would I have had no way to prove my innocence? Do you and Judge Clarke see me as nothing more than a schemer, devoid of integrity? Just like in my father's case, you can't hastily convict someone based on a single piece of evidence and a few allegations. A major embezzlement case resolved in mere days? Doesn't that seem suspicious? Is someone exploiting the chaos or rushing to cover their tracks? I implore you-give me a chance to gather proper evidence. Please!"

Caiden lowered his eyes briefly, then looked back up. Jemma's tearful yet determined gaze was striking. He realized he had misjudged her earlier.

She had shown remarkable composure, standing her ground to defend her father without yielding to authority.

The foresight to bring a hidden recorder here spoke to her resourcefulness and calm under pressure. Caiden couldn't help but acknowledge her cleverness.

Perhaps it was guilt or the familiarity in her eyes, but his tone softened as he spoke.

"Your father's trial can be delayed, but the situation is serious, and public sentiment is volatile. If we don't act soon, the backlash will be overwhelming. You'll have ten days-no more."

The concession left Jemma stunned. She hadn't expected him to agree so readily. A wave of relief washed over her.

"Thank you, Mr. President. Thank you very much!" she said, gratitude evident in her every word.

But the effort overwhelmed her, and she suddenly swayed, losing her balance.

Caiden instinctively reached out, steadying her.

Her slender frame brought a flash of recognition-the woman from last night had felt just as delicate.

Caiden quickly shook the thought away.

He had never been interested in women before. Why was today different?

Meanwhile, Jared observed with an amused smirk, likely surprised to see Caiden holding a woman.

Caiden, uncharacteristically, offered an explanation. "She's one of my people."

Without further comment, he carried Jemma out of the bar.

"Prepare the car. We're going to the hospital."

Jared trailed behind, his tone laced with humor. "Right. Look at those marks on her neck and the bags under her eyes. She's certainly been through a lot."

Caiden shot him a glare that silenced the teasing.

Jared pursed his lips. It was just a joke. Why take it so seriously?

Outside the bar, Jared stopped Caiden. "Wait-you're actually taking her to the hospital yourself?"

Caiden hesitated. He hadn't planned to, but Jemma's scent-it reminded him of the woman he had been intimate with last night.

"Yes," he answered.

Jared's astonishment was palpable, his expression frozen in shock.

At the hospital, Caiden left Jemma in the care of medical staff, opting to wait at the parking lot. His chief secretary, Zayne, soon joined him in the car with an update.

"The doctor says she's suffering from anemia caused by stress and exhaustion. She'll recover after a night of rest."

Caiden gave a curt nod. "Look into where she was and what she did last night."

Zayne hesitated for a moment, visibly surprised. "Do you suspect she was..."

"Just do the job." Caiden interrupted him.

Zayne was efficient, quickly returning with the findings.

"Miss Martin was at the hospital all night, staying with her father until this morning."

Caiden absorbed the information silently before nodding.

Zayne was perplexed. Kaelyn had been present at the scene; Caiden had found her pearl earring and confirmed it belonged to her. So why did Caiden suspect it was Jemma now?

She hadn't been there last night, nor did she own pearl earrings. Unfortunately, the surveillance footage from the previous night had been erased. Whoever had set Caiden up had meticulously planned everything, wiping out all traces from the hotel's cameras, leaving no leads to follow now.