Ch. 701..710

Chapter 701 A Misunderstanding

The entire car was engulfed in flames after the explosion.

“Clean up the mess, Sebastian.” Fearing that this incident would affect Christina’s baby, Nathaniel carried her into his car after giving the order.

A faint smile formed on Emilia’s lips as she stared at the flames in the distance. She then rolled the car window down and tossed the black controller out.

Now that I have gotten rid of Anya, my next target is Christina! I will make her suffer a thousand times more!

With that in mind, Emilia drove off feeling amazing.

As though Sebastian had heard something, he turned around and glanced at the end of the road. He had a little furrow between his eyebrows when he saw a black car disappear from sight.

“Go check and see if there are any surveillance cameras nearby,” he said while motioning at a bodyguard.

“On it!” the bodyguard replied and ran off to carry out his duty.

Nathaniel kept Christina company while she got an examination at the hospital before they returned to Scenic Garden Manor. She had planned on taking a short nap in the afternoon, but the shock from earlier -had left her so exhausted that she slept till the evening.

While heading downstairs for dinner, Christina saw that Lyle was nowhere to be found. “Where’s Lyle?” she asked.

The look in Nathaniel’s eyes turned slightly cold. “He was not able to protect you, so I have sent him back to the camp for more training. I will get you another bodyguard.”

Nathaniel had actually wanted to replace Lyle, but he couldn’t really find another bodyguard as capable as Lyle.

“It’s not his fault. Everything happened way too quickly. None of us thought Anya would be bold enough to kidnap me in broad daylight. I told him to go buy me some pastries, and I let my guard down while waiting. That’s how Anya managed to get me,” Christina explained.

“He did not follow protocol, so he needs to be punished accordingly,” Nathaniel said coldly while placing a chunk of fish on her plate.

Christina put her cutlery down and stood up. “I have gotten used to Lyle’s protection, and I don’t want to waste any more time and energy adapting to a new guy. I’m done eating.”

She then turned around and went upstairs.

Nathaniel could tell that she was clearly throwing a tantrum. Not wanting to upset her any further, he gave Sebastian a call and said, “Have Lyle transferred back here. Also, pair some of the more agile and sharp- -witted men with him. I want them protecting Christina in secret.”

Sebastian was not surprised when he heard Nathaniel’s order. “Understood.”

Nathaniel took a sip of red wine and made his way into the courtyard. “How is the investigation going? Did you manage to find anything?”

“Anya’s car had been tampered with. They rewrote her car’s programming so they could control it from a

distance. I suspect that the person who did it was nearby at the time. Unfortunately, there were no surveillance cameras near the abandoned school, so we were unable to identify that person.”

“Emilia is Anya’s accomplice. Go find out where she has been today,” Nathaniel ordered icily.

Now that Anya is dead, we won’t be able to prove that Emilia was her accomplice based on Christina’s testimony alone.

With that in mind, Nathaniel added, “Sebastian, I want you to go meet Emilia in person. I don’t trust anyone else with this task. Even if you can’t find proof of Emilia’s involvement in this kidnapping, you need to collect evidence of her other crimes. Emilia needs to go.”

Emilia is a really dangerous person. She pretended to be working with Anya, only to kill her when she no longer needed her. It’s clear that she has a much more sinister plan in mind. If a little bit of overkill is necessary to ensure Christina’s safety, then so be it.

Sebastian tailed Emilia later that night and arrived at a fancy bar.

Instead of heading straight to the bar after parking her car, Emilia walked up to Sebastian’s car and knocked on the window.

Sebastian calmly rolled his window down and asked, “Oh, hello there, Ms. Steele. Is there something I can help you with?”

Emilia rested one hand on his car window and asked with a coquettish smile, “You’ve been following me since the afternoon, Mr. Taggart. Why don’t you come have a drink with me? I’ll tell you everything you want to know.”

I know I’m not the best at tailing people, but Emilia shouldn’t have spotted me so easily. How did she know I was tailing her?

With that in mind, Sebastian replied calmly, “I’m afraid you may have gotten the wrong idea, Ms. Steele. I wasn’t following you or anything. I am simply waiting for someone.”

Emilia flashed Sebastian a faint smile, reaching out to grab him by the chin. She was about to say something when someone shouted angrily behind her, “What the f*ck are you two doing?”

Victoria’s eyes were burning with anger as she stormed up to Sebastian’s car. Before Emilia even realized what was going on, Victoria grabbed her by the hair and smacked her on the head with her handbag.

“How dare you lay your filthy claws on my man, Emilia? I’ll chop them off tonight!” Victoria yelled furiously.

Words like “modest” and “gentle” did not even come close to describing Victoria at the moment.

Victoria hated Emilia for hurting Christina, but she hadn’t been able to do anything about it. Now that she had caught Emilia seducing Sebastian, she was determined to teach her a lesson.

Emilia had not expected Victoria to show up all of a sudden.

The fact that the daughter of the Lesley family would take an interest in a lowly personal assistant is enough to cause a scandal. Victoria is Christina’s junior and best friend, so destroying her reputation is equal to getting my revenge on Christina!

Before Emilia could even come up with a plan, however, Victoria had tackled her to the ground and climbed on top of her.

Victoria then took her high heel off and attempted to hit Emilia in the face with it, but Sebastian quickly stopped her.

He pulled her to her feet and hugged her tightly as he said, “Calm down, Victoria. We’re in public right now, remember? Look, this really is a misunderstanding. I’ll explain everything to you when we get back, okay?”

Victoria’s tears were still flowing as she glared at Sebastian with reddened eyes. “Have you gotten tired of me, Sebastian? Is that why you didn’t push her away when she touched you? How is she any better than me? I’m prettier, wealthier, and I love you more than anything!”

Although Emilia was the one who got hit, Victoria acted as though she was the victim instead.

“I like you a lot, Sebastian! You can’t break up with me even if you have gotten tired of me, okay? I know I have a bad temper, but I can change!” Victoria said softly, like a child that was afraid of being scolded by her parents.

Sebastian hugged her and whispered, “I’m working, not flirting with other girls. Stop crying, okay?”

 

Chapter 702 Getting Her Revenge

Victoria’s eyes went wide as she stared at Sebastian in shock.

What? This is all a misunderstanding?

Although Victoria was feeling a little guilty, she decided to follow through with her act when she saw Emilia’s despicable face.

“I called you and told you to come pick me up earlier, but you said no. So, what are you doing here now? Are you messing around with me?”

Victoria broke free from Sebastian’s embrace. She then grabbed Emilia’s phone and asked, “What’s the password? Tell me!”

Emilia’s heart was filled with anger as she glared at Victoria.

As if beating me up in public wasn’t bad enough, she now wants to go through my phone? Am I really that much of a pushover?

Emilia reached out to snatch her phone back, only to have Victoria hold it in front of her face.

Just like that, Victoria easily unlocked the phone using its facial recognition feature.

Realizing that she was no match for Victoria, Emilia shifted her attention toward Sebastian instead. “Hey, Sebastian! Your girlfriend has crossed the line here! Shouldn’t you do something about her?”

She figured that Sebastian and Victoria had kept their relationship a secret because they didn’t want the members of the Lesley family to find out.

Victoria exclaimed while forcefully tossing the phone at Emilia’s chest. “You wouldn’t be scared of letting someone go through your phone if you didn’t do anything wrong! Come at me if you’ve got what

it takes! Leave my man alone! So what if I went through your phone, huh? Don’t like it? Then sue me!”

Victoria’s arrogant and disdainful attitude left Emilia completely speechless.

“Oh, I forgot! You’re no longer the famous actress in the entertainment industry. You’re only good for entertaining people over drinks! You can’t even afford a lawyer with that little amount of money you’ve got! You know what? I’ll let you off the hook this time, but you’d better stay the f*ck away from my man, or things are going to get really ugly for you!”

The people passing by were all staring at the three of them, but Sebastian wasn’t bothered in the slightest. He knew that Victoria was doing this to avenge Christina and put an end to the awkward situation, so he didn’t do anything to stop her.

