Chapter 188 Aryan Sharma Dilemma… Again - Second half
In the nursery, a heartwarming scene unfolded. Sloth was peacefully asleep amidst a group of children, her presence seemingly harmonious with the innocent atmosphere of the room. Unbeknownst to her, mischievous little hands had adorned her sleeping face with crayon drawings, creating an impromptu masterpiece that turned her into a comical canvas. A makeshift mustache adorned her upper lip, eliciting a mixture of giggles and glee from the playful children.
At that moment, Aryan entered the nursery, his pace slowed by the unexpected sight before him. He stood there, torn between laughter and disbelief. Here was the newly appointed research department director, clad in her dozing elegance, surrounded by children who found her presence nothing short of delightful.
Aryan's internal struggle played out across his features — a fleeting smile tugging at the corners of his lips, while his eyes betrayed a sense of incredulity. It was an absurd sight, to say the least. He found himself wrestling with a mixture of emotions, unsure whether to laugh or sigh in exasperation at the situation that had unfolded.
He entered the nursery with careful steps, striving to maintain silence so as not to disturb the slumbering children, thus sparing the nursery employees unnecessary difficulty. Aryan reached the side of a comfortable-looking futon where Sloth lay peacefully amid the children.
As he gazed upon her serene sleeping visage, a fleeting thought crossed Aryan's mind:
[She's quite cute...] He found himself captivated by her appearance—her long, ginger hair casting a beautiful contrast against her features. His heart fluttered with a mixture of intrigue and anticipation at the prospect of working alongside her. Yet, almost as soon as this thought materialized, he forcefully quashed it, slapping his forehead as if to dispel the notion.
"Ms. Kingsley... Ms. Kingsley," he called out to Sloth, gently shaking her form.
Despite his efforts, Sloth's petite frame continued to sway, her slumber undisturbed. Aryan's concern grew, a touch of perplexity clouding his features. He extended a hand in front of her nose, relieved to feel the faint breaths that confirmed her continued respiration.
However, in an unexpected turn, his finger brushed against Sloth's upper lip. An overwhelming drowsiness suddenly enveloped him, threatening to overpower his departure for the nursery. The conference room still remained abuzz with senses. He fought valiantly against the encroaching fatigue, resisting for a mere couple of seconds before succumbing. Sleep claimed him swiftly, his head finding an unintended resting place upon Sloth's petite chest, his bottom pointed skyward, sending him into slumbering land.
— 20 minute pass —
Time continued to tick away, with over 20 minutes having elapsed since Aryan's departure for the nursery. The conference room still remained abuzz with researchers and employees, all awaiting the start of the meeting. However, a palpable sense of impatience had settled over the room, exacerbated by the fact that Aryan was yet to return.
As the clock ticked closer to the 45-minute mark, a frown etched itself deeper onto Daniel's features. His annoyance and frustration grew more pronounced by the minute. He knew that if Aryan's absence persisted, it could potentially disrupt the company's work schedule for the day.
Finally, unable to tolerate the delay any longer, Daniel called upon one of his trusted employees and instructed them to search for both Sloth and Aryan.
"Please find out what's taking Aryan so long. Check the nursery on the ground floor and see if Sloth is there as well. I need answers," Daniel's voice held a mixture of irritation and concern. He was not one to be kept waiting, especially when his schedule was being compromised.
His tone was laced with irritation, and his actions portrayed a simmering anger beneath the surface.
Nonetheless, Daniel was mindful of the public setting, and while his patience had worn thin, he maintained a semblance of decorum. He recognized that Aryan's reputation as CEO was vital for the company's image, and he chose to preserve that fa?ade in front of the employees. As he awaited any news on the search, his thoughts were a mixture of annoyance, worry, and a growing desire for swift resolution.
In a matter of minutes, Daniel's phone rang, and on the other end was the employee he had dispatched to locate Aryan.
"Yes? Did you find him?" Daniel inquired, his impatience evident in his tone.
"Er... sir... you should come and see this," the employee's voice carried a hint of awkwardness and intrigue.
The unusual tone in the employee's voice caught Daniel's attention, overriding his frustration. He swiftly excused himself from the conference room and made his way to the ground floor, curious about the situation that had prompted such a response.
—
In front of the company's nursery department, an unusual spectacle unfolded. A crowd had gathered, drawn by a mixture of curiosity and confusion. Among the onlookers were police officers, attempting to piece together the situation from the employees present.
