Ch. 441..450

Chapter 441

While this was happening, Sharon Lindt was sitting on the sofa, sipping on some milk which she had poured into a European coffee cup.

The mouth of the cup had a golden ring, and it shone beautifully under the light.

As soon as Catherine Batton walked in, Sharon's face turned serious. "Catherine Batton, come here right this instant!"

Catherine immediately picked up her pace. Her face was almost pale from fear. As she stood in front of Sharon, she lifted both hands in a 'surrender' pose and widened her eyes. In a quivering voice, she said, "Mom, I know that I should be studying properly. I shouldn't have secretly come back to play. I've done wrong so please forgive me..."

Looking at the sight before her, Sharon felt like laughing but she managed to maintain her strict facade. "And?"

"So... Please don't be angry alright? I promise that I'll go back to studying after two days. I won't come back unless it's during the holidays. I swear that I won't ditch my studies to come back home unless it's absolutely necessary." Catherine said all this with a serious face as she looked at Sharon with teary eyes.

As soon as she finished her last word, John Batton burst through the door hurriedly.

Catherine had called him for help earlier, and he rushed home as soon as his photo shoot was done.

His face was still in full makeup and he was still wearing the props he had on while doing the photo shoot.

He almost looked as if he was a painting that had come to life.

As soon as Catherine saw Josh, relief washed over her.

Ever since they were young, Catherine knew that she could count on Josh and Stanley to come to her side to protect her if she got into any trouble.

Both her brothers loved her unconditionally and would always come to her aid when she needed them.

Josh walked up to Catherine's side. "Mom, she knows that it was wrong for her to come back, but she's still young and can't help herself from playing around. Please try to understand."

As soon as his sentence ended, Stanley entered the room as hurriedly as Josh had.

Stanley looked at the three of them before sitting beside Sharon.

Even though Josh had makeup on, his aura was still weaker than Stanley's.

"You siblings are always such a handful. Catherine's been spoiled rotten by the two of you since you've always protected her whenever I tried to scold her. It's because of that that she's so carefree and always does whatever she wants." Sharon sighed.

"Her studies are going well. Being carefree doesn't affect it."

"This isn't about how well her studies are going alone. Students should behave like proper students. Being good at studying doesn't validate her to skip classes. If everyone did the same as her, schools might as well close down." Sharon shook her head, maintaining her strict tone.

In reality, her heart had softened the moment she saw Catherine. Her brothers' intervention only softened it even more.

But she needed to teach Catherine a lesson. Otherwise, she would just repeat her past mistakes. The thought allowed Sharon to maintain her strict and tough facade.

Catherine had been hiding behind Josh all this time and she peeked her head out from behind him. She continued acting like a helpless child. "Mom... I know I've done wrong. It won't happen again, I promise." "I can't even remember how many promises you've broken..." Sharon scowled, frowning.

"This time I'm serious, mom. I missed you. I want to hug you..." Catherine started talking like a child to try to win her mother over.

In truth, her mother really doted on her.

However, wrongdoings are wrongdoings. She could not afford to be too lenient with her daughter anymore. She needed to be punished.

Therefore, she had to be strict with herself to not forgive her daughter so easily.

"You're going back the day after," Sharon said.

"Ok..." Catherine nodded.

"If this happens again, I'm punishing you according to the family rules," Sharon added.

Catherine nodded again before slowly moving to Sharon's side and hugging her arm. "I promise I won't do it again."

Sharon was at her limit. She couldn't keep acting tough and she gave up. She hugged Catherine back. "You're already eighteen years old, when are you going to stop relying on others so much?"

"I'm reliant on others because so many people dote on me... You can't blame me for being this way..." Catherine smiled as the unease in her heart faded.

Josh let out a sigh of relief. "Alright, I need to get back to my photo shoot. Catherine, take good care of mom."

Stanley got up as well. "I'll be taking my leave as well."

"Wait a minute, I need to tell you two something," Sharon said as she looked at the brothers.

Chapter 442

Chapter 442

Stanley and Josh Batton both looked at Sharon Lindt, waiting for her to speak.

"Your dad will be returning from overseas next Monday. Please keep your schedules empty in the evening so that you'll have some time to visit him," Sharon said.