While Victoria did go a little overboard by going through Emilia’s phone, it could allow them to uncover some of her secrets.

Victoria then walked up to Sebastian, flashed him a reassuring look, and dragged him into the car.

“Argh! F*ck you, Victoria! I’ll kill you for sure!” Emilia screamed furiously in front of the bar while watching the two of them speed off into the distance.

Her violent outburst and vicious expression were so scary that the onlookers backed away instantly.

As Sebastian parked the car by the river, Victoria cautiously observed his expression before mustering the

courage to nuzzle against him.

“You’re not mad at me anymore, are you, Seb?”

eyes, “No, but please don’t act so rashly

Sebastian turned toward her and replied with a gentle look in his again next time. I was also at fault for not seeing your text message in time.”

Like a child who had gotten her candy, Victoria happily threw herself into his arms and hugged his waist tightly.

“I’m so glad you’re not mad at me anymore! I didn’t know you were working. The sight of another woman touching you got me so worked up that I couldn’t keep my emotions under control.”

It wouldn’t even be an overstatement to say that Victoria had thought of where she would bury Emilia’s body when she saw her touch Sebastian earlier.

Sebastian was like oxygen to Victoria, and she loved him so much that she couldn’t imagine how life would be without him.

“Mr. Hadley wanted me to keep an eye on her.” Sebastian then proceeded to give her a summary of what happened earlier that day before asking, “Did you manage to find anything when going through her phone?”

“Yes, I did. I saw Yerek’s phone number in her call log. Do you think he’s the mastermind who told Emilia to kill Anya?” Victoria replied after giving it some thought.

“That’s not enough to prove anything. Come on; I’ll send you home,” Sebastian said.

“It’s so late now, Seb. Are you going to continue tailing Emilia? That wound I left on her face will take at least three to five days to heal, so she’ll most likely go home to lie low. I don’t want to go home so soon, Seb!”

Sebastian let out a sigh as he couldn’t say no to Victoria’s pleas. “We’ll go grab supper, then.”

Victoria’s eyes lit up instantly when she heard that, and she began searching for restaurants on her phone.

While she was distracted, Sebastian quickly informed his subordinates to help keep an eye on Emilia.

Instead of heading home immediately after leaving the bar, Emilia went to see Yerek at his house.

Yerek was frozen in shock when he opened the door and saw the wounds on Emilia’s body. He then quickly pulled her inside and asked with a frown, “Didn’t we agree to only contact each other through the phone?”

Emilia bit down on her lip. “You think I want to come see you like this? I had no choice, okay?”

“What’s with those injuries of yours?” Yerek asked while massaging his aching forehead.

Emilia’s eyes were filled with hatred the moment she heard that. “It was Victoria! She and Sebastian are a couple!”

Yerek arched an eyebrow at her in response. “Victoria and Sebastian are dating? You’re not making this up, are you?”

Why would Victoria give up on marrying wealthy men for Nathaniel’s lapdog? It just sounds like a joke, no matter how you look at it!

“I heard it from Victoria herself. Sebastian was there when she said it, and he didn’t deny it either. Given how intimate they were with each other, I’d say it’s definitely true. You could have someone look into this if you don’t believe me,” Emilia replied.

Yerek narrowed his eyes and took a closer look at Emilia’s wounds. That was when he kind of figured out how she got injured.

Hmph… This woman doesn’t know how to keep her hands to herself!

With that in mind, Yerek said indifferently, “Got it. You should hurry on home now.”

Emilia was hoping that Yerek would offer to avenge her, so seeing his indifferent reaction frustrated her to no end. “Sebastian is Nathaniel’s right–hand man, and Victoria is Christina’s junior. It’s most likely Christina and Nathaniel who helped get them together. The members of the Lesley family are bound to get mad at Christina if they find out about this. Don’t you want to reclaim Gibson Corporation?”

Back then, Yerek had wanted Gibson Corporation so badly that he would even have dreams about it. Having received the assets that Nigel had transferred overseas, however, he could do just fine without Gibson Corporation.

Even so, he still wanted to get his revenge on Christina and Nathaniel, no matter how long it would take.

Once I gain enough power, I will surely be able to crush those two with ease! I can’t expect much from Emilia because ofhow short–sighted she is, but I can’t risk letting her become a liability to me either. Right now, I need to convert those assets into cash and keep a low profile as I carry out my plans.

“Victoria is not someone you can afford to mess with. The Lesley family prefers to get rid of pesky busybodies first before dealing with their internal affairs.”

If Emilia were smart, she would know better than to cause a scene with this incident. Alas, Yerek had underestimated her hatred toward Christina.

Emilia contacted some paparazzi immediately after leaving Yerek’s condominium unit and told them about her findings.

Nathaniel was the first to receive word about the news

“Should we have someone suppress the news, Mr. Hadley?”

 

Chapter 703 Love Crisis

Although Preston had received the news long ago, he didn’t confront Sebastian right away as he was wary of Nathaniel.

Sebastian was widely known as a prominent figure around Nathaniel, but few people knew that their relationship was more than that of a superior and a subordinate.

If Preston were to take action against Sebastian, Nathaniel would definitely not stand by idly.

“No need. Perhaps this is a good thing.” Nathaniel pondered for a moment. “Inform the Public Relations Department to pay attention to public opinion on the Internet. Tell them to control the comments when necessary.”

After ending the call, Nathaniel went to the kitchen and personally prepared a burrito. Then, he brought it upstairs.

When Christina heard his familiar footsteps coming from outside the door, she quickly put down her phone, lifted the blanket, and lay down. She then pretended to be asleep, facing away from the door.

Nathaniel pushed open the door and walked in. After placing the tray on the bedside table; he reached out to pull the blanket covering Christina’s head down. He whispered, “Are you still angry?”

Christina ignored him.

Nathaniel wasn’t bothered by that. “I had Lyle transferred back from the training camp. You’ll be able to see him tomorrow morning. I didn’t punish him?”

Christina opened her eyes. She was hesitating whether to get up or not when Nathaniel’s alluring voice suddenly reached her ears.

“I made your favorite burrito. Will you forgive me after eating it?”

Christina felt a tingling sensation in her ear. She quickly climbed out of bed while nervously clenching her fingers.

“I’m not angry.”

“Okay, you’re not angry. I didn’t consider your feelings fully before I made that decision.”

Christina glanced at his handsome and pleasing face and realized she couldn’t stay mad at him. In the end, she gave up arguing.

“Well, I admit that I was a little angry when I found out you had sent Lyle away. His situation reminded me of my past self. It was not his fault, yet he had to bear the consequences of others‘ actions.”

Nathaniel was afraid that Christina would bring up the past, especially since their initial encounter wasn’t pleasant.

“I’m sorry, I’ll be more mindful in the future.” Nathaniel handed the burrito to her. “Hurry up and eat while it’s still hot. I have something to discuss with you later.”

Since Christina didn’t eat much for dinner, her stomach had long been growling after sulking for a few hours. Nevertheless, the thought of going downstairs and bumping into Nathaniel didn’t appeal to her, so she took out the bread and snacks she had bought previously and filled her stomach with those.

Christina noticed that she had become more temperamental during her pregnancy. She was no longer able to control her emotions and thoughts like before.

At the thought of that, Christina became visibly upset. Nathaniel noticed her change and asked, “What’s wrong? Is the burrito not tasty? I can make another one for you.”

He started to get up, but Christina quickly pulled him back. “No, the burrito is delicious.” After hesitating for a moment, she asked, “Nathaniel, am I difficult to please? I think my temper has been getting

unpredictable.”

“I’ve never thought that way,” Nathaniel reassured her gently. “You’re starting to rely on me and show me your truest self without holding back. I’m lucky to be able to experience this.”

“Oh.” Christina’s tone couldn’t help but lighten as her ears flushed an unusual shade of red. After quickly finishing the burrito, she asked, “You mentioned earlier that you wanted to discuss something with me. Can you tell me now?”

Intuition told Christina that it wasn’t about a simple matter.

