In the next couple of days, the investigation carried out by the Disciplinary Department was very detailed. They dug out everything I did at the company for the past 15 years.

They looked at all the reimbursement forms that I had submitted and all the records of everything I took from the storage room.

The investigator was looking at me as if he were looking at a criminal in court.

News of me being grounded had quickly spread within the company.

The people who were congratulating me on my arriving back home safely were now all avoiding me.

Some people who had a grudge against me began criticizing me.

"I knew it! What did I say? Felix's bound to get into trouble sooner or later!"

"You really can't judge a book by its cover. He really does know how to put on a good act."

"I've heard that the amount he's embezzled is enough for him to be given a life imprisonment sentence."

A couple of first officers who weren't on good terms with me were overjoyed and even began spreading exaggerated rumors about me on the internet.

It seemed that they wished I would stay down.

Only the first officer that I had trained personally, Rick, sent me a message.

"I trust you, Captain Lawson! You're someone who feels you're taking advantage of the company by taking an extra bottle of water during an overnight flight. How could you embezzle millions? Those bastards are just jealous of you! Just ignore them!"

After reading the message, tears began welling up in my eyes.

However, Jean wanted to make sure I stayed down.

She began playing the victim on social media and in front of our mutual friends.

She posted a photo of her swollen red eye, saying, "Looks like the past 10 years have gone to waste. I thought I had married the man of my dreams, but it seemed that I was wrong. I feel so hurt."

The comments under that post were filled with comfort from her friends.

"Aww, Jean, don't cry. You can always leave that scumbag and start a new life!"

"I knew there was something about him that was off! Looks like the reason that he rarely talks to anyone is that he doesn't want to give anything away!"

"You must make sure he's left with nothing after the divorce!"

It was the middle of the night. I had no idea why Jean would do this to me.

I didn't know what came over me, but I went and looked at Jean's social media account.

The post that she had pinned to the top was actually an intimate photo of her and another man.

The store in the background was a luxury watch brand that I knew.

The man had his hand on her waist, and she had a big smile on her face.

The flashy women's watch on her wrist cost at least 5 figures.

I knew the man in the photo. I had met him once at a banquet.

He used to go to the same university as Jean and was a year above her. Jean always told me how rich he was. His name was Kyle Jones.

The text that came with the photo was, "Thanks, babe, for the watch. It's time for a new start!"

The date of the post was the second day after I was grounded.

It seemed that she had been well prepared for this.

The whistleblower report was to take all my assets and marry into an affluent family.

At that moment, I wasn't angry or upset.

I punched the wall hard. Blood trickled down my hands, but I didn't feel any pain at all.

The public opinion on the internet quickly became one-sided. To everyone, I was a scumbag who embezzled millions from the company and cheated on my wife.

The next day, I went to inquire with a lawyer about my divorce.

When the lawyer read the divorce agreement, his face became serious.

"Things don't look good for you, Captain Lawson. If the company finds evidence that you are embezzling funds, then the judge will definitely favor your wife. If that's the case, then it's very likely that you'll be left with nothing."

At that moment, I thought of my parents, who were living in another city.

I didn't want them to be worried, so I didn't dare tell them anything.

But the people who used to be my friends were now avoiding me.

Under such circumstances, I really didn't stand a chance.

A week after I was grounded, I was summoned to the company’s meeting room again.

Mr. Wilkinson was also present this time. His face was darker than ever.

Everyone else seemed nervous and didn’t dare make any noise.

Bradley, from the Disciplinary Department opened his report and announced the result of his investigation.

He was speaking very slowly as if there was something on his mind.

“Regarding the allegation in the whistleblower report that Mr. Felix Lawson solicited bribes totaling several million dollars, the investigation has confirmed that all contract procedures were compliant and all financial transactions were clear and traceable. The allegations were entirely fabricated.”

The meeting room was so quiet that one could hear a pin drop.

“Regarding the portion of the whistleblower report alleging that Mr. Felix Lawson repeatedly falsified flight-related expenses, the investigation has found that over the past three years, there were seven instances of flight delays caused by factors beyond his control — such as weather conditions and air traffic control restrictions. During these delays, Mr. Felix Lawson personally paid for meals and beverages for his crew members, totaling approximately 260 dollars. Mr. Felix Lawson never submitted any of these expenses to the company for reimbursement.”

Bradley looked a little embarrassed.

To me, however, a surge of absurdity arose deep down.

Those principles of mine—so strict they were almost harsh—had turned into “evidence of guilt” that could be twisted at will in Jean's report.

“Regarding the part accusing Mr. Felix Lawson of abusing his position to embezzle company funds...”

Everyone held their breath.

