The Truth Revealed

Luke's hesitation hung in the air, palpable as he wrestled with his conscience. The weight of his confession bore down on him, evident in the furrow of his brow and the tremor in his voice. "James didn't explicitly tell me to do it. I... I just thought it might earn me favor with him if I attributed Calvin's work to him as a token of gratitude," he admitted, his words trailing off into a whisper.

Alana's confusion deepened, her features etched with a mixture of concern and disbelief. "But Luke, why resort to such deception?" she inquired, her tone softening in an attempt to coax the truth from him.

With a heavy sigh, Luke finally revealed the underlying motive behind his actions, his voice tinged with desperation. "I wanted to impress James, to secure my position at Perry Pharmacy," he confessed, his eyes cast downward in shame. "I'm truly sorry, Miss Perry. Please, I beg of you, don't let my mistake ruin my career."

Alana's heart sank at Luke's admission, torn between sympathy and di