Ch. 1521..1530
Never Late, Never Away Chapter 1521
Carl? Cory? Larry snickered when he heard “Cory” was indeed a fake name, just as he expected. And now, all he needed to know was the reason he disguised his real identity.
“Go on,” Larry instructed Caspian as he knew the latter was waiting for him to digest that information.
“Not long ago, Carl attended a high school reunion gathering, where he coincidentally met an old friend. She was Gabriella, whom you are familiar with.”
Gabriella? Now, what does she have anything to do with this?
Everything seemed to be more complicated than Larry thought. Nonetheless, he kept his silence and waited for Caspian to continue.
“It turns out Gabriella and Carl were schoolmates. Carl had a crush on her and had tried numerous ways to pursue her but failed in the end. And since he encountered her during the reunion, Carl started talking to her again. At first, Gabriella showed rejection, but surprisingly after a while, they started acting intimate like close friends. That’s all for my discovery so far. I will continue to investigate.”
Indeed, Norton Corporation had a boundless power within the territory of Marsingfill. Hence, they would be able to get their hands on any kind of information they wanted.
So Carl and Gabriella, huh… It is not surprising that Carl made a move on Gabriella, but Gabriella’s change of attitude towards the former seems rather peculiar. I think there is something she wants from him, or they have already come to some sort of deal. Judging from Carl’s approach toward Joan by using his fake name, I can say that Joan is a vital part of their deal. In other words, all these are either about Joan or Carl himself. Obviously, Carl changed his name to prevent us from finding out the truth after he carries out his plan.
Based on the information given by Caspian, Larry was able to predict most of the situation. Needless to say, he also had a terrifying level of intelligence.
Technically, Carl’s plan had no flaw, and it was designed perfectly. The only mistake was that Carl underestimated both Norton Corporation’s power and Larry’s intelligence.
These two elements alone could cause him a deadly price.
However, even though Larry got hold of the truth, he decided not to take any action.
As for the current state, the best move seemed to be doing nothing at all.
After all, Larry had yet to figure out the deal between Carl and Gabriella. As a matter of fact, he was curious to see what wave this two could create.
“Spy closely on Gabriella and Carl. Inform me the second you discover anything suspicious, and remember not to expose yourself. They plan to play dirty with me, but they don’t realize that I’m way out of their league.” Larry instructed Caspian while his eyes flashed in confidence.
“Yes, Boss,” Caspian responded steadfastly.
After hanging up the phone, Larry stared outside the window for a long moment before he headed back into the bedroom to Joan’s side.
“What is it?” Noticing Larry’s furrowed brows, Joan could not hold back her concern.
“It’s nothing.” Larry sat down beside Joan with a smile on his face. “Caspian had just called me about something. I am afraid that from now on, our life won’t be as peaceful.”
“What happened?”
Anxiousness started to fill Joan’s heart. Perhaps it was due to the multiple tragedies she had experienced in the past; she would be easily nervous whenever something unexpected was to occur.
“It’s fine. Don’t worry.” Larry immediately comforted Joan, as he could feel her stiffened body in his embrace. “Nothing will happen. Even if something happens, I will always be by your side.”
Staring at Larry’s determined gaze, Joan felt instant relief in her heart. She no longer cared about the whole truth as she knew Larry would never let anything harm her. That was the only truth that mattered to her at the moment.
Never Late, Never Away Chapter 1522
Larry was waiting patiently for Gabriella and Carl to reveal their move. Meanwhile, Carl had no idea that his true identity was exposed and that Larry was closely monitoring all his moves.
In blind, Carl was in a rather joyous mood, as the plan he had been so diligently sowing finally seemed to reap.
With this in mind, he made a call to Gabriella.
Meanwhile, Gabriella was feeling frustrated. She finally understood why her own father lost his temper on her that day.
It was because of all the lies she planted inside Landon’s head, which triggered Landon to cancel the deal with Norton Corporation. This had caused an irreparable blow for the Ward family’s business.
Later, Landon found out that Norton Corporation was the reason why no one wanted to deal with the Wards.
After finding it out, Landon furiously called Finnick and questioned him harshly. But Finnick only replied with a simple yet insulting answer – you reap what you sow.
First on the list was the incident where Gabriella deliberately defamed Larry and his fiancée, Joan. Besides that, the Wards broke the contract, which resulted in a great loss for Norton Corporation. With all these, Norton Corporation was starting to counterattack.