"Alright." Stanley nodded before turning to leave.

Josh nodded as well before following Stanley out.

After the two left, Catherine Batton looked at Sharon before hugging her affectionately. "Mom, can I stay till dad comes home? I really miss him."

"No, you may not. Your studies are more important."

"But mom... Please?" Catherine began acting like a child again, shaking Sharon's arm gently. "Please, mom? Dad must miss me too..."

Catherine begged and begged, even looking at Sharon with puppy dog eyes.

Eventually, Sharon couldn't help but to give in. "Alright, alright, you can leave next Tuesday instead..."

"Yay! Thanks mom, you're the best!" Catherine cheered as she raised her arms in the air like a child.

"Silly kid..." Sharon sighed, a smile on her face as she stroked Catherine's hair. "Well, since you've been caught skipping school anyway, you don't need to hide in a hotel anymore. You can stay in our villa till you leave next Tuesday."

"Then... Can I sleep together with you before dad comes home?" Catherine asked as she wrapped her arms tight around Sharon's waist.

Sharon's heart kept melting tonight. Her daughter was really something else. "Alright, alright, fine... Clinging on to your mother... You're not a kid anymore you know?"

Though she sounded like she was complaining, her tone was warm and caring.

**

While all this was happening, Emily Quest was wearing a hospital gown as she walked slowly toward Mary Sullivan's room.

She gently placed her ear against Mary's room. There didn't seem to be anyone else inside. With that knowledge in mind, she knocked on the door.

"Come in..." Mary's muffled voice could be heard from behind the door.

Emily pushed the door open and entered.

The moment she saw Mary, Emily immediately put on a worried facade.

Mary was watching television on her bed.

Her whole body was wrapped in bandages except for her head. She looked exactly like a mummy.

Emily tried her hardest to not laugh at the sight of this.

When Mary saw Emily, she was momentarily stunned. "Emily? Why are you here?"

Emily lowered her gaze as she closed the door behind her without looking at the handle. Slowly, she walked towards Mary before sitting right next to her. "By coincidence, I was also admitted to the same hospital. I just recently found out that you were here so I thought to visit you."

"I've heard stories about why you're here." Emily let out a deep sigh. She faked some crocodile tears before lifting her head to look at Mary. Her gaze started from her waist down all the way up to the top of her bandaged head. "Mary... Wasn't dad acting too cruelly?"

Mary sneered at that. "I know right? It's no doubt all because of Xyla Quest's meddling. She must have exposed me, that piece of sh*t. From what I've heard, your situation isn't any better than mine. Why did you come over?"

"Well, I heard that you were badly injured. Do I need any other reason to come over to visit? We haven't talked in a long time after all, Mary," said Emily.

"Fair enough. I've also heard that my brother won't be undergoing the divorce with you, at least for the time being. Is that true?" Mary asked in return.

Chapter 443

Chapter 443

Emily Quest nodded in response. "It is... Mary, I know I'm the one at fault here... Is there any way you could ever forgive me?"

Mary Sullivan sighed. "I've actually already forgiven you. No matter how you dice it, you're still my best friend. My sister. You may have faked your pregnancy but I just can't seem to stay mad about it. I understand why you did such a thing after all."

Relief washed over Emily after hearing Mary's words. She hugged Mary, tears trickling down her cheeks. "You're the best Mary...'

Mary gently patted Emily on her back. "Alright, alright... Don't start crying now... Look at you, you big cry baby... This really isn't like you."

"Yeah, I don't feel like myself anymore these days. It's all Xyla Quest's fault... Whenever I don't take my medication now, I instantly feel like dying terribly... Though the medicine definitely helps, a part of me still wants to die." Emily wept as she said all this, crocodile tears still flowing from her eyes.

Mary carefully raised her hands and patted Emily on her back. "Alright, don't cry. Look at you now, you're like a cry baby. This isn't like you."

Mary continued patting her back. "That b*itch... She's unforgivable. She ruined both our lives. We can't let her off that easily."

Emily couldn't help but secretly slip out a devilish smile. "Let's... Not talk about this anymore... Do your injuries still hurt, Mary? Are they going to leave any scars?"

Mary had always loved her beauty. She would definitely hate it if there were scars left behind on her body.

