Simon was exasperated. "When have I ever pushed back against you?" he asked."Just look at that bitch you've been seeing!" Fiona huffed. "How many times have I told you to cut ties with her? But did you listen?"This whole mess with the Lances has made one thing clear to me. You should never pick a wife from an unknown family! Just look at Jennifer! What kind of upbringing does she have? She even has the nerve to mistreat her mother-in-law."And that woman you're involved with? She's just as bad. If you marry her, I'll end up like Camila! Hailey is the right choice. She's a proper, educated woman from a respectable family. She would never stoop to such disgraceful behavior!"Simon didn't want Fiona to keep bringing Laura up. So, he replied, "How does this have anything to do with what we're actually dealing with? Aren't we discussing your lawsuit? Do you even want to resolve it?"Only then did Fiona remember why she had summoned her son home. If he weren't the most renowned lawyer
Simon grappled with a mix of anger and helplessness toward Fiona. He gently reassured her, "Mom, don't worry about this anymore. I'll talk to Maxwell. I don't think he'll make things too difficult for you."Besides, with so many people attacking Jennifer, he isn't singling you out. But don't get involved in this from now on and just stay home."Fiona sighed. "I'm sorry for causing you trouble again."Simon shook his head and reminded her, "Just stay out of these matters from now on, okay?"…That night, Camila realized that the posts criticizing Jennifer had vanished, along with the previous accusations of Jennifer mistreating her.She immediately called Vicky, eager to find out what was going on. When Vicky answered the phone, her dejected voice came through the line. "Camila, I'm really sorry, b-but we can't help you now. That lawyer's letter was delivered to my house, and Dominic says I've put Inkling Group in jeopardy. He's so furious he's threatening to divorce me!"Camil
"How is this possible?" Maxwell mumbled.He had clearly suppressed the trending topic the night before. Even the high-society women who had received the lawyer's letter dared not stand up for Camila anymore. So, he couldn't fathom who would be bold enough to repost it.Without wasting a moment, he called Michael and instructed him to investigate.Ultimately, Maxwell learned that the IP address linked to the trending topic was traced back to a location overseas.He immediately thought of Nelson, the man Jennifer had mentioned. At a time like this, only Camila's lover would be willing to lend her a hand.Though Madison resented them too, she lacked the ability to pull off such a stunt. So, the only person Camila could count on was Nelson.A sigh escaped Maxwell as he glanced at Jennifer, who was still sound asleep beside him. Guilt washed over him. If she hadn't gotten involved with him and had chosen someone else, would her life have been less miserable?Right then, someone gen
Maxwell stared at the unreasonable woman before him and asked through clenched teeth, "Did you call the police?""When did I ever call the police?" Camila shot back.She knew there was a devoted man out there willing to help her, so she confidently added, "Seems like someone else couldn't just stand by and watch what you two have been doing to me. They've decided that justice needs to be done.""I'm done letting you pull these stunts. Enjoy your good days while they last!" Maxwell declared, his words slow and deliberate.Camila scoffed, her voice dripping with disdain. "Anyone can make threats. Now that the police are already involved, what could you even do to me? "Here's a tip. Hold a press conference and divorce her. Announce to everyone you were deceived but that you've chosen me in the end. Maybe that'll cool down the public outrage."Maxwell, seething, slammed the door on his way out.Back in his bedroom, he struggled to calm his rage. "Where's Hugo? Call him! I'll send t
At that, Martha sighed heavily. "I've watched you and Mr. Lance go through so much from the very beginning. It wasn't easy, but now things are finally stable."And you've got Cassidy and Caleb. They're such wonderful kids! How did it all come to this? Moreover, that woman is Mr. Lance's mother. So, you can't even stand up to her. When will this ever end?""I believe it'll be over soon." A cold glint flickered in Jennifer's eyes as she spoke, making it unclear if her words were aimed at Martha or herself.Right then, her phone rang. It was Hugo.Jennifer answered right away, and his excited voice burst through the line. "Jennifer, I've finally caught that bastard, Nelson Shaw! All these days of work finally paid off!"She froze for a moment, then quickly asked, "Where are you now?""I'm at the Shaw residence, in the family hall. Nelson has confessed to everything!" Hugo exclaimed. He then continued through gritted teeth, "If that bitch Camila hadn't trashed your reputation in th
Camila was stunned to hear Madison's voice. Why hadn't Nelson dealt with her? How could she still be alive? With everything Madison knew, she was now a liability."Did you hear me? Why aren't you saying anything?" Madison yelled in frustration.With no other choice, Camila could only ask, "What? When did that happen?"Madison's voice was laced with urgency as she explained, "I'm in hiding, and I can't even risk seeing my mom or sister! I had to ask the neighbors to keep an eye on them."But they told me a group took my mom, and my sister hasn't come home from school since the day before yesterday. They're in danger! It has to be Maxwell and Jennifer!"Yet, with her own survival at stake, Camila couldn't be bothered to care about Madison's problems."T-That can't be true," she replied dismissively. "Maxwell is a respectable businessman, after all. He wouldn't resort to abduction. Maybe your mom and sister are just visiting relatives. Don't panic. Just stay low, okay? They're not a