Finnick was sending a clear message, that Norton Corporation would not allow anyone to take advantage of them. If anyone were to play the game with them, they would be sure to return the same favor.
Landon was beyond exasperated, but he knew the Wards was no match at all to Norton Corporation, whether in personal connections or economic strength. If Norton Corporation decided to destroy the Wards, he would not stand a chance to survive.
Thus, Landon regretted his rash action out of his stupidity. If he had known of the outcome, he would not have easily believed his daughter’s fabrication.
The entire empire he had poured his sweat and blood for was nearly brought down by some random lies from his daughter. At the thought of this, Landon could no longer suppress his wrath. He stormed into Gabriella’s room and slapped her.
“You insolent fool, look at what the Ward family has become because of you!”
Landon had fallen out with Gabriella as he roared furiously at her.
Meanwhile, Gabriella stared fearfully at her father’s exasperated eyes while her body was trembling incessantly. He had never laid a hand on her before. At that moment, she knew she had crossed the line.
Gabriella buried her face in her hands as she dared not to say a word in front of Landon. She knew she was the one held responsible for this mess. As much as she blamed herself, she resented Larry and Joan.
Right then, she no longer hoped to marry Larry. Her last hope was to destroy Larry and Joan with everything she had left. It was all their fault that she was on this path.
After Landon finished releasing his rage upon Gabriella, he stomped his way out from her room.
He knew it was meaningless to scold Gabriella. Eventually, he would still need to solve this mess on his own.
After Landon left, Gabriella froze on the spot as the color drained from her face.
It was all up to Carl at this stage. If Carl was able to pull it off, not only could she destroy Larry and Joan’s marriage, she might be able to create turmoil in Norton Corporation.
If putting Norton Corporation into chaos could help the Wards, there would be a chance for her father to forgive her.
Carl, please don’t let me down!
Just then, her phone rang. The instant she saw Carl’s name on the screen, she quickly picked it up.
“Hello, Carl.” There was a trace of hope in Gabriella’s voice as she felt that her anticipation was about to be fulfilled.
“Gabriella, do you miss me?” Carl greeted with a lecherous tone.
Gabriella was utterly revolted by his voice. Despite that, she had no choice but to humble herself as he was her only hope at the moment.
Never Late, Never Away Chapter 1523
Gabriella tried hard to act coy. “Yes, I do miss you a lot. How’s everything at your end?”
Her question simply could not hide her eagerness.
“Well, I have completed most of them perfectly. The only thing left is to send those photos to the media to spread rumors.” Carl was complacent as he spoke. “As soon as the rumors spread, regardless of how powerful Larry might be, there will be no way he could possibly wipe them clean.”
Gabriella smiled coldly as she wanted far more than just some rumors.
“Carl, besides sending the photos to the media, you should play the victim and keep disturbing Joan. Make the whole world believe that she abandoned you for Norton Corporation’s wealth. Don’t forget that Norton Corporation used their power to threaten you not to find Larry and Joan. You should avenge this and bring them into the eye of the storm.”
Carl hesitated upon hearing the proposal. “Won’t it be too over? Spreading rumors is fine as no one will know who does it. But if I go after them directly, ain’t I putting myself under the spotlight?”
Initially, he used a fake identity to prevent Norton Corporation from seeking revenge, but Gabriella wanted him to take on Norton Corporation directly. That sounded more and more like a blunt suicidal move.
“This is not what we agreed on in the first place. If I do this, surely Norton Corporation will come after me in all possible ways. Heck, I may not even see them coming!”
Unexpectedly, Carl rejected her.
Even so, Gabriella did not give up persuading. “Carl, there is no turning back for us now. Don’t you think so? Besides, if u act as a victim, I doubt the Norton family would dare to do anything to you. And after we accomplish this, I will tell my father about us right away. Then we will be able to get married.”
Gabriella bit her lips as she played her ace card.
As expected, Carl did not pay much attention to what she said, except for that last sentence, making his eyes beamed with excitement.
If I could marry Gabriella after all this is over, the power of the Wards will be in my possession by then. My victimized image will be my advantage in this incident, plus the protection from the Wards. I’m sure Norton Corporation won’t be able to harm me in any way.
Eventually, Carl could not reject Gabriella’s offer, or one could say the temptation of power and lust. He accepted her proposal with a willing heart right that instant.
“Alright, I will do as you said. But I hope you keep your promise, as I have recorded our conversation. If you trick me, I will send the recording to Larry. If I am to go down, I will make sure not to go down alone.” Carl let out an unexpected threat.
