Chapter 138

"Is it a gout flare-up, Dr. Langley?"

"How did you know?"

"Professor Watson has the same condition. I have a herbal remedy. It can't cure it, but it's excellent for pain relief. Fewer side effects than Western medicine too."

Dr. Zoe Langley's dull eyes instantly brightened. "Wonderful! Please send me the prescription. I'll get the herbs after work. Thank you so much."

"You have no idea. My mother-in-law is in so much pain she can't sleep. Painkillers aren't working. I've been so worried. If this prescription works, I'll be deeply grateful."

Sophia Sullivan offered a gentle smile. "It was nothing. Please, don't mention it."

Professor Quincy Evans adjusted his glasses. "Have you noticed? Since Sophia joined the lab, every problem finds a solution. She's our little lucky charm."

Dr. Simon Lowell walked in, catching only the last few words. "Lucky charm?"

Dr. Langley laughed. "We're talking about Sophia. So clever and capable. Like a good luck charm."

Simon was about to nod in agreement when Lillian Lopez shot up from her seat. Her face was pale.

"Someone's been on my computer! All the experimental data on my hard drive is gone!"

"What?"

"Another virus? That can't be..." Professor Evans immediately returned to his own terminal to check. "IT just upgraded the firewall. It shouldn't be possible..."

Dr. Langley also hurriedly opened her computer.

The lab atmosphere instantly grew tense.

Professor Evans: "My data is fine. Nothing missing. Dr. Langley?"

Dr. Langley: "Mine is okay too."

They both looked at Simon and Sophia.

Simon: "Everything's normal here."

Sophia: "My data is all present."

Only Lillian's data was missing.

Dr. Langley: "Check again. Are you sure it wasn't saved somewhere else?"

Lillian frowned deeply. "I've searched every drive. It's not there."

They exchanged uneasy glances.

"How is this possible? Everyone else's data is fine. Only yours is missing. It doesn't make sense."

Lillian's voice was low. "The computer is fine. That specific data was deleted."

"...What do you mean?" A cold dread settled in Professor Evans's stomach.

"It means," Lillian took a deep breath, "my data was intentionally deleted!"

Dead silence filled the room.

Professor Evans's expression turned grave. "Lillian, you need evidence for an accusation like that."

"Professor Evans, I don't want to suspect anyone. There are only a few of us in the lab. Suspecting anyone is unpleasant. But I can't think of any other reason why only my data is gone."

"This..." Dr. Langley trailed off, hesitant.

Professor Evans also fell silent.

Lillian's theory was the most logical, but also the most serious.

Professor Evans: "Who do you suspect?"

The question made everyone tense up.

Lillian's gaze swept over them, finally landing on Sophia.

"Nothing like this ever happened in the lab before she arrived. Problems started piling up since she came. Isn't my suspicion reasonable?"

The accusation pointed directly at Sophia.

Sophia looked up, meeting Lillian's eyes directly. Lillian was the first to look away.

Dr. Langley pondered for a moment. She usually remained neutral in such situations. But this time—

"Intentionally deleting data is a serious offense. I trust Sophia's character. There might be a misunderstanding. We shouldn't jump to conclusions."

Lillian was taken aback. She hadn't expected the typically neutral Dr. Langley to be the first to defend Sophia.

Professor Evans also nodded. "Sophia is meticulous and thoughtful. She wouldn't do something like this. I don't believe it."

Simon's eyes flickered. He hesitated, remaining silent.

Seeing everyone side with Sophia, Lillian felt furious but didn't dare show it. "It's hard to judge a person's heart by their appearance. Who knows what she's really like? What if it's all an act?"

"The data was there yesterday morning when I checked. Today it's gone. Dr. Langley and Professor Evans left first yesterday afternoon. Simon and I left later. Only Sophia and Professor Laurent were left last."

"Professor Laurent has no reason to do it. That only leaves Sophia!"

Lillian was aggressive. Her logic seemed sound.

But Sophia spotted a flaw. She looked at Lillian, enunciating each word clearly. "You said you checked the data yesterday morning. Did you check it again before you left yesterday?"

"Of course! The data was there!"

"Are you certain?"

Lillian: "I'm absolutely certain. Why are you asking? Do you think I'm framing you?"

Sophia remained calm. "Alright. According to your statement, the data disappeared sometime after you left yesterday and before you arrived today. Correct?"

"Correct."

"Then let's check the surveillance footage from that period."

Dr. Langley nodded. "Right, the surveillance! I almost forgot. The lab has 24-hour monitoring."

"Fine," Lillian sneered. "Let's check the footage. That way, no one can say I'm targeting anyone."

They went to the security control room. Professor Evans asked the guard to pull up the footage from the last two days.

The result was unexpected.

The footage was missing.

Dr. Langley: "What's going on? How can the surveillance footage be gone?"

The guard was also puzzled. "The footage from the last month is all here. Only yesterday's and the day before's are missing. It's very strange..."

"Isn't it obvious? Someone deliberately deleted the key surveillance footage! No wonder she was so quick to suggest checking it. She was prepared!"

Lillian crossed her arms, all but pointing her finger at Sophia.

Alexander Laurent arrived at the lab after his class. Finding it empty, he asked the guard and located them in the control room.

His calm, dark eyes swept over the group. "What's going on? Why is everyone here?"

Lillian spoke first, her voice full of grievance. "Professor, my experimental data was maliciously deleted. It took me a whole week to compile that data. I was waiting to upload it to the system. Today, it's all gone."

She grew more upset, her voice trembling with unshed tears.

"Sophia was the last to leave the lab both these days. Last night's surveillance is missing. She's the prime suspect! I have reason to believe she deleted my data."

Dr. Langley and Professor Evans, afraid Professor Laurent would believe her, quickly interjected.

"Professor, the matter isn't clear yet."

"We believe Sophia isn't that kind of person."

Nearby, Simon was unusually quiet. He frowned, remaining silent the entire time.

They had left work together these past few days. They went shopping and had meals. Lillian simply didn't have the time to complete that set of data...

Simon glanced at the woman. For the first time, she seemed somewhat unfamiliar.

Professor Laurent asked very detailed questions. The time of data loss, the storage location, whether there was a backup.

Lillian answered each one. The details aligned.

This made Sophia's doubt seem even greater.

Dr. Langley and Professor Evans wanted to defend her but didn't know how. They could only watch anxiously.

Just then, Sophia, at the center of the storm, slowly lifted her eyes. She calmly scanned everyone present, her gaze finally settling on Lillian's face.

"Finding out who deleted the data isn't that difficult."