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
Maxwell nodded and replied, "I hope you keep your word."…After dinner, he returned to the bedroom, where Jennifer sat on the bed with her laptop on her lap, seemingly engrossed in her academic work. In reality, she only wanted to seem busy and avoid acknowledging him.Maxwell's lips curled into a resigned smile. He then approached her and took the laptop away, saying, "Pregnant women shouldn't use these devices too much. The radiation isn't good for you."Jennifer looked at him coldly and snapped, "Maxwell Lance, you may have forgiven her, but I'll never forgive her! I'm not going to that press conference. You and your mother can attend without me!"His deep gaze locked onto hers as he reached out to pinch her puffed-up cheek. "You don't trust me, huh? She has done so many terrible things, hurting both of us. Do you really think I would just let her off the hook?"Jennifer stared at him, confusion written across her face. "What do you mean? You've already agreed to hold a pre
Maxwell's promise sent a rush of excitement through Jennifer, and her heart raced with anticipation. The end was finally in sight.She wrapped her arms around his waist and buried her face in the crook of his arm. "Thank you, Maxwell."He paused for a moment before asking, "Why are you thanking me?""Thank you for choosing justice this time, and for not letting family ties cloud your judgment," Jennifer answered seriously.A bitter, helpless smile tugged at Maxwell's lips. "You and the kids are my family. As for that woman, when has she ever treated me like family? Do you really think there's anything left between us?"Every time Maxwell spoke of this, Jennifer felt a pang of sorrow. Her heart broke for him—for the injustice he had suffered. All she could do was love him and stand by his side as his family.…For the next two days, Jennifer and the children deliberately kept their distance, acting indifferent toward Maxwell.At that sight, Camila felt a sense of relief. It seem
Madison trembled as she said, "I-I won't betray her! Just tell her that if she spares my life, I'll take my mother and sister and disappear for good. I won't be a threat to her anymore. Please, don't kill me. I'm begging you!"Michael approached her, pressing the cold edge of his knife to her cheek. "How am I supposed to believe you? You've got enough dirt on Madam Camila to ruin her. If we let you go and you turn on us, then what? How are we ever going to recover from this?"Madison felt death creeping closer. She was trembling so violently that her teeth chattered. Finally, through gritted teeth, she spat, "Camila, that old hag, deserves to be abandoned by everyone!"She used her own son and hurt her daughter-in-law. I've always known she's a lunatic! If you kill me now, I'll haunt her for the rest of her life!"Michael sneered inwardly. It seemed like he had overestimated her. Even now, all she could muster was an empty threat, her face drained of color. "Don't worry. Since
After Camila finished speaking, the reporters wasted no time questioning why Jennifer, the main culprit in the elder abuse case, wasn't present. It was clear that Camila's explanation hadn't satisfied them.After all, who wouldn't want to chase a juicy story?Now that they had a lead, how could they just take her word for it? And so, the reporters turned their attention to Maxwell, firing one question after another."Mr. Lance, is your mother's statement true? Or is she hiding something to protect Lance Group's reputation?""Mr. Lance, was anyone pressuring Madam Camila to say what she did? If her words are accurate, how do you explain the injuries on her head and the testimonies from the other women?"…Camila could barely hide her smug satisfaction. The more the reporters persisted, the more she stood her ground, denying all allegations. Only by doing so would Maxwell understand how crucial she was to the situation.Right then, a figure pushed through the crowd of reporters li
Maxwell refused to believe that a woman like Madison could ever change for the better. Turning to his subordinates, he instructed, "Take Ms. Hackett to rest."Once Madison was escorted away, Maxwell took control of the microphone and announced, "Thank you all for attending today's press conference. Please report the facts honestly."As for my mother's past actions, I've only just learned of them. I've already contacted the police, and my wife and I will cooperate fully with the investigation."Terrified, Camila rushed to him. She gripped his arm tightly, pleading, "Maxwell, you can't involve the police. Please, don't do this! Let's go home and discuss it. We can't let this escalate any further!"The thought of spending the rest of her life in prison was unbearable—especially at her age.Yet, Maxwell calmly said, "Mom, all you need to do is cooperate with the investigation. I'm confident the police won't wrong an innocent person, but they won't let a criminal go either."At that m
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