Dead at Heart (Ariel and Jayson) novel Chapter 686

Jayson's eyes narrowed before his gaze drifted toward Samson.

Meanwhile, Samson had walked over to stand beside Ariel. With his brows furrowed, he looked at Gary.

"I don't believe Ariel is someone who would knowingly break the rules. As Mr. Larkin mentioned earlier, even if there's a discrepancy between the two sets of data, the quality of his materials is still on par.

"There are plenty of ways Ariel could help boost Mr. Larkin's company's sales and reputation. She wouldn't need to take such a risky approach, especially with a major project like this."

Samson spoke up on Ariel's behalf.

He then glanced at her and offered a reassuring look. "It'll be alright. I'm sure the agencies involved will conduct a thorough investigation."

Gary, too, believed Ariel wouldn't do such a thing. She was one of the few students Carlos both favored and approved of. That alone should have been enough to show her character and professional ethics were sound.

"You were responsible for handling this task. You checked all the data yourself, didn't you?"

"That's right. I personally recorded the data, while my team members compiled it. I also reviewed the final report before we concluded our work," Ariel explained honestly.

Gary knitted his brows.

"It's alright. I'll cooperate with the investigation," Ariel continued calmly.

Instead of looking flustered or anxious, she remained composed.

Gary gave a slight nod. "Given what's happened, everyone involved will be subjected to careful questioning. Based on the findings of the investigation, the higher-ups will decide what to do next."

Falsifying data was considered gross misconduct in their field, and such mistakes were never tolerated.

"Ms. Walker has always been cool-headed in her work. She wouldn't naively make these mistakes to help her partner's business. I trust her," Cecilia remarked as she exited the observation area, her tone light and casual.

Ariel fixed Cecilia with a piercing gaze.

Jayson lowered his head.

"Don't worry," he whispered to Ariel.

It wasn't just Ariel facing questioning; Jayson would have to as well.

After all, they were legally married, and any form of dishonesty was strictly prohibited in governmental affairs, no matter how small. If proven guilty, the consequences could be dire.

A fleeting expression crossed Samson's eyes. At the same time, Cecilia cast him a meaningful glance.

Neither of them said anything further.

…

Ariel and Jayson were questioned separately.

By the time Ariel's questioning ended, Chad had already heard the news and rushed over to pick her up, intending to take her to the Hockney residence.

Since Jayson hadn't come out yet, Ariel left with Chad and got into his car.

Not long after, she received a call from Carlos.

"I know you wouldn't make such a careless mistake. But the government is very strict in these matters. If you've done nothing wrong, it's only a matter of time before the agencies find the evidence to clear your name. Still, there's one thing you must be mindful of.

"This incident directly concerns your competence, ethics, and credibility. If the officials find it hard to trust you, they may hesitate to assign you important responsibilities in the future."

The severity of the situation depended on the investigation's outcome. For now, there was no evidence to prove anything, but the mere speculation was enough to cause damage to Ariel's career and reputation.