<h4>Chapter 25: Chapter 24: Refusal of Payment</h4>


    After finally calming down, Elliana Lyley in bed and didn’t want to move at all, just like a salted fish.


    The girl’s heart was always full of expectation, yet a bit afraid and shy.


    Buzz buzz~


    As she was thinking about all sorts of random things, her phone vibrated.


    She quickly opened it, and it was a message from Luna.


    Detective Luna: "I’m heading to ind, going to North City, we can meet if it’s convenient, also, I’m out of money."


    Detective Luna: "I found some substantial information for you, along with the victim’s contact info, but there’s no progress on George Lyle yet, we’ll have to wait patiently."


    Below were the files sent by Luna, which couldn’t be opened by phone, but required aputer.


    Remembering that the study was next door, Elliana Lyle tip-toed to open the room door and carefully stepped out.


    Lana was brewing tea not far away, and Elliana gestured outside with her hand, asking where Norman Bet was.


    She really didn’t want to run into Norman Bet right now, how awkward.


    Lana smiled slightly and pointed behind her.


    She instinctively turned around but saw no one. Lana meant that Norman Bet was in the study!


    This wasn’t good, where would she find aputer? She had no choice but to walk over to Lana.


    Norman Bet had aptop, and since the desktop was in the study, she might as well ask Lana to get theptop for her.


    "Lana, could you help me get theptop from Norman Bet’s room, please?"


    "Huh?" Lana was a bit surprised, as she had no idea what just happened between Elliana Lyle and Norman Bet, having been out getting fruit.


    "Oh, Lana, I’m begging you~." Elliana Lyle shook Lana’s arm.


    Lana could only reluctantly agree.


    The study.


    "Young master, Miss Elliana wants to use yourptop and asked me to get it from you." Lana put down the teacup and said.


    Norman Bet’s eyebrows furrowed slightly and said, "Mm."


    It seemed he agreed.


    Lana carefully carried theptop out of the study and knocked on the master bedroom door.


    "Lana, thank you, love you~!" Elliana Lyle happily took it and couldn’t wait to get back into bed.


    Upon opening the files, the first thing she saw was the personal information of William Lee and Adrian Young, which was quite thorough, even their hobbies were listed.


    "Both have a penchant for angelic girls, inviting 16-17-year-old girls every Friday to audition for Rnd’s contracted artists."


    As she flipped further, Elliana Lyle’s expression gradually became serious...


    ...


    --- 6 PM, White Goose Studios Ltd.


    The dry climate of North City made the weather even hotter. Wrapped in a standard work suit, Cari’s curvaceous body seemed elegant, yet beads of sweat had already formed on her back.


    Today was truly unlucky; Cameron Southwell’s online banking went down and needed to be reprocessed at the bank. Due to therge amount, the review had to wait until tomorrow.


    Now she had to personally run over to White Goose to deal with it, only to find that there wasn’t even a parking spot nearby, forcing her to park further away and walk over.


    Upon reaching the White Goose finance department, after asking around, she was told to wait a while. Cari could only sit and wait, but after half an hour, no one even acknowledged her.


    Unable to sit still, Cari stopped a passing handsome young man, looking to be in his early twenties, dressed in neat work attire, seeming like a newbie.


    Cari politely said, "Could you please find out how much longer the cashier will be busy?"


    "Sure, I’ll ask for you." The man, named William Lee, the cashier assistant, agreed.


    Another half hour passed, and by evening, 7 PM, Cari was anxious, with her long legs crossed and her fingers tightly interlocked.


    Just then, William Lee slowly rounded the corner, initially smiling, "Sorry for the wait, we were too busy earlier. But you’ll have to wait a little longer."


    Hearing this, Cari’s delicate brows furrowed into an inverted V, nearly bursting out in frustration, but she barely managed to hold it in, forcing a gentle smile and trying to reason.


    "I have an urgent matter, please, can you make an exception?" She added with a single-shoulder shrug and a slight head tilt, looking impossibly charming.


    "Cough! Sorry, please hang on a bit longer. If you’re really busy, why not head back first?"


    William Lee nearly lost hisposure, quickly pulling himself together, feigning indifference.


    "Could you please ask again, I’m begging you." Cari swallowed her frustration, still smiling charmingly.


    "No can do, miss, you’ll have to wait." William Lee replied.


    Helpless, Cari had no choice but to continue waiting.


    She nced at the time, hoping... she’d get there in time.


    --- Finance Department.


    Treasurer Yang Tuo was a thirty-year-old professional woman, her hair neatly parted in the middle, wearing a bean paste-colored lipstick. Her dimples when she smiled gave a very friendly impression.


    She was eating her just-arrived takeout, seeing someone enter through the door, she cheerfully asked, "Little Li, did she leave?"


    "Not yet, she’s stubborn. I think she’s a prettydy and suggested she head back, but she just wouldn’t go." William Lee chuckled and shrugged helplessly.


    They both knew full well that today the funds must not be sessfully transferred to Rnd.


    PM.


    Cari finally couldn’t sit still. Thepany kept replying aboutwork dys, causing her to head straight to the finance department.


    William Lee appeared at the right moment, smiling, "Sorry for keeping you waiting."


    It seemed things were less busy now, and Cari lost her earlier momentum, politely smiling, "It’s okay."


    "Please follow me."


    ...


    "Not epting checks? Why?" Cari shot up, her tone unkind, truly pushed to her limit today.


    However, Yang Tuo remained smiling, "Sorry, ourpany has a clear policy against epting checks."


    "What? You guys! You..." Cari was left speechless, her chest heaving with anger, her pretty face contorted with frustration.


    The atmosphere was momentarily tense. After silently cursing within, Cari regained herposure and sat back down.


    It was gettingte. She softened her tone, "I’m really in a hurry this time, please make an exception."


    "I’m really sorry, ourpany is cautious about receiving bad checks, hence the policy. If we epted one, I’d be held ountable, and I can’t afford that risk." Yang Tuo showed no signs of yielding, still smiling, making Cari feel as if her punches werending on cotton.


    Even though everyone knew clear as day that Cari wouldn’t give a bad check, employees had to follow orders from above.


    Seeing Cari’s defeated look, Yang Tuo suggested, "Maybe you shoulde back tomorrow. At this hour,rge transactions undergo bank review, likely getting postponed to tomorrow."


    Cari knew exactly it would be dyed to tomorrow! That’s why she came today.


    Realizing half an hour had passed again, Cari reluctantly called Cameron Southwell for instructions.


    On the other end, as soon as he heard things hadn’t progressed, he exploded. Rnd had already transferred funds, and if told tomorrow about a breach, he really wouldn’t know how to exin to shareholders.


    This embezzlement of funds couldnd him in jail.


    Cameron Southwell: "Hand her the phone, I’ll talk to her."


    "Please take a call." Cari handed her phone to Yang Tuo.


    Yang Tuo smiled and took the phone, answering it, "Hello, nice to talk to you."


    "Telling me is useless; why don’t you try speaking with our president?" Yang Tuo’s words were firm, her face maintaining the signature smile.


    No matter how infuriated the person on the other side became, Yang Tuo showed no sign ofpromising.


    This truly was infuriating to the extreme.