Son of a b*tch!
Gabriella cursed silently in her heart.
She was too naive to believe that she could escape all the responsibilities and leave Carl to face Norton Corporation’s wrath alone. Never did she think that Carl would outsmart her like this.
Nevertheless, she responded willingly. “What are you talking about? Since I have agreed to marry you, I will never take my words back. Don’t worry. As soon as we finish this, we will set a date for our marriage, and you will be one of the Wards.”
Gabriella’s heart was boiling with rage, yet she could not show a trace of it.
Right now, I can only improvise; one step at a time.
Meanwhile, Carl hung the phone, secretly elated with his brilliant move.
By doing so, Gabriella was now in the same boat with him. If anything happened to him, she could not get away with it either.
At that, Carl finally could move on his plan without any worry.
His first step was to make a call to the biggest media in Marsingfill.
“Hello, I have a piece of important news to tell you. There is no need to know who I am. I am merely a concerned citizen. I will send the photos and information to you in a while. That’s it.”
Never Late, Never Away Chapter 1524
He ended the call as soon as he finished speaking.
Without wasting any time, he sent over all the photos taken of him and Joan, together with a document contenting pure fabrications about their relationship.
Needless to say, the media would publish any news that could get good ratings for them, regardless of the truth. The following morning, an article about the fiancée of the Norton Corporation’s president having an affair with a mysterious man became a headline.
The content went like this: Joan, the fiancée of the Norton Corporation’s president, used business reasons as an excuse to go on a date with a mysterious guy during office hours. According to a source, the mysterious man’s name was Cory, while his occupation remains unknown.
At the bottom of these lines, a few intimate photos of Joan and Cory were attached.
These photos were secretly taken at the coffee shop where Carl deliberately acted friendly with Joan. Some others were taken when Joan visited Carl at the hospital when they were chatting and laughing.
In just a few days’ time, another headline became the hottest topic in Marsingfill.
While last time it was about Larry and Joan, this time it was about Joan as well.
Since Larry had announced his engagement with Joan in front of all the reporters, Joan had become a well-known figure in Marsingfill.
The moment the news published her affair with another man, it inevitably caused an uproar among the community.
Soon, Joan became the hot topic, together with the mysterious man, Cory.
While most of the community was more interested in how Larry would react to this news, many wondered if he would call off the engagement due to this public embarrassment.
In a blink of an eye, the entire city was gossiping about this incident.
Some “caring” gossipers in Marsingfill even started on a mission to search for the mysterious man. They tried all kinds of methods to get hold of his location, but all were in vain.
At the same time, all the media were hoping this “Cory” would step up to provide a solid explanation regarding this affair.
In the meantime, Carl also sensed that it was about time to reveal his true identity to the world.
Once again, he called the media anonymously and told them that “Cory” was only a fake name, whereas Carl was the real name.
As soon as Carl’s identity was exposed, bunches of journalists found his address, and all gathered there in an approach for another headline.
At that moment, Carl had already returned home from the hospital. He had been waiting for the journalists with a well-prepared script in his mind.
Noticing numerous journalists waiting outside his house, he unhesitatingly opened his door and started responding to their questions.
“Mr. Johnson, why did you call yourself ‘Cory?’ And are you the one who reveals the affair to the press?”
“I have no choice but to use a fake name because I am afraid that the Norton Corporation will surely retaliate. And I find it preposterous even to assume that I was the one who revealed this. I love Joan very much, so why would I put her into such a situation? My hope is for her to have a happy and peaceful life.” His gaze seemed extraordinarily sincere as he said this.
Just seconds into the interview, Carl had revealed yet another shocking detail. He knew well how to manipulate the media’s mind. Thus, all the journalists were exhilarated, and they continued to shoot him questions one after another.
“Mr. Johnson, why did you say that you are afraid of their retaliation? What is the reason that the Norton Corporation wants to do so?”
Carl was satisfied with that question from one of the journalists. This was exactly where he hoped to direct the media, as his purpose was to destroy the Norton Corporation.
“Mr. Johnson, based on your response, we can sense that you are deeply in love with Ms. Watts. But she is already the fiancée of the Norton Corporation’s president, don’t you think it is inappropriate for you to talk like this?”
Never Late, Never Away Chapter 1525
The journalists raised some pointed questions, but Carl had come prepared. As long as he played the victim card while announcing the “truth,” everything else would develop naturally.