“Sebastian and Victoria’s relationship has been exposed. Given the Lesley family’s attitude, they won’t approve of Sebastian,” Nathaniel said frankly. “This is the opportunity Preston has been waiting for. I believe Sebastian is capable of handling this matter well, but what Victoria does is more important.”

“Victoria is stronger than we think. If she has chosen someone, she won’t easily give up. She and Sebastian will definitely have a happy ending,” Christina said calmly.

Since Christina was on good terms with Victoria, Nathaniel was worried that she would be unhappy after seeing the articles online about Victoria and Sebastian.

Other than preparing Christina for what she was going to sec, Nathaniel was also indirectly advising her not to get

involved.

“It’s getting late. You should sleep.” Nathaniel smiled at her. “I’ll go to the study to reply to a few work emails. I’ll come and accompany you later.”

Christina nodded. “Okay.”

Nathaniel then tucked her in and left a dim bedside lamp on before leaving the room quietly.

After tossing and turning for a while, Christina took out her phone and opened a webpage. The entertainment news was flooded with headlines about Sebastian and Victoria’s relationship.

Public opinion was divided. Some gossipy netizens and media thought Sebastian was unworthy of Victoria and mocked him for winning her over, while others were more rational.

They were disdainful of the negative opinions and instead showed support for Sebastian’s efforts in pursuing love. They believed that Sebastian possessed qualities that made him no less than a wealthy heir.

Christina liked every comment from those who chose to support Sebastian and Victoria.

Since Christina’s account was officially verified, and most of her followers were influential figures, she was targeted by some troublemakers in just half an hour.

They took screenshots of her likes on some of the comments and posted them online to make a big deal out of it.

As expected, Christina became another prominent figure involved in the scandal.

When Gabrielle couldn’t stand the criticisms directed at Christina any longer, she personally stepped in and started an argument with the haters. She even rallied a group of friends to help.

Instantly, the internet was in an uproar.

Christina glanced at the webpage. Feeling satisfied, she put down her phone and went to sleep peacefully.

Even if it meant that the Lesleys would target her, she would continue to support Sebastian and Victoria’s relationship unwaveringly because she knew she had Nathaniel’s support.

Meanwhile, Emilia was sitting in front of the computer, feeling very satisfied as she scrolled through the comments that were attacking Victoria online.

Love makes people ugly. She wanted Victoria to taste the pain of losing her true love!

“I asked you to dig up dirt on Victoria. How is that going?” Emilia repeatedly asked the private detective she hired as she wanted to strike while the iron was hot.

The detective hesitated slightly. “Ms. Steele, it’s not that I don’t want to earn the money you sènt me. I can’t afford to offend the Lesleys.”

Emilia narrowed her eyes contemptuously. “Since you took my money, you should do your best to get the job done for me. Are you trying to back out now? Thinking of shutting down your detective agency, eh?‘

The detective was unafraid of Emilia’s threat. He cursed at Emilia, “You clearly told me from the beginning that Victoria was the one ordering me to dig up dirt. I would rather not earn this money even if you held a knife to my neck. Besides, it’s only five hundred thousand, which is not even enough for a down payment on a house. I’ll return this money to you fully!”

He angrily hung up the phone and promptly refunded the money back to Emilia’s account.

“So what if she’s Victoria Lesley, the daughter of the Lesley family? I refuse to believe that no one is willing to take this deal!”

 

Chapter 704 Exposed

With the right offer, there was bound to be someone who would step forward to do the job.

Emilia found a paparazzo who specialized in exposing scandals of celebrities online. Moreover, this person had an influential background! Most celebrities didn’t dare to mess with him even if they were targeted. Instead, they preferred to pay him off to settle the disputes.

Emilia saw this as an opportunity and eagerly arranged to meet him in person. The meeting was scheduled for tomorrow.

“It is indeed wise to approach me, Ms. Steele. As for Victoria, she’s quite well–known in the entertainment industry overseas. After I gather her scandalous materials tonight, I will show them to you when we meet tomorrow. The payment shall be made then. You will be satisfied!” the paparazzo declared confidently.

Emilia thought he was being overconfident, so she intentionally poured cold water on him. “I will decide whether the information in your hands is valuabel or not only after I personally verify it. You have until tomorrow, she said skeptically.

Without waiting for the man to respond, Emilia hung up resolutely.

She purposely portrayed herself as difficult to deal with to deter him from plotting against her.

After carrying out her plan, Emilia slipped into her dreams filled with beautiful fantasies of destroying Victoria.

The next morning, Christina was awakened from her sleep by Victoria’s frantic phone calls.

Nathaniel had already left for work.

Forced to wake up, Christina answered the call with a hint of annoyance. “Who is it?”

“Christina…” Victoria’s voice was filled with grief and sorrow. “Christina, you have to help me this time…”

Christina paused for a few seconds. When her mind processed the situation, she comforted, “Don’t cry, Victoria. Take your time and tell me what happened.”

After a few hiccups and sobs, Victoria continued, “My relationship with Sebastian has been exposed. After my family found out, they strongly opposed it. They are pressuring me to break up with Sebastian. If I don’t, they will cause trouble for him.”

The Lesleys‘ reactions and actions were completely within Christina’s expectations.

“Christina, my parents want to send me abroad, so I ran away. But I didn’t take my wallet or phone with me. Can you come over? I haven’t told Sebastian because I don’t want to worry him,” Victoria pleaded.

Victoria made the call using a stranger’s phone. She had climbed over the wall and fled when the sky was still dark in her thin silk pajamas. As a result, she had been shivering in the biting cold for half an hour.

“Where are you? I’ll come to you right away,” Christina said as she hurriedly got out of bed.

After Victoria provided an address, Christina instructed her to find a nearby restaurant to order some food and rest. They would talk about the rest in detail after she made her way there.

Upon ending the call, Christina quickly freshened up, changed her clothes, and hurried downstairs.

Lyle had already been waiting downstairs for a while. When he saw Christina in a rush, he approached her and asked, “Mrs. Hadley, are you going out now?”

Christina was startled by his sudden voice because she didn’t notice him. Placing a hand over her pounding heart, she took a deep breath and smiled at Lyle. “Lyle! You’re back.”

Lyle’s face was devoid of expression. “Yes. I apologize for letting you worry about me, Mrs. Hadley.”

Christina felt apologetic. “Don’t say that. I’m the one who caused you trouble. I’ll be more careful in the future.”

Lyle strained the muscles on his cheeks as he tried hard to put on a happy smile. However, he ended up grimacing because he wasn’t used to smiling.

Sensing his thoughts and discomfort, Christina said empathetically, “I’m in a hurry to meet Victoria. Can you please arrange a car for me?”

“Please wait a moment, Mrs. Hadley.” Lyle swiftly turned and left.

Half an hour later, Christina arrived at the restaurant

There were only a few customers inside since it wasn’t peak dining hours at the restaurant.

Christina immediately spotted Victoria sitting alone in a corner, looking dejected and listless. She held a cup of coffee and was lifting it up and putting it down mechanically over and over again.

“What are you doing?” Christina sat down opposite her. “Can your hunger be satisfied just by staring at the coffee?”

Victoria felt even more upset the moment she saw Christina. Her former spirited and confident self had completely vanished, replaced by a sense of helplessness.

“Christina, I have no appetite… I really don’t know what to do, Victoria said in a hoarse voice. “I don’t want to break up with Sebastian. Christina, please give me some advice. I’ll listen to you.”

“Let’s eat first, and then we can think of a solution slowly. We mustn’t rush with such matters.” Christina then asked the waiter for a menu. As Victoria still appeared lost, Christina helped her order a few

breakfast dishes. “Sebastian is associated with Nathaniel. He won’t stand by idly. You also have to believe in Sebastian’s ability to resolve issues.”

Victoria sniffled. “I don’t want to cause any trouble for Sebastian. My parents and brother are already upset with me for breaking off the engagement, but I know I’m not at fault for wanting to spend the rest of my life with the person I love. Even if it means giving up my identity as a Lesley, I’m willing to do it.”

After finally finding someone that she genuinely loved, Victoria was unwilling to give up what she had. She refused to become a sacrificial pawn in an arranged marriage.