As Daniel approached the scene, a sense of unease settled in his gut. Something was definitely amiss. He navigated through the crowd, his brow furrowing as he attempted to comprehend the situation before him. The police officers were questioning the employees, their expressions a mix of seriousness and bewilderment.
Daniel made his way past the gathering and entered the nursery department. There, amidst the slumbering children, he discovered Aryan sleeping soundly beside Sloth. The sight was almost comical, but it carried an air of absurdity that left Daniel at a loss for words.
Approaching the employees he instructed to find Aryan, he inquired about what had transpired. The employee recounted the events with a bemused expression. Apparently, the nursery staff had entered the room to find Aryan asleep on top of Sloth's chest, surrounded by the children. Swift to react, she had taken a photograph as evidence before contacting the police.
As Daniel absorbed the absurdity of the situation, he couldn't help but let out a mixture of exasperation and amusement. Sloth remained oblivious to it all, sleeping peacefully as if nothing in the world could faze her.
With a quick assessment, it became evident to Daniel that Aryan had fallen under the influence of the sleeping spell that Sloth had seemingly employed to shield herself as she dozed. Otherwise, given the commotion and the crowd, Aryan should have stirred awake by now.
As Daniel contemplated his next steps, he was approached by one of the police officers on the scene. The officer's attention turned toward him along with his colleague, as they sought to gather information and testimonies.
"Excuse me, sir. Are you Daniel Emberweave? The founder of Astral Tech?" the police officer inquired, his gaze fixed on Daniel, who responded with courteousness.
"Yes, Officer, I am Daniel Emberweave," Daniel confirmed, his tone respectful as he acknowledged his identity.
"Can you tell me what happened?" Asked the police.
"Yes of course, here's what really happened." Daniel said then began to recount anything to the police.
After comprehending the details conveyed by Daniel and the fragments of the story shared by the employees, the police officers concluded that this case was a result of unfortunate circumstances and a rather ludicrous misunderstanding. Nonetheless, a puzzling element remained: why did Aryan Sharma sleep so soundly next to the supposed victim? It was almost as if he had been subjected to the effects of a potent sleeping drug.
One of the officers, having reviewed the CCTV footage, returned and approached both the discussing police officer and Daniel.
"Sir, we've examined the CCTV footage and discovered something peculiar. We'd appreciate any insights you and Mr. Emberweave could provide," the officer addressed both Daniel and the police officer present.
The recorded footage was then presented to Daniel. The video depicted Aryan's attempt to rouse Sloth and his subsequent assessment of her well-being. Unexpectedly, Aryan's balance faltered, as if he had been struck by an unseen force, before he collapsed and settled atop Sloth's chest in slumber.
As Daniel observed the footage, he discerned that Sloth's defense enchantment had been triggered. This enchantment induced sleep in anyone with even the faintest malicious intent. Notably absent from the recording was Sloth's wheelchair, strategically positioned within the CCTV's blind spot.
With a calculated approach, Daniel extracted a small item from the armrest of Sloth's wheelchair—a dart launcher designed for sleep-inducing darts. Moving discreetly, he maneuvered beside Aryan, surreptitiously transmuting a small dart on the ground from Aryan metal button. The groundwork for fabricated evidence was deftly laid, and Daniel promptly handed over the dart launcher to the police officers.
"Officer, I believe this might shed some light," Daniel conveyed, handing the launcher to the police while elucidating his contrivance. He explained how the wheelchair's self-defense mechanism was automated and had discharged a sleeping dart at Aryan when it detected an unfamiliar adult male entering its proximity while Sloth was slumbering.
Swiftly, the forensic department arrived on the scene, conducting their investigation. Their findings aligned with Daniel's account, and their subsequent report corroborated the narrative he had presented to the police.
"In summary, Mr. Aryan Sharma entered the nursery with the intent of summoning Ms. Kingsley to the meeting room. While attempting to rouse her, the automated self-defense feature of her wheelchair activated, firing a sleeping dart at Mr. Aryan, causing him to fall asleep, as corroborated by the CCTV footage," the police officer summarized for Daniel and the gathered audience. The concurrence of evidence led all parties to accept this conclusion. The remaining step was to awaken Aryan and Sloth in order to ascertain their perspectives on the incident.
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