“Before Joan and Larry, the president of Norton Corporation, got engaged, I was her one true love! “It’s all Larry’s fault! He was the one who forced us to break up. He also threatened me that if I come looking for Joan again, he’ll go to any lengths to cause devastation to my family and myself!
“My family is of little significance. How could we possibly compete with the powerful Norton Corporation? So, reluctantly, I vowed never to see Joan again. “So much time has passed, yet I still cannot forget her. Left without a choice, I created a fake identity to meet Joan. That way, I don’t have to worry about retaliation from the Norton Corporation. I just didn’t expect my cover to be blown.”
Carl put up a miserable front as he spoke. The journalists at the scene were instantly hooked and began to buy his lie.
“Mr. Johnson, so what you’re saying is, you and Ms. Watts have been madly in love with each other all this time, but it was Mr. Norton, the president of Norton Corporation, who destroyed your relationship?”
The journalists continued to ask. They could hardly believe that Larry was the third party in that relationship.
“No, Joan doesn’t love me anymore. She has made her choice. Larry is indeed a much more suitable partner for her compared to me. But I just can’t forget about her, so I came to see her.”
And with that, tears welled up in his eyes.
To their relief, Larry was not who they imagined him to be—a person who would come between other people’s relationships. It was certainly unrealistic to think that the dignified president of Norton Corporation would turn out to be such a despicable person. If that were true, the journalists might have second thoughts about broadcasting the interview.
“Mr. Johnson, if what you’re saying is true, then we certainly sympathize with what you’ve been through. But please know that Ms. Watts has a fiancé now. So it’s not right of you to keep pestering Ms. Watts like this.”
One of the journalists was sharp enough to point out.
“I know what I’m doing isn’t right, but I just have to see her and our child.”
Carl, with his head lowered, admitted with a twinge of sorrow.
“What? Is Joan pregnant with your child?”
Carl practically dropped a bombshell on them all, igniting their agitation at once.
“Mr. Johnson, I sure hope everything you say is based on the truth and facts. Otherwise, you could go to jail for committing slander.”
Another journalist reminded him out of courtesy, hoping that he was not deceiving them.
“Why would I lie about that? Joan is indeed pregnant with our child. Although she has made a different choice, the child is undoubtedly mine. I can’t bear to leave them!”
Somehow, Carl had gotten wind of the news that Joan was pregnant, so he used that to his advantage, claiming the unborn child as his to stir the pot. Naturally, his story left the journalists in utter shock.
The news they got today was simply too huge to ignore, and they needed time to sort it out.
The journalists raised a few more trivial questions before deciding to call it a day. After all, the information they had collected so far was more than enough to cause an uproar.
Sure enough, after the journalists announced the news to the public, the whole city of Marsingfill was shocked to the core!
First of all, they could not tolerate the fact that Norton Corporation abused its power to threaten Carl.
Carl’s role was apparently much closer to the average person, and he represented the masses. Hence, the fact that Norton Corporation threatened Carl was really getting on their nerves.
Secondly, Carl and Joan used to be a couple, and Joan was now pregnant with his child!
Carl might not have admitted that Larry single-handedly destroyed his and Joan’s relationship, but considering that Larry had threatened him not to see Joan, it was not far-fetched to say that he was not above breaking up a couple who were in love.
Perhaps the president of Norton Corporation was a homewrecker through and through, but he held such a powerful position that he could cover up all his nasty deeds.
A repeated rumor would eventually become a fact.
Never Late, Never Away Chapter 1526
When rumors spread like wildfire by word of mouth, those rumors would soon be recognized as the truth.
In the eyes of the masses, Norton Corporation at present was an evil force that would use its own power to harm the interests of the public in order to get what they want.
Larry had also become an unscrupulous homewrecker, as labeled by the public, who forcibly trampled on other people’s feelings!
And just like that, Joan, Larry, and the entire Norton Corporation were suddenly in the eye of the storm.
Not long after, the news traveled to Joan’s ears. When she heard about it, she was in utter disbelief.
Cory is only a fake name! The man’s real name is actually Carl!
For the longest time, Joan thought he was a nice person. He was gentlemanly and displayed impeccable manners, and when Larry reminded her to watch out for Carl, she failed to take heed.
Right then, she realized that she had been too naïve. Carl merely approached her just so that she would let her guard down around him and enable him to achieve certain goals.
In a fit of rage, Joan called Carl on the phone.
“Hey, Carl, is it? Why did you do this? When have I, Larry, and the entire Norton Corporation ever wronged you? What can you possibly gain from framing us?”
