When Love is a Question Mark
Chapter 151: The Accident

Chapter 151: The Accident

Seeing Victoria’s name on the screen, she frowned slightly, knowing Victoria rarely called unless it was something important.

"Ms. Aquila," Victoria began as soon as Lily answered, her tone tense but steady. "I need to update you on what happened last night. It’s about the truck accident you may have heard about."

"I did hear something," Lily replied, sitting up straighter. "What’s the situation?"

Lily straightened, her grip tightening on the phone. "Go on," she said, her voice steady, though unease started to creep in.

Victoria sighed. "You remember the travel guide assigned to your group for the island hopping? He wasn’t with you because he went to assist at the scene of the truck accident."

"Yes, I remember," Lily said. "Is he alright? What exactly happened?"

There was a pause on the other end before Victoria continued. "The ’accident’ wasn’t as straightforward as it seemed. Upon further investigation, it turned out to be a cover-up for illegal activities. A chemical disposal operation went wrong. They were dumping hazardous materials in a secluded area outside town, and something spilled. It’s an environmental hazard now."

Lily’s stomach sank. "Are you saying it was deliberate?" she asked, her voice low but sharp.

Victoria confirmed, "Yes. A group of criminals, posing as transport workers, orchestrated the whole thing. They reported it as an accident to avoid suspicion. The travel guide claimed he was only there to help, but something about his involvement doesn’t sit right. Authorities believe someone within our circle may have connections to the group."

Lily stayed silent, absorbing the weight of the news. Her mind raced. The implications were serious, not only for the town but also for their company’s reputation. "Victoria," she said carefully, "this is more than just an accident. How is this being handled now?"

"The local authorities are already investigating," Victoria said. "But Ms. Aquila... there’s more. The travel guide’s behavior is suspicious. His name came up in connection with the transport workers involved. I didn’t want to act rashly without consulting you first."

Lily pinched the bridge of her nose, pacing the room. "You were right to call me," she said. "This can’t be ignored. If someone from our side is involved, we need to address it immediately."

Victoria hesitated. "What do you want to do, Ms. Aquila? Should I fire him outright? Or should we let the investigation play out first?"

Lily stopped pacing, her gaze fixed out the window at the calm ocean beyond. "No," she said firmly. "We can’t wait for this to blow up in our faces. Fire him. Expose his connection to this group. We need to cooperate fully with the authorities."

"I’ll handle it," Victoria said, her voice resolute. "But are you sure about this? It might stir up unwanted attention."

"It’s better to stir up attention now than to cover it up and lose credibility later," Lily replied. Her voice softened slightly. "Thank you for letting me know, Victoria. You’ve done the right thing."

After ending the call, Lily sat on the bed, the phone still in her hand. She let out a slow breath, her thoughts swirling. The plan had been to return home after her inspection of the resort the previous day. But this news changed everything.

Her phone buzzed again, this time with a message from her official secretary, confirming the suspicion that someone on their employee roster had ties to the criminal group. The travel guide’s name came up once more.

Lily clenched her jaw, weighing her options. She couldn’t leave now—not with all the evidence pointing to someone within their employees. She needed to stay and uncover the truth. Taking a moment to collect herself, she made her decision.

Later that evening, Lily addressed the resort employees, maintaining her calm and composed demeanor. "Thank you for your cooperation during the inspection," she said, her tone professional. "As far as my role as an inspector is concerned, my work here is done. However, I’ve decided to extend my stay. Consider this a personal vacation."

The staff looked relieved, some even smiling at the news. No one questioned her reasons, and that was exactly what she needed. Behind the facade of relaxation, her real objective remained clear: to identify who within their employees had betrayed their trust.

Back in her room, Lily replayed Victoria’s words in her mind. She couldn’t shake the image of the travel guide. He had seemed friendly enough during their brief interactions, but she had learned long ago not to take things at face value. If he was indeed involved, she would ensure he faced the consequences.

As she prepared for bed, her phone buzzed again. It was Victoria, updating her on the firing process. Lily answered, her tone steady. "Victoria, have you informed him yet?"

"Not yet," Victoria replied. "We’re finalizing the documentation. But I wanted to ask—should we confront him about his connections, or let the authorities handle that part?"

Lily thought for a moment. "Confront him," she said. "Let him know we’re aware, and that we’re not tolerating this kind of behavior. Make it clear that his actions have consequences, both professionally and legally."

Victoria agreed. "Understood. I’ll make sure it’s done properly."

Lily nodded, even though Victoria couldn’t see her. "Thank you, Victoria. Let me know if there’s any pushback."

"I will," Victoria assured her before hanging up.

Setting the phone down, Lily leaned back against the headboard, her thoughts heavy.

She closed her eyes for a moment, trying to calm the storm inside her head. She needed clarity, a moment of peace. But just as she thought she might get some rest, her phone buzzed again, breaking her thoughts.

She glanced at the screen, expecting another urgent update or a report. But to her surprise, the name on the screen wasn’t from anyone at the resort or her team. It was Timmy’s.

A small, unexpected smile tugged at her lips. Timmy. He was always a distraction, a source of levity. Seeing his name brought a brief flicker of light to her otherwise heavy mood.

Lily swiped the screen to answer, her tone a little lighter than before. "Timmy?"