Christina listened attentively to her innermost thoughts and handed her tissues occasionally,

“Sebastian and I had agreed on when to publicly announce our relationship. We had been very careful throughout this period because we were afraid of being discovered,” Victoria explained. “He proposed to me on a cruise ship, but everything was still fine then. I don’t understand why this was suddenly exposed.”

“Think carefully. Have you recently offended anyone?” Christina reminded her.

Victoria pondered for a moment. “Emilia. It must have been her!”

“Why do you suspect her?” Christina asked.

“I hit Emilia outside a bar last night…” Victoria told Christina about what had happened. “Emilia is wicked and cunning, and she knows about my relationship with Sebastian. She must have found a way to cause trouble for us!”

Victoria spat with hatred, “Emilia Steele! She better not show herself in front of me, or I…”

Suddenly, Victoria slammed the table and stood up, her eyes fixed on something behind Christina. Before Christina could react, Victoria sprinted toward Emilia like an unleashed beast.

Hearing Victoria’s voice from behind her, Emilia instinctively trembled. She ran desperately without looking back, which further convinced Victoria that she was guilty of something.

Victoria’s body seemed to be filled with adrenaline as she ran.

Just as Emilia jumped into the back seat of a taxi and was about to close the car door for an escape, Victoria leaped forward and gripped the door tightly with both hands.

Victoria’s face twisted menacingly. Gritting her teeth, she yelled, “Get out of the car, Emilia!”

Emilia held onto the door handle firmly. “Are you going to attack me again, Victoria?”

The two of them held onto the car door, locked in a tense standoff. It was the first time the taxi driver had witnessed such an intense scene. He stared at the door anxiously, afraid that they would damage it.

He wanted to intervene and stop them, but he was intimidated by their fierce demeanor.

Victoria sneered, “The beating you received from me is nothing compared to the despicable things you’ve done!”

With that said, Victoria held onto the car door with one hand and reached through the window with the other to grab Emilia’s hair. Then, she forcefully dragged her outside of the car in a fit of rage.

Emilia shrieked, “I’m going to kill

you,

Chapter 705 You Are No Match For Me

Having been repeatedly attacked by Victoria, Emilia knew she couldn’t take it lying down longer. It was time to fight back!

Unfortunately, Victoria showed no signs of stopping as she yanked the woman out of the ca and gave her two tight slaps.

For a moment, Emilia’s head spun. When she finally snapped out of her daze and tried to claw at Victoria’s face, the latter easily held her back.

By the time Christina lumbered out of the restaurant, the scene before her had become so chaotic that she couldn’t believe her eyes.

She hastily walked to Victoria, who was straddling Emilia, and pulled her to her feet. “Are you out of your mind, Victoria? You’re being a public nuisance! Do you think you haven’t gone viral enough on social media?”

Red-eyed and maniacal, Victoria bit her lower lip. “I’m about to lose Sebastian, so why should I care? Leave me be, Christina. I want to rip this b*tch’s skin off!”

“Are you happy now?” Emilia fumed as she glared at Christina. “You found someone to stick for you and beat me to a pulp, huh? This is all your fault! Fight me fair and square if you have the guts! Stop hiding behind others and making them do your dirty work!”

By then, Lyle had also heard the commotion and hurriedly approached Christina. “Mrs. Hadley, I’ll arrange for someone to send her away,” he said, shooting a cold stare at Emilia.

To his surprise, Christina shook her head. “No. I have something to say to her. Take Ms. Lesley to the car first.”

After all, we’re in the commercial district, and the crowd around us is getting bigger by the second Victoria is still trending on social media, and given how easily recognizable she is, it wouldnt do her any good if this matter blew up

Despite having a moment of hesitation, Lyle eventually came around Hum Eppose that’d be all right. Emilia has just been beaten up and there are so many unlookers, I doubt she id da amoking to Christina

With that, the man turned to Victoria, his face stoic yet respectful “Please get in the car M Lesley

Victoria seemed hesitant, but when she fich Christina’s death are on her, she shrink away and did as instructed

The next second. Emilia wiped the blood from the comer of her south and smirked “Does

Victoria not have the guts to take responsibility for her actions? Why does she need you to clean up her mess? Wait a minute… Are you also thinking of beating me up? Is that it?”

Hmph. Christina had better not push me into a corner. Otherwise, I’ll do whatever it takes to retaliate! I’m alone in the world now, anyway. Dragging her down with me before I die will mean my revenge plan has half succeeded!

Unfazed, Christina strode to Emilia and stared her in the eye. “There’s no need for me to trouble my friends if I want to get back at you, Emilia. In any case, you were the one who spread the news of Victoria’s relationship online, weren’t you?”

Emilia quickly averted her gaze. “I wouldn’t do something so childish.”

“Victoria has beaten you twice already, so it’s clear that you have a motive. It’s only a matter of time before we find out who the mastermind is…” Christina said coldly before grasping Emilia’s chin and

tilting her face up. “If all the evidence points to you, you should know what consequences you’ll face!”

Alas, Emilia slapped Christina’s hand away and stumbled to her feet, her eyes blazing with indignance.

“Ha! Do you think I don’t know how scheming you are? You can easily pin the blame on anyone you like. If I’m not wrong, you also planned on blaming me for Anya’s death, right? You know what, Christina? My biggest regret is not getting rid of you before you left the Steele family!”

If I could turn back time, I’d harden my heart and destroy her once and for all! Why should I always play second fiddle to her? I’m just as capable, for goodness’ sake!

“You can try as many times as you like, but you’ll never be my match,” Christina mocked. “As for Anya, I don’t care if she’s dead or alive. However, I have every reason to suspect that you two had plotted my kidnapping.”

“Since you insist I’m the mastermind, show me the proof!” Emilia retorted.

Does she think she can scare me into submission? I’m confident I’ve covered my tracks well, so nothing frightens me!

“No hurry,” Christina replied with a devious smile. “There’s plenty of time to play with you in the future.”

The more Emilia stared into the woman’s eyes, the more she panicked.

However, before she could muster up the courage to rebuke, the phone in her bag began to ring.

Seemingly having recalled something. Emilia grabbed her phone and walked away as her expression changed imperceptibly. “We shall see who has the last laugh!”

Christina promptly stepped into the car by the road and closed the door. “Lyle, get someone to follow Emilia.”

Upon hearing that, Victoria nudged closer and grumbled, “Why did you stop me earlier, Christina? Emilia must be up to something! Otherwise, she wouldn’t have run at the sight of me.”

“You’re in the wrong for assaulting others in public, especially when you don’t have any evidence to support your claim! Besides, you’re the daughter of the prestigious Lesley family and not some crazy, unreasonable woman. What if Emilia’s appearance was all just a part of a trap to lure you in? Can you imagine how embarrassed your family and the Taggarts would be? Your parents might even think you’d given up on maintaining the Lesleys’ reputation because of a man. Given those circumstances, do you still see a future for Sebastian?”

It was the first time Victoria had received such a harsh scolding from Christina, and it was also at that moment that she realized how impulsive she had been.

Overwhelmed by a sudden wave of regret and helplessness, she burst into tears. “I’m sorry, Christina. I didn’t think that far. I’m scared… I’m so scared of losing Sebastian.”

“There, there. Stop crying,” Christina coaxed as she hugged the sobbing woman and patted her back reassuringly. “The matter hasn’t reached a point where it’s beyond salvage. I’ll accompany you to Sebastian’s. You can ask him for his opinions and plans.”

Victoria merely nodded amidst sobs.

Christina handed her a handkerchief. “All right. Wipe your tears away. If you keep crying and ruin your face, Sebastian might dump you for good.”

“He wouldn’t dare!” Victoria said proudly, evoking a chuckle from her friend.

“Let’s head to the mall and buy you some new clothes first. Sebastian should still be at the office, so why don’t you call him? I’m sure he must be worried sick that he hasn’t been able to contact you,”

Christina added before passing her phone to Victoria.

The latter did as she was told, but the conversation between her and Sebastian only lasted a few sentences.