After that, Camila could slowly come up with a plan to get rid of Madison. Finally, she made up her mind and headed to Jennifer's room.…At that moment, Jennifer was absorbed in her medical journals. When a knock came at the door, she assumed it was Martha. But after opening it, she was surprised to see Camila standing there.Jennifer's expression instantly turned wary. "What do you want?" she asked with a frown."Well, Jennifer, I-I came to apologize," Camila muttered, casting an uneasy glance at her.But Jennifer's face remained emotionless as she coldly replied, "What trick are you pulling now?"With no other option, Camila put on a mask of remorse, her expression aggrieved. "I'll admit it. I misunderstood you before. Those other women egged me on, saying you'd kick me out. I let it get to me, and I lost my judgment. C-Can you forgive me?" Jennifer let out a dry chuckle. "Do you really think that calling it a 'misunderstanding' will fix everything between us? If you want
A hint of disdain tugged at the corner of Maxwell's mouth as he said to Martha, "Can you call Jennifer down here?"…By dinnertime, the whole family was finally gathered around the table. Only then did Camila feel the weight lift from her shoulders. It didn't matter if Jennifer couldn't forgive her. Maxwell wouldn't make things difficult as long as she wore a mask of genuine remorse. After all, blood ties weren't so easily severed.Jennifer, wearing a grim expression, sat in silence as she fed Cassidy. Right then, Maxwell calmly spoke up. "I'll hold a press conference to set the record straight in a couple of days. Lance Group's reputation and profits have taken a hit from this situation, so it needs to be addressed quickly."Mom, I'll need you to clarify things tomorrow. Only if you speak up personally will people believe it was just a misunderstanding."Camila understood that Maxwell was giving her a chance, so she quickly responded, "Don't worry, Maxwell. I'll make it clear
Laura anxiously waited as the police retrieved the surveillance footage. But in the end, all they told her was that the alley she had mentioned was in an area slated for demolition. Hence, no cameras had been installed there. When she suggested they start investigating from the street where her office was located, the officer replied, "Miss, if we follow your suggestion, it would require a massive undertaking."We have other cases to handle as well. Please, go home and wait. If we find anything, we'll notify you immediately, okay?"Laura's urgency stemmed from how terrified she felt. After all, it was the first time she had been followed. Still, she didn't want to make things difficult for anyone. Since the police officers had made their stance clear, she decided not to press further and relented. Before leaving, she couldn't help but plead, "Please, do your best to look into this as soon as possible. Contact me immediately if there's any news."With that, she left the station,
Laura's heart pounded violently in her chest. She immediately pulled out her phone, instinctively thinking of calling Simon. However, she remembered they weren't on speaking terms, so she dialed Jennifer's number instead. A nurse answered the phone. "Hello, Dr. Susan is currently in surgery. Please call back in two hours."Left with no choice, Laura reluctantly called Simon. His deep voice came through almost immediately. "Hello, what is it?"Simon's voice, though pleasant, held an icy undertone. Laura knew he was still angry. But right now, someone was following her. She couldn't afford to care about anything else—not even her pride.She gripped the phone tightly, her voice trembling as she said, "S-Someone's following me. Can you come pick me up?""What?" Simon's response was indifferent. Then, he mockingly added, "Aren't you a martial arts expert? A good fighter, right? What's there to fear from a thief?"After all, Britney hadn't been able to secure her interview with hi
Simon finally looked up from his computer screen and gave Alex a stern look. "Do you not understand what I said, or do you have nothing better to do? Should I assign you more tasks?""No… No need for that! I'll leave now." After being scolded, Alex left the office dejectedly. Britney was still waiting downstairs. Seeing him come out, she rushed up eagerly. "So? How did it go?"Alex scratched his head and forced a smile. "Mr. Moore said… Ms. Scott needs to come in person." Britney sighed, disappointment written all over her face. "I knew it!" Alex was about to console her when she suddenly broke into a bright smile. "Still, coming here today wasn't a total waste. At least I ran into my high school classmate and got your number!"She winked at him playfully and added, "We're both from out of town. So, we've got to look out for each other!"Alex was flustered and nodded. "Of course!""Well, I'll get going then. Let's keep in touch!" Britney shrugged off the rejection. Althou
