Aurora returned to the Villa just in time to see Maxwell's car parked at the entrance. Sophia stepped out of the car, and the three of them met at the villa's doorstep.Aurora, dressed in a simple white T-shirt and shorts, looked no different from a college girl. Sophia, on the other hand, wore a high-end designer dress and high heels, her face hidden behind sunglasses, exuding a celebrity-like aura.Before Aurora could speak, Sophia called out to her, "I heard you haven't been home for several days. Where have you been gallivanting?"Maxwell frowned, unaware that Aurora had been away for so many days.Aurora turned to her and replied, "Since when do I need to report my whereabouts to you?"Sophia removed her sunglasses, revealing her exquisite eye makeup, and said disdainfully, "I'm just concerned about you. Don't go getting yourself pregnant out of wedlock."Aurora was taken aback. Pregnant? Did Sophia know about the incident with Silas?"Sophia, did you orchestrate the incident wit
In this family, there was never a day of peace.Ever since Maxwell could remember, Madeline constantly talked about moving into the Pendleton family mansion, telling him he was a descendant of the Pendletons and destined to return to his roots.At that time, Madeline and Sebastian were only secretly dating, careful not to be discovered by others.After Evelyn was born, Madeline became bolder. Every time Sebastian visited their house, she would nag him about when he would let her and their children move back to give them a legitimate status.Later, she even brazenly dated Sebastian, taking Evelyn to the Pendleton mansion to cause trouble. She told them the woman living there was evil, having stolen their father, and taught them to insult and attack her.That woman was Aurora's mother, her name was Callista or something.Evelyn, not knowing better, would always yell at Callista and even throw things at her. But Maxwell always felt that she didn’t seem like a bad person.Not long after A
Aurora saved the video and exited the study, inquiring, "How did you obtain this video? Isn't that hotel under the Song family's ownership? How could they possibly release it to you?""Now it's not," Heath stood, moving to pour some water."What do you imply?" Aurora expressed her confusion.Kieran stepped in at the opportune moment, clarifying, "This morning, our boss finalized the acquisition of the hotel under the banner of Fairbank's."Aurora was rendered speechless.The magnitude of acquiring such a prestigious hotel seemed understated."Ethan was amenable to selling it to you? It is, after all, his inheritance," Aurora struggled to grasp the reality."I had dealings with his father; he doesn't have the prerogative to interfere," Heath declared."The hotel industry has been languishing in recent years, and their hotel's performance has progressively worsened. For Mr. Song, our boss's offer to purchase at a premium provided an escape from this burdensome asset," Kieran expounded.
The following day, Sophia confirmed in an interview that she was indeed the actress featured in the video. She disclosed her inability to sleep and extreme emotional instability due to the incident, lamenting the fact that the person involved had yet to come forward with an apology. Sophia's brief interview video swiftly ascended to the top of trending searches and led the click-through rates on major websites. Zane found himself once again embroiled in controversy due to his lewd behavior towards the female star. "Some fans demanded conclusive evidence? They now possess it. Are they content?" "Must this individual be psychologically disturbed? With such immense wealth, why resort to such despicable acts?" "I feel profound sorrow for my Sophia... thankfully, she sustained no harm..." "Our princess must be traumatized; consulting a psychologist would be prudent." "I ponder the number of actresses Zane has harassed. It's abhorrent." "Why remains such a person unprohibited?" "He y
On the other side, at the Fairbank Building.Heath was flipping through documents, signing them. He paused to ask, “How is Silas doing?”“Following your order, every time he woke up and tried to leave the hospital, we sent him back in. So, Silas hasn’t been discharged yet, and he refuses any visitors. With bodyguards watching him, he’s probably terrified,” Kieran reported the situation.Heath scoffed, “With such little courage, he dared to have Aurora kidnapped? Be harder on him, find out who helped him with those deeds.”“Yes, President,” Kieran replied.Every day, Silas hid in his hospital room, too scared to leave. He knew the moment he stepped out, a group of men would appear out of nowhere and beat him up. Once, they even nearly drowned him in a lake, pulling him up only when he was about to suffocate. The fear was overwhelming; he didn’t want to die.But as long as he stayed in the hospital room, with bodyguards at the door, no one would hit him, and he could sleep peacefully.T
The following day.Early that morning, a swarm of media journalists had already gathered outside the hotel, buzzing with anticipation for Sophia's press conference. The event was the talk of the entertainment industry, centering around a scandal involving a popular actor's harassment of a rising starlet, all captured on camera with undeniable clarity. Even the extensive influence of the Strider family seemed insufficient to brush this under the rug.The story had not only captured the attention of journalists but also riveted countless viewers to the live broadcast, all eager to see Sophia's response. Speculations were rife that Sophia, cornered by the Strider family's towering influence and resources, was left with no choice but to publicly confront the issue for justice.Promptly at 10 o'clock, Sophia emerged at the entrance of the hotel. Clad in a white dress and devoid of sunglasses, her fatigue was palpable despite her makeup. Cameras clicked relentlessly as she, flanked by her a
Sophia, her face shrouded in her hands, was the embodiment of panic and distress. She insisted with a plea in her voice, "This was the truth, an apology was what I rightfully deserved."Zane, with a sardonic smirk, questioned, "Have we come to a point where artists themselves are the ones managing their PR in showbiz? Sophia, are you devoid of acting roles, or are advertisements eluding you now?"The room, initially shocked by Zane's unexpected appearance on the live broadcast, now simmered with critical murmurs."Could Zane truly be devoid of shame, trying to vindicate himself in such a predicament?""His audacity to smash a reporter's camera. The power behind him must be formidable!""To commit acts so reprehensible and yet to intimidate others? It’s the arrogance born of wealth and power.""Zane dares to face the public and asserts he will unveil the
Sophia, facing Aurora's unwavering confidence, felt a surge of anxiety. The situation had reached a point of no return.Pointing to the displayed screen, Sophia's voice quivered, "During the Film and Drama Festival, Zane... he intruded into my room and attempted to... to..."Struggling to continue, she covered her mouth, tears streaming down. The reporters and audience, witnessing her distress, sympathized deeply.Aurora, maintaining a stoic expression, clarified, "So, what you're suggesting is that Zane entered your room uninvited, engaged in inappropriate behavior, inflicting both physical and emotional trauma, correct?"Sophianodded, her voice lost in the gravity of the moment.Aurora proceeded, "This is indeed a grave accusation. Fortunately, I have secured a surveillance video that comprehensively captures the event." Stressing the word "comprehensively," she handed a