The Bargain Undercover

Dirty Plan

Lyla didn't move, asking back, "Why?"

"The hospital found Zolpidem in both Eliana's system and water bottle. Someone drugged her," Xander said in a flat tone.

His bluntness stressed Lyla, causing her to retort right away. "And why am I suspected?"

Xander didn't answer her. "So you know what Zolpidem is."

Lyla was stunned for a while but soon put herself back. "I've heard of it."

Xander asked, "Are you taking Zolpidem?"

Lyla didn't hesitate. "No."

Xander ordered again, "Open your locker."

Lyla insisted, "I need to know why I'm suspected."

This time, Xander gave her a straightforward answer. "Someone saw you put something into Eliana's water."

Lyla's heart sank. She had been extremely cautious when drugging Eliana's water, only picking chances when no one was around. But she was still seen. "Who is it?"

Xander didn't reply. "Open it if you don't want the police to be involved."

A chill ran down Lyla's spine. She never expected things to escalate like this. All she wanted was for Eliana to drop out of the summer season, which was why she had slipped only one pill into her water each day. Lyla thought the undissolved residue would merely make Eliana feel unwell, leaving no one suspecting anything. However, the situation took a serious turn when Eliana fainted in the classroom and had to be taken away by an ambulance.

Now, Lyla had no choice but to open her locker.

Her bag was lying quietly inside. Xander signaled her to unzip it.

She did, knowing that they could find nothing inside.

Xander glanced at her open bag, then reached out and retrieved a transparent pouch.

A white pill was clearly visible in the pouch.

"What is this?" Xander held up the pouch.

The small, white, round pill gripped Lyla's heart tightly. She wanted to unravel when and why she had made such a significant mistake, but her mind was totally blank.

"It shouldn't be here..." she blurted out, glancing at the clock on the wall instinctively.

As soon as those words left her mouth, Alex knew they had won the gamble.

Xander heard it as well, pressing her. "What is this?"

Lyla knew what she had blurted out but was still unyielding. "I don't know."

Alex cut in, "Looks like Ambien."

"What's Ambien?" the dancer next to Alex asked in a low voice.

"A kind of sleeping pill," Alex answered, not lowering his voice.

"Right, I'm on those pills. That's my portion for today," Lyla answered rigidly.

"That's not what you said just now." Xander looked down at her.

"I forgot." Lyla raised her head with dignity.

Fiona noticed where she had glanced at before, asking her, "What's behind the clock?"

No reply.

Ophelia couldn't stand Lyla's nonsense talk anymore. She strode to the clock, stood on her tiptoes, and reached behind it.

Then she found it. It was a pouch with some white pills inside.

Alex exclaimed, "These are Ambien pills, too! The same as that previous one."

Ophelia glared at Lyla. "Don't tell me these are not yours!"

Lyla was cornered and had to admit, "They are mine, but they are for myself."

"Come on! You need sleeping pills during the day?" Ophelia snorted and counted the pills. "Six pills! You really wanted to ruin Eliana's summer season!"

Hearing the number, Lyla widened her eyes.

If all the six pills left were in that pouch, then what was the one in Xander's hand?

She stared blankly at Xander. "Then why..."

Something seemed really off from the very beginning. Alex's small chat with her, Eliana's fainting, and the pill in her bag... She tried to think but couldn't because people's murmuring were all over her ears.

Although she kept denying it and making up for what she had blurted out, everyone had their own judgments. They were standing a few feet behind her at the door, gossiping in low voices. Xander and Fiona were scrutinizing her right in front of her. She had always craved attention, maintaining her elegance for it, but not like this.

Since she still denied it, Xander said faintly, "Mrs. Morse, call the police to investigate."

Lyla jerked her head up. "Please don't!"

Her reaction made everything clear now.

No one moved or uttered a sound, their gazes enveloped her. It was like a powerful hand gripping her neck, making her unable to breathe.

No, she didn't like this. She didn't work so hard for this. This was all fake.

She had to run out of it.

In the next second, she moved.

She turned around and rushed toward the door, pushing away Ophelia, who was trying to stop her. However, before she could leave the changing room, a strong hand grabbed her arm.

It was Alex. He looked at her with serious eyes. "Don't run, Lyla. You have to be responsible for what you have done."

In a split second, something flashed across Lyla's mind like lightning, illuminating the dark sky and clarifying her thoughts.

"It's you! You put that pill in my bag!" She screamed, pointing at Alex, "You don't have insomnia at all! You just wanted to lure out the brand I'm taking so that you can get the same one!"