Joan, on the verge of losing her mind, shouted angrily over the phone.
“Oh, it’s you, Joan. I didn’t mean for anything like that to happen. It wasn’t my intention at all.”
Carl was still putting up a pretense.
“What do you mean it wasn’t your intention? You defamed Larry and me in front of all those journalists. You even framed the whole Norton family. And now you’re telling me it’s not your fault?”
Joan questioned him harshly. Never in her life had she met someone as brazen as him.
“Why, I’m only telling the truth, Joan. Although you fancy Larry now, you can’t deny the fact that we were once lovers, not to mention you’re currently carrying my child. Have you forgotten what happened during that night of passion?”
Carl intended to keep up the act, sticking to the story he had made up on his own. He wanted to see if he could drive Joan insane. Moreover, he was afraid that there might be other people on Joan’s end who were listening in on their conversation. So he had to be careful not to make mistakes just in case.
“Shut up!”
Joan panted heavily, infuriated by Carl’s shamelessness.
“It will not end well for you! Sooner or later, you will get your retribution!”
Joan had nothing more to say to him. She yelled her last sentences into the phone before she hung up in a rage. Then she sat down and held her head, groaning in misery.
After they received news of the scandal that morning, Larry had hurried to the company to deal with the follow-up issues arising from the matter. Joan was the only one at home.
At the moment, Larry was in the company cooking up countermeasures to deal with their predicament. Although he had expected that Carl and Gabriella would take some sort of action, he did not think that they would be so well-prepared. They even managed to weaponize public opinion to work in their favor, painting Joan, himself, and Norton Corporation as the enemies this time around.
Larry found himself in a sticky situation, but he was still able to stay grounded. When faced with such a situation, the solution was actually quite simple. As long as he could somehow get the dirt on Gabriella and Carl, all the rumors would eventually bury themselves.
The official team of Norton Corporation was dealing with the aftermath of the incident, hoping to minimize the negative publicity as much as they could.
Conversely, Larry returned home nonchalantly. Since there was nothing he could do at present with Norton Corporation’s official team sorting things out behind the scenes, all he had to do was sit back and wait for updates, from Caspian in particular.
In his opinion, the most important thing right then was to go home and accompany Joan.
He wondered if the ordeal would cause her imagination to run wild again.
Back at home, Joan was quietly wiping her tears away.
Seeing that, Larry quickly approached Joan and took her into his arms. He whispered to her, “There, there, Joan. What’s gotten you so upset?”
“Larry, I really don’t know Carl at all. He made everything up. Please, tell me you don’t believe him!”
Never Late, Never Away Chapter 1527
Joan gazed at Larry with teary eyes, fully expecting to see the look of affirmation on his face.
“Of course, silly girl. Why wouldn’t I believe you? Do you remember me telling you before that I think there’s something fishy about Carl? I’ve sent a team to investigate him again. Don’t worry. We’ll get to the bottom of this in no time.”
Larry stroked Joan’s long hair affectionately as he assured her in a gentle tone.
“I… I thought you wouldn’t believe me. I thought you wouldn’t want me anymore!”
Joan had indeed freaked out when she thought that Larry might choose to leave her because of public pressure. After all, people would believe what they wanted to believe, and any further explanation would be futile.
“Silly girl, even if the sky falls, I won’t give up on you,” Larry declared firmly.
“Then what do we do now? It’s all my fault. If only I had realized Carl’s wretched intentions from the start, we wouldn’t be in this mess. You wouldn’t become the talk of the town, and Norton Corporation would not be at the receiving end of public criticism.”
As she thought about their current situation, Joan could not stop blaming herself.
“Shh… don’t blame put the blame on yourself. This didn’t happen because of you. Even without this incident, those people out there would still find other ways to make us look bad. But don’t worry, I know a way around it,” Larry said as he watched Joan intently.
“Yes, I believe you can fix everything!”
Joan was no longer in a panicked mode. Since starting a life with Larry, she had become accustomed to trusting him unconditionally.
Leaning against his chest, Joan could feel the warmth of his body. That was where she could find a sense of security and peace; that was her safe haven.
Feeling the gradually even breathing of the person in his arms, Larry had his mind made up. Gabriella, I won’t allow you to continue doing this. Since you aren’t afraid of anything, then I’ll let you have a taste of what it’s like to be framed.
Caspian was really quick at gathering information, so Larry did not have to wait long before he received a call from his bodyguard.
