I Saw Her Confession And Went Back In Time Chapter 03

I Saw Her Confession And Went Back In Time Chapter 03

“I want to make a formal report,” Chloe suddenly shouted, standing up from her chair and drawing the attention of the entire lobby. “The candidate, Valerie Sterling, may have violated the screening rules right before her screening!”

The room fell dead silent as everyone turned to look at us.

“I personally saw her taking medication that could affect the screening,” Chloe continued, raising her voice to ensure the crowd heard. “I’m her best friend, and I know she suffers from chronic liver issues. She used medication that may have affected the screening results, and I demand she be given an immediate secondary screening!”

Whispers immediately broke out among the other applicants.

“Manipulating a government screening? Is she insane?”

“But if she took drugs, how did she pass the initial screen?”

“Are you stupid? The medication could affect the results so she looks healthy. People like her have no shame.”

I stared at Chloe, stunned. Why was she so confidently demanding a second test?

Unless… my mind suddenly flashed back to the bottle of water Bennett had handed me.

I gripped Bennett’s arm tightly, panic flooding my voice. “Where exactly did you get that water you gave me?”

Bennett stammered, terrified by my reaction. “Chloe… Chloe bought it at the convenience store across the street while you were inside.”

My vision blurred, and my knees nearly buckled.

Despite all my precautions, she had still managed to slip past my guard. I forced myself to take slow, deep breaths, desperately trying to map out a solution.

My official results were already processed and cleared. The board wouldn’t order an official retest based solely on a bitter bystander’s baseless shouting.

As long as I didn’t agree to a secondary screening, Chloe’s trap couldn’t spring shut.

Bennett was sharp. Connecting Chloe’s outburst with my bizarre behavior over the last twenty-four hours, the puzzle pieces instantly clicked for him.

“Did she do something to the water?” he whispered fiercely.

“I don’t know,” I breathed.

Rage flamed in Bennett’s eyes, and he lunged toward Chloe, but I threw my weight into him, holding him back with everything I had.

Chloe looked at me, putting on a show of profound disappointment.

“I’m sorry, Valerie. Even though you’re my best friend, I can’t sit by and watch you deceive the state,” she said righteously.

I looked at her and laughed.

“Is that so? Are you really protecting the public, or are you just trying to get me disqualified so you can steal my spot?” I asked loudly. “Because if I fail, you’re the automatic runner-up who gets the job.”

The murmuring crowd suddenly shifted their gazes toward Chloe, their expressions turning skeptical.

“Wait, if that’s true, this report might be total garbage.”

“Sounds like a textbook setup. If I was stuck in second place, I’d probably be bitter too.”

“Who would even take unprescribed meds right before a state exam anyway?”

Chloe’s smug demeanor fractured under the sudden weight of public scrutiny.

“Valerie, you’re just projecting because you’re guilty! If you have nothing to hide, prove it and take the test again!” she screamed.

I walked up to her, closing the distance between us.

“My file is cleared and stamped. Why should I have to re-test?” I asked. “Just because you made up a wild story without a single shred of proof? Don’t make me laugh.”

“If that’s how this works, I’ll formally report every single person in this room for using prohibited medication. Should we all line up and start the whole day over?”

Right then, Jenkins, the director of the evaluation board, pushed through the crowd.

“Well said,” Jenkins announced, stepping between us.

“According to standard operating procedures, a formal complaint requires material evidence. Verbal accusations alone cannot trigger a secondary mandatory screening.”

Chloe went frantic, losing all sense of decorum. “This is a cover-up! I filed a report, you have to test her!”

Jenkins remained entirely unmoved by her hysteria. He turned a stern, piercing gaze on her.

“Ms. Lane, you are making a serious claim against an appointed candidate. Do you possess any actual evidence to back this up?”

Chloe’s eyes darted around in a momentary panic. Then, swallowing hard, she steeled herself.

“If I show you the proof, will you order the retest immediately?” she challenged.

Jenkins gave a firm nod.

Chloe scanned the room, her lips curling into a triumphant, mocking sneer as her eyes locked onto mine.

She pulled out her phone, tapped the screen a few times, and turned the display toward the director and the crowd.

“Here is your proof,” she said.