Alex looked confused. "What are you talking about? Getting prescription pills is not that fast and easy."

It was true, which was why Eliana had to take the risk of placing a vitamin pill, resembling an Ambien pill, in Lyla's bag. She placed a bet on Lyla panicking and selling herself out without inspecting the pill, and she won the bet.

But Lyla didn't step back. "You managed to get it! I don't care how! Then you put it in my bag!"

Alex pursed his lips helplessly. "You've lost your mind. I can't even go into the female changing room."

Lyla was stunned for one second but figured it out soon. "Eliana did it! She peeked at my passcode to my locker! You helped that b***h to frame me!"

Her rude language, which went against her elegant appearance, aroused slight gasps in the crowd, but Lyla just ignored them.

She knew she was doomed now, so she went all out. "She planned this drama to frame me! Think about it! She faints right on the day when she doesn't have a show? What are the odds of that happening?"

Alex had to admit that Lyla guessed it right. This morning, Eliana took the pill that Alex had gotten from his grandmother to ensure Zolpidem could be detected in her system. The effects would last long, so she chose a day when she didn't have a show.

"Everyone, please think about it!" Lyla rushed frantically to everyone, making sincere eye contact. "I put only one dissolvable pill into her water every day! It wouldn't make her faint at all! She framed me! She..."

Speaking of this, Lyla suddenly realized something, her eyes widening frenziedly. "Right! I haven't drugged her today! How come Zolpidem was detected in her water?"

'Great question.' Alex thought to himself. It was because the water in Eliana's bottle was from the previous day, untouched and containing residues of Zolpidem, but Lyla would never know.

"b***h!" Lyla shrieked, pacing around fretfully. "She framed me! Everyone, please believe me..."

"Darling." Fiona approached her, putting both hands on her shoulders to stop her frantic walk. "Calm down. Don't worry, we won't call the police."

Fiona's voice was extremely gentle. Lyla stared at her face blankly, and after a while, she started sobbing. "Mrs. Morse, I... I..."

Fiona hugged her softly. "It's OK. It's OK. You're safe."

Those words were like magic, making Lyla lose all her strength all of a sudden. She cried like a baby in Fiona's arms, "I'm sorry! I'm sorry, Mrs. Morse!"

***

"That's pretty much what happened. She admitted it in the end." Alex told Eliana, "Director Lane and Mrs. Morse didn't want to destroy Lyla's career path, so they didn't call the police but just terminated her contract."

Eliana nodded. "Fine."

Alex couldn't read her expression, not sure if she liked this result. "Do you think she should get heavier punishment?"

"Honestly, I don't care what she gets. I just want to ensure my own safety." Eliana said faintly, "But it's still a bit upsetting. She almost ruined my career path, but everyone is protecting her career path now. "

Alex said, "No, I'm protecting yours."

Eliana smiled at him, "Right. Thank you for helping me carry out this dirty plan."

"It's worth it because you're safe now." Alex meant it.

At this moment, someone knocked on the door, and then, Ophelia opened the door and poked her head in. Seeing Eliana wake up, she was overjoyed and ran over to hug her.

"Ellie! Poor girl! How do you feel?"

"I had a sound sleep," Eliana said breezily and hugged her back. Then, she looked at Xander and Fiona who came in with Ophelia, greeting them with a smile.

"We terminated Lyla's contract. She'll never have the chance to dance with MBT again," Fiona told her. "Darling, I'm sorry you have to go through all this."

"Well, I'm lucky enough to not fall asleep onstage." Eliana showed a sweet smile.

Among all the people in her ward, Xander stood the furthest, looking at her but not saying anything.

It made Eliana a bit uneasy. She was never able to read his mind.

The doctor examined Eliana and discharged her after making sure everything was fine. When they left the hospital building, Ophelia was still cursing, "Lyla is so shameless!"

Alex echoed, "I didn't know either. She looks elegant and polite on the surface."

Ophelia told Eliana, "You know what? Today, after she was exposed, she even wanted to shift the blame to you, saying you framed her and stuff like that."

Eliana curved her eyes. "Interesting."

Ophelia clicked her tongue. "I bet she lost her mind when her self-esteem shattered."

"OK kids, it's late. Let the poor girl go home to rest." Fiona patted Eliana on her shoulder. "I'll call you a cab."

"Mrs. Morse, I get this." Xander finally uttered his first sentence since arriving at the hospital today. Then, he looked at Eliana, his gaze deep. "Come with me. I'll drive you home."