Larry did not answer the phone at the first ring. Instead, he carried Joan, who had fallen sound asleep, to bed and put her down gently. Then he exited the bedroom, found a relatively secluded area in the house, and picked up the phone.
“Sir, we have some news.”
Caspian got straight to the point once Larry answered the call.
“Do tell. I’m listening.”
“My men managed to find evidence of Gabriella and Carl working together in secret. This was all a setup. They were the ones behind everything. We’ve obtained the voice recordings of their phone conversations. I’ll send those to you soon.”
Caspian has always spoken in a concise manner and preferred to keep his words simple. After he finished reporting, he paused and waited for Larry’s command.
“Good job, Caspian,” Larry gave his compliments.
As Larry’s most trusted man, Caspian had yet to disappoint him.
“That’s all. Send your men to keep a close eye on Gabriella and Carl. Notify me immediately when you sense any sort of activity,” Larry instructed Caspian.
“Yes, sir.”
Caspian hung up the phone when Larry had nothing more to say.
After a while, a voice recording was sent to Larry’s phone. It was of Gabriella and Carl discussing ways to sabotage Larry and Norton Corporation.
Carl had initially planned to keep the recording in case Gabriella went back on her promise to marry him. If that happened, he could use it as proof to threaten her. Somehow, Caspian managed to get his hands on the criminal evidence.
Carl thought he had been smart to save a copy of the recording, not knowing that it would eventually help Larry to put an end to this farce effortlessly.
With the evidence in his grasp, Larry was more than confident that he could resolve the problem, and he became much more composed.
Now that the crisis was on its way to resolution, he might as well take the time to relax and observe what other tricks Carl and Gabriella, the two scheming clowns, had up their sleeves.
He had even ordered Norton Corporation’s PR Department and the official team not to come forward to settle the company’s negative publicity.
With that, the entire Norton Corporation waited like a dormant beast to deal the fatal blow.
News coming from Carl was still being reported. There was talk about Norton Corporation’s inaction, having succumbed to the unbearable pressure from the public, and rumors claimed that Joan had begun to regret choosing Larry over Carl and that she intended to reconcile with the latter. Other than that, there were reports saying that Norton Corporation was barely surviving and that the corporate champion could possibly go bankrupt soon
Never Late, Never Away Chapter 1528
Carl spared no mercy in fabricating any sort of tall tales that he deemed capable of threatening Larry and Norton Corporation.
For a time, Carl’s name resounded throughout Marsingfill. Everyone wanted to know whether this insignificant commoner could bring down the local legend, Norton Corporation, to its knees, causing the company to fall into disrepute or even bankruptcy.
Carl found himself riding on the crest of success. Norton Corporation’s inaction made him believe that they dared not show their faces because they simply could not produce corresponding evidence. Therefore, his words became bolder in front of the journalists, his ego getting the better of him.
He also called Gabriella numerous times, asking when she would marry him.
Gabriella told him that they were currently at a crucial point in time and warned him not to keep calling her so as not to risk exposure.
But Carl would not listen. He even swore that he would reveal everything to the press if Gabriella went back on her word.
Left without a choice, Gabriella appeased him by saying that the Ward family was still recovering from the major blow dealt by the Norton family. It would take some time for the Wards to get back on their feet, but once they did, she would marry him immediately.
Carl happily agreed. Now all I have to do is wait for Norton Corporation to declare bankruptcy due to overwhelming debts.
At the same time, there was also a large number of journalists and media representatives who wanted to interview Larry and Joan, hoping that they could provide some reasonable explanation for their current predicament.
But they were disappointed as Larry and Joan rejected all forms of interviews. Even when rumors were flying everywhere, they chose to ignore the chaos.
As the farce continued to fester and the rumors soared to new heights, Larry and Norton Corporation finally took action. He declared his willingness to accept interviews from the press.
When the journalists got wind of his announcement, they flocked to Norton Corporation immediately. All of them wanted to witness how Norton Corporation intended to resolve the crisis.
After he had attracted enough attention, Larry moved on to the next step. He signaled the journalists to quiet down, and then he played a recording.
“Carl, now that we have come to this stage of our plan, do you think you can still turn back? You should know that everything you do is based on your claim as a victim. That’s why the Norton family dares not mess with you. When this whole issue is done and dusted, I’ll tell my father all about us, and then we’ll get married!”
They heard a woman’s voice in the recording.
The journalists scratched their heads when they heard that Larry was going to play a recording for them. You’re neither providing any explanation nor allowing us to interview you. Instead, you let us listen to a recording. What’s the meaning of this?
