Abigail was hurt by the haters who wrote and spread hateful posts to slander her. She had endured storms of criticism, but she couldn't help but feel hurt and alone.She didn't understand what she had done wrong. Since her debut, every step she took was under intense scrutiny. Even the smallest mistakes were magnified."Ms. Fox, as the film studio's ambassador, don't you owe an explanation to your coworkers and the audience?"Abigail clutched the microphone, her shoulders trembling as she struggled to maintain her smile in front of the camera.The relentless reporters pressed on."Ms. Fox, explain yourself!" "Yeah, Ms. Fox! This needs proper addressing. You're an artist under Imperial Media, yet you became the ambassador for the Thompson Group. All the other artists except you fell ill on the day of the film studio's opening. Was there a power struggle behind the scenes?""Ms. Fox, we want to know the truth!"Abigail's palms were sweating, and her breathing quickened. She took
Abigail pinched herself secretly to confirm she wasn't dreaming.Jacob held a plate with two pieces of dessert. He wore a gentle smile as he handed it to her."I wasn't sure which one you'd like, so I brought both," he said softly. "I've checked this one. It's low in sugar and won't make you gain weight. It's okay to have a little."Abigail couldn't hide her smile as their hands touched when she received the plate. Her heart skipped a beat, and her mind went blank.Jacob wasn't doing much better. He had impulsively stood up to defend her when he saw her surrounded by the press, but he worried he had done more harm than good.What if the troublesome reporters started writing fake stories about her, making her life even more difficult?He brought two desserts to make amends and handed them over. His heart started racing like never before when he accidentally brushed her hand.They both blushed and lowered their heads, unable to look at each other."T-Thank you for just now," Abig
"The aim of today's charity gala is to raise funds." Janine chuckled. "Albert, speaking of charity, I'm afraid no one can compare to the Harpers."Albert nodded with a smile and exchanged pleasantries.Toph sneered and whispered to Zuko, "I remember this old man used to love faking smiles when we were kids. I never thought he'd still be doing it after so many years."Bro, I heard there's a beauty treatment where they inject stuff to lift the corners of your mouth so it won't droop. Do you think he has had this procedure?""Hush!" Zuko glanced at him just as Albert turned their way."The Hamerton heirs have grown so big!"Toph forced the same fake smile he had just grumbled about. "Heh! Nice to meet you, Uncle Albert!"Zuko nodded in greeting.Albert squinted as he carefully examined the two brothers, his gaze lingering on Zuko."I heard that Zuko's already engaged? The woman who can win over the eldest Hamerton heir must be no ordinary girl, right?" Albert said.Zuko waited w
Zuko turned to look at both of them. He didn't understand why, but Lena seemed particularly concerned about Lina.Despite sending people to investigate, they only discovered that Lena wasn't a local and had lost both her parents. No other valuable information was found.Zuko frowned slightly as he sensed something inexplicable in Lena's feelings toward Lina."Why are you lost in thought?" Lina squeezed his hand.Zuko smiled and replied, "It's nothing. I'm just thinking about which segment should come next.""Which segment?"Zuko gestured to his assistant.As the promotional video played, the mood suddenly shifted. Chaos erupted when several children splashed dirty water on Desiree. The camera then revealed the worn-down facilities inside the welfare home, where old and helpless residents sat in wheelchairs, their eyes filled with despair and hopelessness.The elderly were not properly cared for. The rooms were dim and damp, with mold on some walls. The backyard was overrun with
Janine stomped her cane on the floor before raising it, pointing at the large screen. "Open your eyes and take a good look! You dragged the Bakers into these outrageous things! What a longstanding friendship!"Several data transactions involved the Bakers, but Janine had taken precautions to avoid any funds of unclear origin, preventing a crisis.Albert's plan had gone awry. He had hoped to control the Bakers as well...Zuko glanced around, and the plainclothes police officers prepared to take action.Nevertheless, Albert persisted before Janine, using a different approach this time. "Madam Baker! I didn't want to do this, but several investments of the Harpers failed, and the amount involved was too large. We couldn't turn it around, so we borrowed from the charity fund!"He moved forward and grabbed Janine's arm, almost kneeling.Janine gave him a disgusted look. "Save your excuses for the police!""Madam Baker—""And I've handed the evidence to the police in Chaiseland! This
Janine's neck was scraped, and blood began to seep out.Albert took the gun from Desiree and pointed it at Janine's temple.This was his pre-planned move.Once his crimes were exposed, he would find a way to kidnap Janine or someone from the Hamertons to escape unharmed."Zephyr!" Albert raised his chin. "Order your people to step back!"Zephyr gnashed his teeth, his fists trembling.He didn't expect Albert to enter the venue with a gun despite their preparations. Passing security checks was beyond imagination!Cordelia discreetly held his hand. She realized there must be a traitor within the Hamertons collaborating with Albert. Unfortunately, they didn't have time to figure out who it was now.Zephyr reluctantly raised his hand, gesturing for everyone to step back."Not bad!" Albert sneered, dragging Janine toward the door.Cordelia stepped forward calmly. "Mr. Harper, it'll be hard to end things if we let it get out of hand. It'll be a lose-lose situation for both sides. Te
"Even if we wanted to pay the ransom, you must give us time." Cordelia remained calm. "My mom is old, Mr. Harper. She can't bear this. If something happens to her, you will end up behind bars. You won't gain anything from it, either. This is serious. Think it through."Albert looked around, and his grip on Janine's neck initially loosened, but then he tightened it even more. "Trying to trick me? Ha! You're too naive, Mrs. Hamerton!""Mr. Harper!"At that moment, Lina stood up and held Cordelia's arm, urging her to step back.Cordelia felt her heart squeeze with concern upon hearing Lina's soft voice."Mr. Harper, if you don't believe what Mrs. Hamerton said, why don't we make a trade? All you need is a hostage. It doesn't matter who it is. Take me instead in exchange for Grandma Janine!""Pammy!" Cordelia was shocked and pulled Lina back, getting Zuko to take her away.Meanwhile, Lina released Cordelia's arm and glanced at Zuko, shaking her head.Zuko pursed his lips, his deep
Time passed slowly. It had only been five minutes since Albert took Janine to the room, but it felt like centuries for Zephyr and Cordelia.Meanwhile, the authorities arrived and quickly informed the family about the situation."The criminal has tied the hostage near the window. He's armed with a gun and a dagger, so we can't charge in recklessly," one officer reported.Concerned, Cordelia asked, "Doesn't the room have a good view?""Yes, but..." The officer hesitated. "He's cunning to have placed Ms. Janine near the window. She can be easily harmed if our snipers open fire from the building across."Desperate, Cordelia couldn't hold back her tears any longer.Zephyr tried to remain composed, but his mother's life was at risk, making it impossible to stay completely calm.In an attempt to take action, he reached for a gun from one of the bodyguards, his rage evident."Calm down, Zen!" Cordelia pressed his hand down, her eyes filled with worry for Janine."Let me handle this, d