Britney hesitated but finally gave in. "Fine, I'll give it a try." … With Laura's task weighing heavily on her shoulders, Britney set off for Valor Law Firm solemnly.As expected, it turned out exactly as she had imagined. She was turned away almost immediately.She recalled the last time she had come here with Laura. Back then, Laura had also waited for a long time. Determined to ace the interview, Britney decided to stick around and wait. Surely Simon would meet her, considering how she always supported him and Laura and had even tipped him off before. "Britney!" A voice suddenly called out. Britney turned around and her eyes lit up with surprise. "Alex? What are you doing here?" Britney added, "I had some business here. Wow, you've changed so much since high school! Do you work here? Everyone here looks so formal in their suits.""Yes, I work here." Alex was happy to see a classmate. "Are you here because of some trouble? Do you need a lawyer?"Britney explaine
After leaving Simon's office, Laura headed straight to the studio. The workday had ended when she arrived, and all her colleagues had left. Laura sat at her desk, turned on her computer, and began writing down everything she had seen and heard today. With her fingers furiously typing away, she poured out the full story of Brooks Group's workplace incident. Whether it was out of anger or agitation, the keyboard clattered loudly beneath her hands.In just 20 minutes, she had completed a full article. As she typed the last word, she began to calm down. Looking at the article that was filled with sympathy for Nick's family and criticism of Brooks Group, Laura realized she was betraying her journalistic integrity.She hesitated before deleting the draft. After all, she was a reporter. She shouldn't bring her personal feelings into her work. This article contained too much of her own bias. Such a news piece would be unprofessional. Laura sighed. She checked her phone but ther
Laura had to accept reality. Simon feigned nonchalance. "Wait for me. I have some work to finish, and then I'll take you out for dinner, alright?"Laura sat quietly on the couch nearby, listening to the sound of him typing on his computer. Her heart tightened.Her mind replayed the events of how she and Britney had gone to interview the victim's parents. Their cries echoed in her ears as did Simon's conversation with William. Finally, Laura walked over to him. "The work you're handling... Is it related to Brooks Group?" Simon paused and looked at her. "How do you know about this case?" Laura replied truthfully, "My boss assigned me to interview the victims. I... I just visited the family this afternoon and got back from the countryside not long ago.""I see." Simon didn't think much of it and even teased, "Well, it looks like we might see each other more often now. You could say we're mixing business with pleasure." Laura wasn't in the mood to joke. "Are you going to
But it seemed like Simon was slowly warming up, though Laura couldn't tell if it was just her imagination. Laura tapped Britney on the back of her head. "What are you daydreaming about?"Britney answered solemnly, "I'm worried about you, Laura! Let's check things out at Valor Law Firm tomorrow, okay? After all, each side has its own version of the story. Maybe Mr. Moore will have a completely different explanation tomorrow." Laura felt a sense of unease. When they reached the city center, she got out of the car. "Go back to the studio on your own. I... I need to take a walk." Britney knew Laura was planning to see Simon to clarify things. So, she didn't press the matter and drove off.Laura headed straight to Valor Law Firm. The receptionist saw her and asked, "Do you have an appointment, Ms. Scott? Mr. Moore is currently in a meeting.""It's fine. I'll just wait for him here." Laura had just sat down when she noticed Alex coming in. Alex walked over eagerly. "Are y
Laura spent the entire morning investigating the Brooks Group's construction site incident and the people involved.In the afternoon, she took Britney and visited the victim's family.The family lived in a remote rural area and looked poor. When they heard Laura was a journalist from a well-known studio, the victim's family members broke into tears. "Please, you must stand up for us!"These were ordinary people with no way of beating influential figures. Having someone to speak for them filled them with gratitude. Laura quickly helped the victim's grieving parents to their feet. The deceased worker, Nick Klaus, was only 20 years old. His parents were in their early 40s, yet their hair had turned completely white, and their wrinkles made them look much older.Laura couldn't help but feel a wave of sadness, while Britney looked like she was about to cry from sympathy.The victim's father cried, "Those bastards at Brooks Group are so heartless! It was their fault for not ensuri
Laura sighed to herself. She just needed to coordinate with Simon to get the news. Why did Joseph make it sound like such a difficult task?She promised, "Don't worry, Mr. Zone. Our News Department has coordinated with Valor Law Firm before, and we've done quite a few exclusive interviews with Mr. Moore. This shouldn't be a problem."Joseph smiled. "You're good at keeping work and personal life separate, but I haven't finished yet. The reason we're focusing on this news piece is because the family of the deceased worker is suing Brooks Group for insufficient safety measures. Plus, the workers at the site are agitated. The company is unwilling to pay compensation and hired a lawyer to minimize the settlement. The family of the deceased refuses to accept the proposed 200 thousand dollars as compensation. Both sides are at a stalemate." "200 thousand dollars?" Laura was stunned. "A human life, and they're offering only that little?" Joseph nodded. "Even you're outraged. That's why