Bradley had taken a deep breath, and quickly said, “After comparing and verifying all warehouse requisition records, as well as 168 hours of surveillance footage from the relevant areas, it was confirmed that Mr. Felix Lawson had committed the following irregular requisition behaviors over the past year. On 4th September, 2022, he had taken five extra packs of tissues from the crew preparation room. On 8th July, 2023, he had taken away 12 unused disposable paper cups from the first-class lounge.”

By the time Bradley had got there, low murmurs had already begun in the meeting room.

“What’s going on? That’s it?”

“This feels kind of ridiculous. Felix is pretty unlucky.”

“Like I said, he doesn’t look like someone who’d embezzle or be corrupt.”

Mr. Wilkinson furrowed his brows.

Bradley flipped to the last page of the report and cleared his throat. “Silence! After careful calculation, the loss assessment is as follows.”

His face had flushed red as he continued, “During his tenure, the total value of the misappropriated property by Mr. Felix Lawson amounts to... 6.20 dollars.”

The meeting room had fallen into complete silence.

6.20 dollars.

After everything that had happened, the amount came to just 6.20 dollars.

I had suddenly wanted to laugh, and I couldn’t help but sneer.

“Bang!”

Mr. Wilkinson slammed a packet of cigarette on the table. Filters and tobacco had scattered all over the floor.

He pointed at the half-pack of cigarettes and roared at the Discipline Department staff, “I stayed up late reading that 56 pages of nonsense and smoked half a pack of cigarettes! And the half a pack of cigarettes that I smoked was worth more expensive than what he ‘embezzled’! All this over 6.20 dollars? You made such a big fuss! What the hell is your Discipline Department even doing? What the hell’s wrong with you?”

Finally, Mr. Wilkinson had turned around and patted my shoulder. “This matter ends here.”

He announced the restoration of all my positions and honors in front of everyone.

“Felix, the company owes you an apology.”

I had walked out of the meeting room.

Rick and a few other colleagues who usually got along well with me rushed over and gave me a firm hug.

“Captain Lawson! I knew you were innocent!”

Those who had avoided me while I was down and spread rumors had lowered their heads awkwardly, wishing they could just disappear.

I had ignored them and walked straight to an empty corner, dialing the number of someone who I thought I would spend the rest of my life with.

“Jean, I’ve been proven innocent.” My voice had been calm.

But on the other end of the line, Jean screamed. The panic was evident in her voice, and I could even hear the teasing laughter of a strange man beside her. “Don’t get smug, Felix! I’ll report you to the Civil Aviation Administration! I’ll keep reporting you to higher authorities until your reputation is totally ruined!”

Seeing that Jean was still trying to threaten me with her usual tricks, I just didn’t care at all. “Whatever.”

Jean hadn’t expected that attitude from me. She sneered. “And one more thing! Hurry up and sign the divorce agreement and you’re to leave with nothing!”

I had chuckled softly. “I agree to the divorce, but not with the agreement you gave me.

“Jean, I will make sure you don’t get a single cent and that you’re kicked out of my house.”

After hanging up, I immediately contacted the most renowned divorce lawyer in the city.

After learning my situation, the lawyer was very confident. “Captain Lawson, this false accusation incident is the best weapon we’re given. In a divorce lawsuit, maliciously fabricating facts, attempting to illegally seize a spouse’s property, and damaging a spouse’s reputation will cause her to be identified as the party at major fault.”

I had looked out at the blue sky and said coldly, “I have only one request—make her pay the heaviest price possible for what she’s done.”

Over the next few days, the legal team had begun working on both the 56-page whistleblower letter and my divorce case.

At the same time, Jean hadn’t been standing by and doing nothing either.

She had started releasing supplementary PowerPoints to the whistleblower letter, painstakingly listing my so-called “evidence of guilt,” trying to portray me as someone addicted to corruption with utterly degraded morals.

She had even posted online, publicly slandering and questioning me.

“Felix was flying the Impelia–Shanland route and, according to regulations, should have landed at 5 p.m., yet he deliberately stayed in the crew lounge until 8 p.m., and during that time falsely reported non-existent dinner expenses. This is absolutely true—I have a witness to prove it.”

After reading the post, I frowned. That day, due to thunderstorms at the destination airport, our entire crew had remained on standby in the lounge for a long time—there were complete airline system records of it.

Where did she get a witness?

I had scrolled down the page with my mouse.

At the end of that page, there was a scanned copy of a witness statement attached.

The statement had been written with great certainty, as if the events had been seen firsthand, detailing how the witness had run into me in the lounge that day, claiming to have seen me flirting with a pretty flight attendant and filling out a false reimbursement form.

But when I saw Kyle’s signature at the bottom, I couldn’t help but laugh.

I had sent the supplementary report, along with a photo of Jean and Kyle, to my lawyer.

“Captain Lawson, your wife... is truly a genius.” The lawyer’s voice was filled with excitement.

Jean had actually asked her senior and lover to produce a written statement with legal effect—she had completely shot herself in the foot.