Shortly after, Christina accompanied Victoria to the mall and bought her clothes, shoes, a phone, and a new SIM card. With everything settled, the two women returned to the car and set off for Hadley Corporation.

“Christina, I’ll pay you back for the items you bought me today,” Victoria said sheepishly

“No. It’s fine. There’s no need to stand on ceremony with me. I didn’t spend much on these, anyway. Besides, I’ve troubled you a lot lately, so let me do my part for you,” Christina replied, her lips curling into a smile. “Your priority is to get your relationship back on track. You and Sebastian will always have my unconditional support.”

Alas, Victoria was so touched by Christina’s words that she couldn’t help but cry again.

“Oh… Please don’t cry. We’re reaching Hadley Corporation soon. If Sebastian sees you in this state, he might think I was bullying you!” Christina teased as she playfully pinched Victoria’s cheeks and handed her the newly purchased makeup set. “Go on and put on some makeup. Otherwise, your paleness might worry Sebastian.”

Pouting, Victoria muttered, “Sebastian isn’t that shallow.”

Despite saying that, she obediently reached for the makeup and began dolling herself up.

Soon, the car drove past Hadley Corporation, where several reporters had gathered at the entrance.

A keen-eyed Victoria immediately spotted Preston in the crowd and ducked down behind Christina.

“Oh, no… What should I do, Christina? My brother’s here at Hadley Corporation. I’m sure he’s out to make things difficult for Sebastian!”

Chapter 706 Fled

It was hard for Christina not to notice Preston, who stood out in the crowd.

“Don’t be scared. He doesn’t know that you’re with me,” Christina comforted Victoria before looking toward the driver seat and saying to Lyle, “Drive to the underground parking.”

“Understood.” Lyle stepped on the accelerator and sped into Hadley Corporation’s underground parking.

When Preston looked up, he vaguely noticed a familiar face pass by him. With the reporters following him, his mood, which was already bad enough, plummeted further.

“Mr. Lesley, given that Lesley Group and Hadley Corporation are currently not collaborating on any projects, what’s the reason for your sudden visit to Hadley Corporation? Are you intending to talk to Mr. Hadley’s assistant about his relationship with Ms. Lesley?”

“Did Ms. Lesley break off her engagement because she was in love with someone else?”

“Mr. Lesley, is it true that Ms. Lesley and Mr. Taggart are currently dating?”

Preston halted his steps and cast a cold gaze at the reporters before arching his brows and replying, “Those are all rumors. My sister is not dating anyone at the moment. Anyway, she’s free to date whoever she wants. It’s none of anyone else’s business.”

Preston would never allow his sister, the daughter of the prestigious Lesley family, to marry a CEO’s assistant who was a nobody.

He planned to settle the matter privately, as he did not want to air his family’s dirty laundry in public.

It was true that he had gone to Hadley Corporation to seek an explanation from Sebastian. However, Nathaniel kept deflecting his questions. As such, two hours and countless cups of coffee later, he still

had not gotten to meet Sebastian.

Obviously, Nathaniel was intentionally preventing him from meeting Sebastian!

Preston was aware that it would not be wise to fall out with Nathaniel over a mere assistant After all, his family’s interests should come before his sister’s relationship issues.

Just then, a bold reporter shoved the microphone in front of Preston and asked him a tricky question.

“Mr. Lesley, you deny the rumors that your sister is currently in a relationship, but someone posted a photo online that showed Mr. Taggart proposing to Ms. Lesley on the cruise ship during the international business conference a few days ago.”

After saying that, the reporter showed the photo on his phone to everyone present. At that instant, everyone turned their focus to the reporter, and the camera lights started flashing.

“How do you explain this photo then?”

With a darkened expression, Preston gazed at the reporter sharply and replied, “You seem to have come prepared. This makes me question your true intentions.”

With Preston’s words, the reporter instantly became the center of discussion.

After being taught a lesson, the reporter grew hesitant and gradually lost all confidence.

Avoiding Preston’s intimidating gaze, he replied, “I… I… I chanced upon it online.”

He started to retreat as he spoke. As soon as he spotted a small opening among the crowd, he turned around and dashed toward a taxi that was passing by.

Everyone was stunned by the dramatic scene that had just unfolded before them.

Did he just flee?

The other reporters were expecting their colleague to trick Preston into sharing some juicy information.

After what happened earlier, even though the remaining reporters were curious to know the truth, they did not want to risk provoking Preston.

Under the escort of his assistant and bodyguard, Preston finally managed to break away from the crowd and got into his luxury car, which was parked by the roadside.

“Find that nettlesome reporter and destroy those pictures as well as any other information he has,” Preston ordered coldly.

How dare he try to set me up! That guy must be sick of living!

After escaping the scene, the male reporter got out of the taxi and headed into a dark alley

He paced around nervously while waiting for the person he was supposed to meet to arrive.

Tap, tap, tap

A while later, footsteps could be heard coming from the entrance of the alley. The next moment, a tall, muscular man wearing a black coat appeared in front of the reporter.

As the man was standing with his back facing the light shining into the alley, his face was almost completely hidden in the shadows.

“You’re late!” the impatient reporter complained in an annoyed tone before taking out a phone and a thick envelope from his bag. Handing the items over to the man, he said, “Here, I’m returning these to you. I’m cancelling our deal. If you were there just now, you would have seen how scary Preston Lesley

was. I could feel him exuding murderous aura when I was asking him the question according to your instructions earlier!”

Staying alive was much more important than having money. The money would be useless if one were dead.

The reporter regretted not realizing that earlier.

Fiddling with the envelope in his hand, the man remained silent. Seeing that, the reporter started to panic and said, “What do you want now? I didn’t touch the money in the envelope at all. If you don’t believe me, you can count the money.”

“Since I was willing to pay the high fees you quoted, it means money is not an issue for me.” With a sinister look in his eyes, the man continued, “Not only did you fail to do what I asked, but you have also created more trouble for me. This is really frustrating.”

Upon hearing that, alarm bells sounded in the reporter’s head. Feeling angry and scared at the same time, he stared at the man and asked, “What do you mean by that? Are you thinking about extorting me? Why don’t you go find out about my reputation as a gossip reporter in the entertainment industry before doing that?”

The tall man let out a disdainful chuckle.

One second later, the reporter collapsed to the ground with a bloody hole in his forehead. Blood was oozing out continuously from his wound, and his eyes were bulging. He was staring lifelessly at the sky as he met a gruesome end.

“What a foolish pest. How dare he treat himself as someone important just because I paid him to do something.” The man tossed the items in his hand to his subordinate behind him and said expressionlessly, “Clean up the mess. Don’t let Preston Lesley suspect us.”

With that, he turned and walked out of the alley. Without looking back, he opened the door and got into the car. After lighting a cigarette impatiently, he shot a side glance at the woman sitting next to him and said, “The so-called best paparazzo you hired online is such a coward I ended up having to clean up your mess again. Emilia, can you please think carefully before you act?”

“How would I have known that he was a professional scammer? Anyway, I’ve sort of achieved my objective. You did a good job killing him. At least, I won’t have to worry about him giving me trouble.

“Do you really think that solves all your problems?” Yerek took a puff on his cigarette before uttering with a hostile expression, “Preston is no fool. Sooner or later, he’ll start suspecting you.”

Emilia’s actions had offended a few big shots at the same time. If she could use her abilities in other areas, perhaps, the Steele family would not have been in such dire straits.

Even though Emilia was panicking internally, she kept a poker face and said nonchalantly, “Yerek, if you think about it, I’m actually doing you a favor. Nathaniel wouldn’t have the time after you if he’s busy dealing with Sebastian’s relationship problem.”

Chapter 707 Cherishing Each Other

Yerek was eager to sell off his domestic assets and leave the country to maintain a low profile. However, his plan was far from easy and presented many challenges.

Not only did Nathaniel covertly intercept the projects Yerek had painstakingly negotiated, but he also tarnished his company’s reputation when he decided to sell it, making it difficult for anyone to take over his business ventures. His debt was also growing by the day.