However, after they listened carefully to the recording, they began to understand.
What Larry wanted to convey to the press was that the entire commotion had been directed by Carl and the woman in the recording.
But what could be proven from a single tape?
Soon, the journalists began to raise questions.
“Mr. Norton, I don’t know what you’re trying to tell us by playing that tape. I don’t think we can get any substantive information from it.”
“Let’s not rush things. This is merely the tip of the iceberg,” Larry assured them.
“The woman in the recording is Gabriella. You all should know by now that, some time ago, Gabriella was the one who accused Joan of being my mistress and even pretended to be my fiancée.”
Before the reporters could respond, Larry continued, “Gabriella has always held a grudge against me and Joan, my fiancée. That was why she directed this sham. “She colluded with Carl, who approached Joan on purpose and had someone take photos of the two of them that seemed intimate. She then framed Norton Corporation, accusing me of threatening Carl and sabotaging his relationship with Joan.
“But in fact, Carl and Joan never knew each other. In fact, he was the one who arranged for someone to take candid photos of their initial meeting. “Besides, you can’t piece a whole story together just by looking at these photos, can you? Don’t simply buy into Carl’s one-sided statements.”
“Mr. Norton, you’re telling us not to believe Carl’s side of the story. But how do you expect us to believe that you’re telling the truth? The evidence you have so far is merely a recording from an unknown source.” One of the journalists raised his suspicion.
Never Late, Never Away Chapter 1529
Larry smiled faintly. “Of course, this may not even prove anything. So please, let’s not get ahead of ourselves. The real fun has yet to come.
“I’m sure everyone remembers what Carl said at the interview last time. He mentioned that he only wanted to see Joan and that it wasn’t him who leaked the news to the media. So, let’s see what happens next, shall we?”
Larry fished out another thumb drive as he spoke.
After plugging the thumb drive into a laptop, he played a video that showed the news agency that first reported the case, and the person caught on screen entering said news agency was none other than Carl himself.
Larry continued to speak at a steady pace, “I’m sure everyone can see clearly that the person caught red-handed right here is Carl. The question is, what’s his purpose for entering the news agency?”
The journalists said nothing as all of them sank into deep thought.
They were not idiots, and Carl’s purpose for sneaking into the news agency was self-evident—to provide a scoop.
The date on the surveillance was as clear as day as well. The footage was taken on the day before that particular news agency rolled out the headline regarding Joan’s tryst with a mysterious man.
It was glaringly obvious what Carl had provided the firm.
No wonder Norton Corporation managed to stay calm amid their plight. They had solid evidence in their hands all along!
Larry took note of the expressions hanging on each of the journalists’ faces. He could tell that they were beginning to believe him. After that, Larry brought up another fact.
“Let me tell you something else. Carl had mentioned before that he got hit by a car as a result of saving Joan, and he was subsequently taken to the hospital because of that. I’m sure you’ve all heard about that.
“We’ve managed to find the driver who caused the accident. In a while, you’ll get to hear what really happened, straight from the horse’s mouth,” Larry stated confidently.
The journalists were interested in finding out the truth, so they waited patiently.
Soon, Caspian made his appearance and brought a man to stand before Larry. The man had a bruised face and a swollen nose. After delivering their witness, Caspian stood aside with his head bowed.
“This is the driver I was talking about. Let’s hear what he has to say.” Larry stared at the man beside him.
The man hesitated, obviously contemplating his next move. While Larry watched him without saying a word, Caspian was not as patient as his employer, snorting at the driver.
The man shuddered involuntarily as he looked back at Caspian. As his fearful eyes met Caspian’s bloodthirsty ones, he swallowed hard and began to speak.
“I swear, I’ve got nothing to do with this. Carl made me do it. He asked me to wait for him at the entrance of Joan’s company. Once he gave me the signal, I would start driving and pretend to hit her. Then he would take the opportunity to rescue Joan. That way, he would get on her good side.
“He even feigned an injury and got himself admitted into the hospital. I swear, I didn’t even hit him. It was all an act.”
The man spilled everything, not daring to hide any details.
“Then why did you help him?” a journalist questioned the man.
“Because he promised me a sum of money as payment after I finish the deed. I thought it was all an act, that it was not a big deal, so I agreed,” the man replied.
“Is there anything else you want to add?” Larry duly reminded the driver.
“Yes, there is.”
The man dared not go against Larry. If he offended the president, he would only land himself in more misery.
