"No way," Eric said.
I put my palm on his chest. "I can handle this," I said. "Trust me." Eric didn't look very convinced, but I gave him no choice and walked into the office.
The desk was cluttered with papers, bills, and worn pencils—a complete shamble.
"Coffee or tea?" he offered.
"I didn't come here to have a tea party," I said, throwing some invoices on the floor so I could sit in the chair. "You plagiarized my product and are stealing my customers."
He sighed and stretched out a smile.
"You have proof of that?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.
He was a rude and obnoxious person just by his attitude and expression, she could tell, but he was also a shrewd man, so he couldn't make any mistakes.
"No, but..."
"Then it's a false accusation without any evidence," he said, crossing his fingers. "I could sue you for damages and prejudice. You know that, right?"
"What the fuck are you saying? You plagiarized my formulas and my business design. I should burn this place to ashes," I said, getting up from my chair and pounding on the desk.
"Plus for psychological damage and threats," he said with the most pronounced smile, pointing his chin at a camera. "You have nothing you can use against me. Instead, I have now."
I clenched my fists and felt the desire to pounce on him and rip him to shreds.
"You won't get away with it," I said, turning my back on him and throwing the door on my way out.
"It was nice having a chat," he said in a mocking voice.
I stormed out, burning inside. Eric was behind me, not knowing what was going on, as I got to my business and walked into my office.
"What happened?" asked Eric, closing the door behind him. "Did he hurt you?"
"No, but he set me up," I told him, explaining the situation, and I saw in his eyes how he suppressed the urge to turn around and tear that man to pieces.
"You know I can help you. My family knows a lot of people," he told me.
I shook my head. "No, it's my war, and I have to fight it alone."
Eric hugged me, and I leaned against him with my head full of fears, not having a plan but with the determination to do everything in my power to rat out that man and finish him and his plagiarized brand.
Chapter 24 Eric
It had been a month since the perfume store incident. Cathy had spent all that time focused on fighting the man who had not only stolen her customers but also her products and business design. She was slow to answer my messages or calls, and of course, that situation had delayed the ongoing plan. However, she kept insisting that I should not interfere in her matters, but I could no longer bear to see her wear herself out like that without getting results.
"Hey, Eric." Andrew came into my office yawning and with a puffy face. "I thought you'd be on your way to town by now."
"I got lost in my thoughts, and time flew by," I shared. "Any updates regarding the investigation?"
Andrew has been relentlessly investigating John Smith, the owner of the company that plagiarized Cathy's work.
"Not really," he replied, pouring himself a cup of coffee and sitting down in the chair across from my desk. "That man is no beginner, hecovered his tracks well on the net, and I believe he's not working alone. There must be something bigger behind all this."
"That gives me all the more reason not to let Cathy confront him alone," I commented.
"She still refuses to accept your help?" he asked me.
"Yes, she's used to figuring everything out on her own and still doesn't get the idea that she has me on her side to stand by her."