The assets left to him by Nigel were not sustainable in the long run. If he still failed to get out of the situation, his overseas company would inevitably suffer.

“Don’t underestimate Nathaniel. The fact that he hasn’t caused trouble for me doesn’t mean he can’t find the time to do so. Perhaps he’s just biding his time for a grand move,” Yerek said, unwilling to waste more words on Emilia. “Starting tomorrow, I’ll be going abroad for a while. You might as well find a safe place to hide for some time. Once the situation calms down, I’ll inform you to come back.”

Rather than going into hiding to ensure her safety, Emilia chose to take risks and stay put to witness the unfolding drama. “I don’t want to go into hiding. I can simply stay indoors. They have no evidence against me, so they won’t be able to harm me in any way.”

Glancing at Emilia with a mocking expression, Yerek responded indifferently, “Suit yourself. But if things go south, don’t you dare drag me down with you.” He extinguished his cigarette and casually tossed it out of the window. “You can get out now.”

Nevertheless, Emilia refused to leave. Yerek knitted his brows. “Is there anything else you want to talk about?”

Emilia attempted to put on a friendly facade. “Yerek, you’re worried that I might cause you trouble, right? How about this? I have plans for plastic surgery, but it comes with a hefty price tag. Considering your recent financial success, I thought maybe you could lend me some money?”

Yerek’s face instantly turned grim, and he could not help but raise his voice. “Do you take me for a money-printing machine? I can’t just conjure up any amount you desire. At most, I can give you one million. It’s up to you to figure out how to cover the rest of the expenses.”

One million would not even cover the most basic plastic surgery at a high-end hospital, let alone the expenses for postoperative recovery and adjustments.

After losing her job in the entertainment industry, Emilia did not have enough savings to support her lavish lifestyle. She had no choice but to explore other channels to make money.

“Yerek, that’s not enough. Can’t you give me a bit more?” Emilia attempted to use her charming tactics to entice Yerek into providing her with additional funds, but Yerek was not swayed by her ploy.

“It’s not my problem that you don’t have enough money,” Yerek sneered. “I do have a solution that can save you some money, though. It depends on whether you’re willing to do it.”

Emilia’s eyes lit up with curiosity. “What is it?”

“I know an expert in 3D printing technology, and he specializes in creating hyper-realistic masks. I can write a recommendation letter for you, and you can visit him to get a custom made mask. It’ll save you time and effort, and you’ll avoid unnecessary complications. It perfect solution,” he explained.

Upon hearing that, she frowned. Isn’t that something Anya had tried before? How could he propose a plan that had already failed? What is he thinking?

Noticing the concern in her eyes, Yerek reassured her, saying, “You’re smarter than Anya. I’m confident that you won’t make the same mistakes she did.” D

Emilia found herself inexplicably stirred by a sense of competition, nearly losing herself in desire, and impulsively agreed without much thought. “Give me the person’s contact information then.”

A small smirk appeared on one corner of Yerek’s lips as he retrieved a business card from his wallet and passed it to Emilia. He reminded her, “He doesn’t like to handle a big crowd, so you’ll have to visit him alone.”

“Got it,” Emilia replied, cradling the business card as if it were a precious treasure.

Meanwhile, at Hadley Corporation, Christina and Victoria took the CEO-exclusive elevator straight to the top-floor office.

Since Sebastian had received Victoria’s message, he had been waiting outside the elevator doors.

As soon as Victoria spotted Sebastian, her emotions surged. Without a moment’s hesitation, she flung herself into his arms in front of Christina. “I’m sorry, Seb. It’s my fault that my brother caused trouble for you. Did he give you a hard time? Did he hurt you? Let me see if you’re injured.”

“I’m fine. Let’s go somewhere else. It’s not convenient to talk here,” Sebastian said.

Victoria nodded obediently, seemingly oblivious to Christina’s presence.

Christina casually cleared her throat. “There’s something I need to discuss with Nathaniel. You guys go ahead.”

Sebastian expressed his gratitude. “Thank you, Mrs. Hadley.”

“You’re welcome. We’re still looking forward to attending your wedding. Mr. Taggart, don’t keep us waiting,” Christina teased with a grin, and without looking back, she turned and walked toward the CEO’s office.

Sebastian held Victoria’s hand and walked her to the pantry.

Nathaniel was in the middle of a video conference that could not be interrupted when Christina entered the office. She sat in the lounge area, scrolling her phone and patiently waiting for him to finish his meeting.

Christina logged into her social media account and discovered that all the rumors and gossip surrounding Sebastian and Victoria had vanished from the internet. Even the previously trending posts about her being reprimanded had mysteriously disappeared without a trace.

“What are you looking at? I’ve been calling your name without getting a response,” Nathaniel said as he walked over and sat beside her. He could not help but notice that her phone was displaying a celebrity gossip site. “The Lesleys found it embarrassing, so they went to great lengths and spent a considerable amount of money to erase all the online reports. And regarding the troubles you caused, I’ve already entrusted the PR department to handle them.”

Earlier that morning, Nathaniel had overheard conversations among employees. That was how he came to learn about the peculiar online tactics Christina had employed.

Nathaniel was both mad and amused. It seemed that his reminders to Christina over the past few days had fallen on deaf ears.

However angry he may be, and regardless of the magnitude of the mess his wife had caused, Nathaniel knew that he still had to assist her in cleaning it up.

“I’m sorry, but if I had the chance to do it all over again, I would still do the same thing.” Christina responded with a hint of dissatisfaction. “Sebastian and Victoria have genuine feelings for each other, and they haven’t done anything morally wrong. So, why should they endure the mockery of the online community?”

Furthermore, she could not simply stand by and let people criticize Victoria without taking any action.

“Just a while ago, Preston approached me. He had this idea of discreetly convincing Sebastian to end his relationship with Victoria in order to mitigate the rumors and salvage the Lesley family’s reputation,” Nathaniel explained, his indifference evident in his tone. “But I turned down his proposal and didn’t allow him to meet with Sebastian. I’m planning to relocate Sebastian to our international branch and focus on developing his ability to handle things on his own.”

With the scandal in full swing, it seemed that the best choice for the Lesley family was to send Victoria overseas.

Nathaniel had no intention of intentionally keeping Sebastian and Victoria apart. His action would be contingent upon the Lesley family’s decision on Victoria’s overseas destination. Given the extensive global reach of Hadley Corporation, with subsidiaries and operations spanning various countries and regions, Nathaniel had the flexibility to align Sebastian’s transfer accordingly.

He understood that the Lesleys might eventually see through his plans, but he remained undeterred, confident in his ability to navigate any obstacles they might present.

“There’s something still bothering me, Nat. I don’t think Preston will give up so easily.” Christina voiced her concern.

Chapter 708 Recruitment

“Preston would never fight a losing battle. There’s no need for you to worry too much” Nathaniel must have known what Preston was planning. However, he had no intention of bringing the schemes at work into his personal life, so he changed the topic. “It’s going to be noon. Let’s go and have lunch.”

“Okay,” said Christina with a smile.

Before leaving, she sent a message to Victoria. She did not mind even though Victoria did not respond to her message.

After Christina and Nathaniel had their lunch, Victoria contacted her. The two women arranged to meet up at Hadley Corporation.

“Once you’re done, head straight home. Don’t stay out for too long. It isn’t safe in Jadeborough during this period of time,” reminded Nathaniel before he got out of the car. “Remember not to contact the Lesley family on your own.”

“I understand.” Christina smiled. “See you at night.”

Nathaniel leaned forward and gave her a kiss on her forehead. He said gently. “Be careful Call me if there’s anything.”

Christina nodded and watched Nathaniel walk into the office building.

“Christina, you guys are practically an old married couple, so can you not display so much affection every time? Please have some consideration for my feelings.”

Victoria was very envious when she saw how lovey-dovey Christina and Nathaniel were

If she and Sebastian could get married, their married life would surely be sweeter than any couple.

With that thought in mind, Victoria felt all blissful.