“Carl also ordered me to take the photos, which he later submitted to the news agency. He wanted me to snap pictures that showed him being intimate with Joan so that he could claim that he and Joan go way back. But they were all fake!”
Larry was quite satisfied with the man’s tact. He asked the man again, “So, what’s the relationship between Carl and Gabriella? I hope you can give a good answer if you want a lighter sentence.”
The man was more than eager to oblige. “It was all Gabriella’s plan. She told Carl that once he’s successfully completed the task, she’ll marry him, and then he can inherit the Ward family fortune. That was why Carl arranged a series of elaborate plans, with little care for the repercussions he might get himself into for offending Norton Corporation. He wanted to take advantage of public pressure to bring down Norton Corporation.”
Never Late, Never Away Chapter 1530
While the journalists listened intently, they were finally able to piece the whole story together.
The truth of the incident had come to light. Norton Corporation and Joan turned out to be the victims of this entire scandal. To everyone’s surprise, the real culprits were Gabriella and Carl!
When everything was over, the journalists left. Things had escalated rather quickly, so they had to hurry back to their respective agency and get the news out as soon as possible. The earlier their firm made the announcement, the more benefits they would gain.
As soon as the news came out, Carl became the target of criticism from all walks of life. They despised his dirty practices of weaponizing other people’s sympathy to run the rumor mill and gain public support.
Instantly, Carl became the object of everyone’s ire.
Similarly, Gabriella’s reputation was also ruined. This was the second time she was completely exposed under the limelight.
The first time was when she accused someone else of being a homewrecker, lied about her marriage arrangement with Norton Corporation, and garnered lots of clout because of it. This time, she colluded with another man to keep the rumor mill spinning and even attempted to drag Norton Corporation through the mud. Hence, the public’s aversion to the schemer was far greater than that of Carl.
All the while, Larry and Joan remained at home, watching the turn of events unfold before them like spectators enjoying a show.
Truth to be told, Norton Corporation’s power certainly stretched far and wide. Not only had they effortlessly dug up the recorded conversation between Carl and Gabriella, managed to get their hands on the footage of Carl entering the news agency, but they also found the driver responsible for assisting Carl in completing his atrocities.
When Caspian got hold of the driver who caused the accident, the latter initially refused to admit that he was Carl’s accomplice. Without bothering to argue with him, Caspian straight up gave the man a good beating. He even resorted to using some special techniques he had picked up from the mafia.
The driver, having had enough of the torture, eventually surrendered and told them everything.
The whole ordeal was settled almost effortlessly. The farce came to an end just as strangely as it had begun.
Larry had always been one who would not go looking for trouble but would fight back when provoked. It would have gone against his nature if he failed to retaliate after Gabriella and Carl had gone to such great lengths to plot against him and Norton Corporation.
The Ward family was severely weakened after that episode. Moreover, Larry had made it clear that Gabriella and her family got what they deserved and had no one else to blame but themselves.
Consequently, the Ward family lost a large number of business partners. It started with a few collaborators who had not been very close with them to begin with, and eventually, their long-time clients decided to stop doing business with the family.
The main reason Ward Group was facing such a major setback was Landon’s blunders in decision-making.
Hence, the major shareholders came together and requested Landon to resign as the chairman of Ward Group in order to make way for a much more capable candidate to take up the mantel and lead the company out of the troubling situation.
Landon told the shareholders to give him some more time. If Ward Group had not improved by then, he would voluntarily resign and stop interfering in the company’s business matters.
Meanwhile, Carl’s clan was also facing a terrible disaster. Larry did not immediately utilize his influence to bring Carl down but merely oppressed his small company using Norton Corporation’s financial prowess.
The Johnson family was far inferior to the Wards, and they suffered the consequences almost right away. Luckily for them, Larry only wanted to teach the Johnsons a lesson, not cut off their livelihood, which was why the Johnson family was saved from ruin. However, the heir to the Johnson family business had been stripped of his status.
Carl’s father claimed that the man was too reckless to inherit the company. After the announcement, he completely ignored his son’s pleas for forgiveness.
Carl called Gabriella again. Last time, the woman had agreed to marry him.
After the call was connected, Carl quickly asked for assurance, “Gabriella, let’s set our wedding date. I have done everything that you asked me to do, all in accordance with your wishes.”
When Gabriella realized that the caller was Carl, she flew into a murderous rage. “Carl, how could you still have the audacity to ask for my hand in marriage? Just look at what you’ve done! My family’s reputation is tarnished because of you!