“Who was the one who jumped on her boyfriend the moment she saw him in the office quipped Christina

Victoria opened the car door and sat next to Christina. “That isn’t the same Christina plea don’t make fun of me

She covered her face shyly. “If you continue to do so, I won’t talk y

Christina removed her hands and asked, “Are you not sad anym

“Yes. I’ve talked about it with Sebastian. We decided to pick a suitable time for him to go back home with me to meet my family. That will make our relationship official.” Victoria let out a sweet smile before continuing, “No matter what difficulties we shall encounter, we’ll face it together and overcome the problem.”

“That’s good news.” Christina was genuinely happy for Victoria. “What do you intend to do before that?”

“Sebastian owns a condominium in the city, so I’ll stay there for a few days until my parents have calmed down. Then I’ll go back home,” said Victoria. “Christina, now that your studio has reopened, can you hire me as a designer? I’d like to be able to support myself.”

Christina could not ask for more. She was just thinking of an excuse to recruit Victoria as a designer in her studio.

“That’s no problem at all. You can start work anytime,” said Christina happily.

“Thank you, Christina.” Victoria gave her an emotional hug and kissed her a few times on her face.

In the end, Christina could not take it anymore and pushed her away. She wiped her face and said, “Victoria, stay away from me. I don’t want any trouble from Sebastian.”

Victoria pushed her luck and hugged Christina again. She nuzzled up against her face like an adorable little kitten.

“You’re my senior. Sebastian won’t be jealous. He’s a handsome and capable man who knows what he should and should not do.”

Christina could not help but roll her eyes and allowed Victoria to mumble on. All she talked about was how outstanding Sebastian was. It was clear that Victoria was very much in love.

Christina sent Victoria to the condominium, and the two women bade each farewell. “I still have something on, so I won’t go up with you. If there’s anything, call me.”

To that, Victoria responded, “I will. Bye, Christina.”

On the way back to Scenic Garden Manor, Christina leaned in her seat and felt sleepy. She had developed the habit of napping in the afternoon, but she was unable to do so that afternoon.

Lyle turned up the air-conditioning and slowed down the car.

Christina slept for a while in the car. Once she arrived at Scenic Garden Manor, she was prepared to continue her nap in the bedroom.

Just then, the butler walked up to her. “Mrs. Hadley, Mrs. Lazuli is here in the living room.

She has been waiting for you since this morning.”

Because of what happened previously, Azure was no longer allowed to set foot into Scenic Garden Manor.

Nevertheless, once a person started to act shamelessly, they would be much more difficult to handle.

When the butler refused to allow Azure to meet Christina, Azure began to make a scene outside Scenic Garden Manor. Her image and dignity as a rich woman were all gone.

In order to protect the Hadley family’s reputation, the butler had no choice but to invite Azure into the living room for the time being.

He did not inform Christina and ignored Azure on purpose. The butler was hoping that Azure would leave on her own once she realized she would not be seeing Christina.

Unfortunately, the butler had underestimated Azure’s patience. Azure ended up waiting for many hours.

“Did she say why she is looking for me?” asked Christina unhappily.

“No,” replied the butler.

“I see. You should continue what you were doing. I’ll go in and take a look.” Christina then strode toward the living room. Before she realized what was happening, Azure charged at her in a huff.

“Christina, I can’t believe how arrogant you have become. It’s so hard to see you nowadays.” Azure snorted coldly with a grim face.

If she had not heard that something had happened to Anya in Jadeborough, Azure would never have wanted to see Christina again in this lifetime.

She wished that Christina was not part of the Gibson family!

“Mrs. Lazuli, please watch your words. I don’t like people making a din at my turf.”

Without any expression, Christina sat down in front of Azure and got straight to the point.

“You wouldn’t have come for no reason. Tell me. What is it this time? I’m very busy.”

Azure was infuriated by Christina’s arrogant manner, but she could not do anything about it.

“I heard something happened to Anya.”

“She’s dead.”

Christina sounded very calm, as if it was nothing important.

“What?” Azure stood up in shock. “Christina, no matter what, Anya was still your sister for a while. How could you harm her?”

Christina looked up at her with a smirk. “Who told you that I was the one who hurt Anya? Was it Yerek?”

Azure was stumped, looking at Christina uneasily.

“If I really wanted Anya dead, I have hundreds of ways to let her disappear from this world without a trace,” said Christina. “Before Anya died, she kidnapped me with Emilia. Now that something has happened to Anya, Emilia has disappeared.”

She flashed an eerie smile. “Why don’t you go and ask Emilia who actually killed Anya?”

 

Chapter 709 Pass The Buck

Emilia?

Azure had met Emilia a few times, but she did not think too highly of the latter. To Azure, a woman who would do anything for money was of no importance.

“Where’s the proof?” Azure was not stupid. “Are you trying to use me to get rid of Emilia? That’s why you’re so willing to tell me who Anya’s murderer is.”

“If that’s what you want to believe, then I can do nothing about it,” said Christina. “Mrs. Lazuli, it’s up to you whether you want to believe me or not. You can hunt for the evidence by yourself. If there’s nothing else, please leave.”

Christina then got up and walked toward the stairs. Azure’s angry voice rang out.

“Christina, stop right there. I still have something to ask you.” Azure went up to grab hold of her. “Where have you hidden your father? I want to see him.”

Azure had come to look for Christina on the pretext of finding out what happened to Anya. In truth, she was looking for Timothy.

She believed that Timothy still had a conscience and would not ignore her.

Christina’s face fell at the mention of Timothy, and she glared at Azure.

“You have never cared whether my father was dead or alive. Now that Nigel is in prison, Anya is dead, Yerek is busy saving himself, and Barnaby doesn’t want you anymore, you place your last hopes on my father. What a great idea.”

Christina’s words cut Azure’s heart like a razor-sharp knife.

Without her expensive jewelry and clothes, Azure no longer looked dignified and virtuous. Her haggard face had aged by a decade, and she looked far worse than most women her

Christina could tell that Azure had been suffering during this period, and it was precisely why Azure wanted to find out the whereabouts of Timothy.

Azure was utterly humiliated. She looked away and mumbled, “Of course, I’m concerned about him. He’s also my son. You have the least right to pass comment on me.”

age.

Azure was determined to find out where Timothy was. “Christina, if you don’t tell me where your father is, I’ll inform the police. When this gets out, it’ll be embarrassing for you!”

Christina stood on the step with her arms crossed. She looked down at Azure.

“Go on then. Call the police. When the police come looking for me, I’ll tell them how Nigel plotted against my parents fifteen years ago and that both Yerek and you knew about it but did nothing. Do you think the police will come after both of you or me by then? Right. You were away in Hallsbay, so I’m sure you don’t know that Yerek has received Nigel’s overseas assets. My dad must have put in painstaking effort for those assets. If I choose to pursue the matter, Nigel will probably never get out of prison in this lifetime. Yerek is no better. Why don’t I send Yerek in too so that both father and son can accompany one another?”

Azure was so furious that her face turned ashen. She placed one hand on her chest and pointed at Christina with another, dumbfounded.

Christina sneered, “What else do you want to say to me? Do it once and for all. I’ll be sure to give you a clear answer.”

“You… You heartless b*tch!” Azure’s eyes had turned red, and she was disgusted by Christina’s behavior. “If you dare hurt Yerek, I won’t let you off!”

As soon as Azure finished speaking, she collapsed.

The butler immediately came over and placed his finger near Azure’s nose. “Mrs. Hadley, she has fainted.”

There was no expression on Christina’s face. “Send her to the hospital and inform Yerek.”

That was the last thing Christina would do for Azure. As for Azure’s future, it would depend on her fate.

“Yes.” The butler summoned the housekeeper.

The incident did not affect Christina. She went to her bedroom and had a wonderful nap.

When Yerek found out about what happened to Azure, he was annoyed. In the end, he sent someone to the hospital with a wad of cash and did not turn up personally.

Azure convinced herself that Yerek was busy at work. That was why he did not come to visit her.

Once Azure was discharged, she found out the whereabouts of Emilia and went to look for her on her own.

When Emilia heard the doorbell ring, she got a fright. Holding her breath, she walked quietly to the door and looked through the peephole.

It was Azure.

Why is this old woman not in Hallsbay? What is she doing here?

It had been a long time since Emilia interacted with Azure. Emilia dared not open the door and pretended that she was not home.

Bang!

The door shook violently as it made a deafening sound.

Emilia got a shock and stared at the door.

She was staying in an old residential area, and the facilities were dilapidated. That old door would not be able to stand up to such violent torture.

“Emilia, I know you’re at home. Open up!” Azure continued to slam on the door. “I’m giving you three seconds. When the time is up, I’ll get someone to tear the door down!”

Emilia gritted her teeth and opened the door. “What do you want? I don’t know you. Why are you behaving like a barbarian in front of my house?”

“You don’t know me?” scoffed Azure as she squeezed past Emilia and walked into the house uninvited.

That pissed Emilia off. “This is my house. Get out!” She pointed at the door.

Azure walked around the house before settling on the couch like she owned the place.

“I don’t care if you really don’t know me or if you are pretending. I’m sure I got the right person, and that’s you, Emilia,” said Azure in a stern voice. “I’m sure you know Anya. She’s my granddaughter. Two days ago, she died a horrible death all of a sudden. You were the last one to see her before she died.”

She’s up to no good!

Emilia calmed herself. “That’s rubbish. Christina was the last to see her. To tell you the truth, Anya and I were sort of close with one another. I feel sorry for her demise and am also looking for evidence to avenge her death.”

Both Emilia and Christina said completely different things. Azure had no idea who she should believe.

“You only got close to Anya because both of you were plotting a kidnapping, am I right?” said Azure shrewdly. “I know the real Anya. She would never mingle with indecent people. Furthermore, she was very particular so I’m sure you’re lying.”

Emilia panicked momentarily when she realized that she was being exposed and quickly forced herself to calm down.

“Did Christina tell you that? You have been duped by that woman. Gibson Corporation is a

Chapter 710 Clear My Name

Azure would rather place her trust in Emilia than Christina, as she had suffered in the hands of the latter many times.

“Present your evidence, and I might believe what you say.”

Little did she know Emilia was waiting for this very moment. “You want evidence, right? Wait here. I’ll fetch it for you.”

Emilia turned around and strode into the bedroom. Azure watched as Emilia searched high and low inside the room, not knowing what Emilia was looking for.

Noticing that Emilia was coming out of the room, Azure quickly withdrew her gaze, feigning an air of nonchalance as she looked askance at Emilia.

“Have you found it?” she asked, reaching out to Emilia. “Let me have a look.”

Emilia shoved a phone into her hand. “This is the surveillance camera footage from the scene. You will understand what happened once you see it.”

Azure played the video and realized that it was footage from an accident. Captured within the footage was Anya’s car veering out of control, then crashing into the roadside before exploding.

Soon, three figures appeared not far from the explosion site. Two of them she recognized were Christina and Nathaniel. However, the third was a familiar face yet she couldn’t remember.

Stoking the fire, Emilia added, “Even if Christina couldn’t commit such heinous acts like murder and arson, her husband, Nathaniel, could. They’re birds of a feather, both deplorable.”

Azure’s hands holding the phone trembled violently. Had she not seen this footage, Christina might have successfully fooled her.

“Since you hold such evidence, why not hand it over to the police? What are you waiting for?” Azure questioned Emilia, her tone full of hatred.

“I wish to seek justice for Anya, but I am powerless.” Emilia displayed her impeccable acting skills, her voice choked with sobs. “The Hadley family owns the entire Jadeborough. They have eyes on me at all times. If I hand this evidence over, I’ll surely be the next victim. I am living in perpetual fear. It’s not easy for me.”

Azure felt that something didn’t add up. However, her thoughts were a jumbled mess, and she could not see through the hidden secrets within.

“Then what about your plot with Anya to kidnap Christina? How do you explain that?”

“I did not participate in that. I’m usually busy, so I rarely contact Anya. Usually, she’s the one seeking me out.” Emilia sounded so convincing that she managed to hoodwink Azure with her silver tongue. “I won’t interfere with how you choose to handle this evidence. My only condition is that Christina and Nathaniel must not know the evidence came from me. Can we agree on that?”

Azure regarded Emilia in silence.

Emilia pleaded, “Please, I beg you. Since I helped you, help me out just this once. I have a deep grudge against Christina. She’s itching for a chance to teach me a lesson.”

After a moment of silence, Azure said, “Very well. You have my word.”

A wide smile stretched across Emilia’s face, but her eyes held not a shred of warmth.

She personally escorted Azure to the door and laughed smugly. “What a fool. The Gibsons are such fools to fall for such a ruse. Christina, let’s see how you get out of this one!”

After exiting Emilia’s house, Azure hailed a cab to head to the police station to hand over the evidence.

The police treated the matter with high priority and dispatched officers to Scenic Garden Manor immediately.

Christina was jolted awake by the butler. She sat up groggily, and upon listening to the butler’s report, she asked in disbelief, “What did you say? The police want to question me?”

She couldn’t recall any transgressions she might have committed.

“Yes. The two police officers refuse to disclose the reason,” Raymond said.

Christina rose from the bed and changed into a set of comfortable clothes before descending the stairs.

“Mrs. Hadley, we meet again,” greeted one of the officers, who was a familiar face.

Christina flashed the two police officers a polite smile. “I apologize for keeping you waiting I was resting. Please ask anything you wish. I’ll cooperate to the best of my abilities”

Gracefully, she took a seat, then had Raymond serve two cups of hot tea

Without mincing words, the senior police officers asked, “Mrs. Hadley, we’ve received a report suggesting your involvement in the attempted murder of Anya Gibson. We would like to know where you were and what you were doing on the day of the incident. We hope you can tell us the truth”

So, they’re here for the case concerning Anya….

“Officer, I, too, am a victim in this case. On the day of the incident, I was kidnapped by Anya and locked up in an abandoned school. My husband arrived just in time to save me, or I would have been killed by Anya that day.”

up on the

Sebastian had dealt with the aftermath of the incident, so Christina did not follow investigation. However, she was certain that no matter how crafty Azure was, the latter wouldn’t be able to touch her.

“Anya was desperate to escape, resulting in a severe car crash followed by an explosion. Officer, I want to know who killed Anya more than you do. However, I assure you that it wasn’t me,” Christina declared with conviction. “I am a pregnant woman. Even if I don’t think of myself, I have to think of my child. I would never engage in murder or arson.”

The senior police officer exchanged a glance with his partner. “Thank you for your cooperation, Mrs. Hadley. This is a major case, and we may have further questions. We hope you’ll stay in the city until the investigation concludes.”

Christina nodded in agreement. “No problem. Please let me know when you reach a conclusion. I am implicated in this matter and I wish to clear my name.”

“All right. We will take our leave for now,” the senior officer said before he exited with his

partner.

The two police officers went back to the car parked at the mansion entrance. The younger police officer asked in puzzlement, “Sir, we already have the evidence in our hands. Why didn’t we take Christina Steele in for questioning?”

The senior police officer took a puff of his cigarette, then gave his young partner an expressionless sideways glance. “You’re still too green and lack appropriate training. Don’t you know who Christina Steele is? The evidence we have alone doesn’t explain it all. If there’s something wrong with the evidence, the Hadley family will not let this slide.”

“But I have watched the footage multiple times. I didn’t identify any other valuable clues,” the younger police officer said. “The man who drove the car to stop Anya’s escape in the video is Christina’s

bodyguard. If she wants to silence anyone, she doesn’t need to lift a finger herself. Moreover, we found a remote control at the crime scene that has Christina’s fingerprints on it.”

The senior police officer was silent for a moment before he said in a solemn tone, “There’s something off about that footage. I remember the surveillance cameras at the crime scene are in disrepair and they’re practically non-functional. If that’s the case, where did this footage come from? Let’s return to the crime scene and search again.”

Christina stood before the floor-to-ceiling window on the second floor and watched as the police officers drove away impassively. She turned to Lyle who was

ordered, “Bring Emilia to me. I have questions for her.”