Emily knew her questions would provoke Mary.

Emily had previously asked her mother to investigate what happened between Mary and Xyla.

She was well-acquainted with the drama happening between the two of them.

"It would be a miracle if no scars were left behind. Once my injuries are healed, I'll definitely be getting plastic surgery. Why did you have to mention it... It's just making me angry." Mary groaned, slightly pissed off.

"Sorry, sorry, let's not talk about it anymore then... Plastic surgery has certainly advanced incredibly in recent years... I'm sure your skin will look as good as new again once you're done with it."

"I'm aware of that. But for the time being, I'm still suffering, knowing the fact that I still have scars all over my body. It's all because of Xyla." Mary hated Xyla with every fiber of her body. If she could, she would eat Xyla up and drain her of all her blood.

Emily sighed before letting go of Mary. "It's truly a pity. A beautiful girl like you having to endure such a cruel beating to the point where your entire body is wrapped in bandages."

Mary's tone raised as her anger grew again. "I'm done with self-pitying. It's time for revenge. I'll definitely make Xyla experience the hell I've gone through. No, I'll kill her! I'll make sure she dies." Her reaction alone was enough to make Emily happy and satisfied.

Knowing that Mary already hated Xyla beyond compare, Emily said nothing more to provoke her.

She knew that she now had another pawn in hand.

Eventually, this pawn of hers would be used to exact her revenge.

"I'll avenge the both of us, Emily..." Mary said in a determined voice.

"I don't think I have the heart to exact revenge anymore..."

"Why are you being so weak all of a sudden? Actually, it's fine. You're sick after all. You couldn't do anything even if you wanted to."

A wave of sleepiness swept through Emily. Her eyelids fluttered as she said, "Mary, I think my medication is kicking in... I feel incredibly sleepy so I think I should take my leave for now." "Take care," said Mary as Emily got up and left the room.

After leaving the room, Emily's phone started vibrating in her pocket. She saw a familiar number and picked up as she walked back to her room.

"I've not found anything about your brother-in-law's background, but I do have some information which I think you could put to good use," said a man on the other side of the line. "What have you found?" Emily's eyes lit up with anticipation.

Chapter 444

Chapter 444

"I will send them to you now," said the man.

Her phone vibrated a second later. The name, 'Tool' was displayed on her WeChat. The man had delivered more than ten photos of Stanley together with Catherine to her.

There were photos of them sitting at a KFC together, a photo of Stanley's back as he entered a hotel, and a few screenshots from a surveillance camera. The screenshots showed both Stanley and Catherine walking out from a hotel, side-by-side.

Emily Quest's eyes lit up the moment she saw the pictures.

She then placed the phone next to her ear again before looking around. Once assured that there was no one else there, she whispered, "Where did you get these photos from?"

That girl was definitely his mistress!

Both of them looked so intimate together. They even entered and left the same hotel together.

It didn't matter whether the man in the picture was the true Stanley or a substitute that Xyla had made into her pretend husband, or at least according to Emily's sixth sense.

It didn't matter.

Stanley was involved in some kind of affair and Xyla would definitely suffer once she knew about this.

If the man in the picture was the true Stanley, Xyla would definitely go mad from either heartbreak or from hearing all the people talking behind her back; whichever came first.

If the man was a mere substitute and she didn't love him, she would still go mad because people would continue to criticize both her and her fake husband!

Xyla, you've been quite a show off for some time now. It's high time for you to get embarrassed!

"I was dining at KFC the other day and by coincidence, I saw them. I could recognize the man even from a brief glance. Because of that, I secretly snapped some photos of them. It definitely felt like something was off about them." The man added, "Due to that, I kept my distance and continued watching them."

"Though he stayed with the girl for their lunch break, he left soon after she had finished eating. The girl enjoyed herself in the KFC alone for some time before she left. I followed closely and found out that she was staying in a hotel."

"I have been monitoring the hotel's entrance for a few days now. During that period, I've seen that man entering the hotel. I hacked the hotel's surveillance system and that's how I managed to get the screenshots I sent to you earlier."

The man explained how he got the pictures very, very seriously.

"I'll send you a phone number. Once you get it, I need you to forward the photos to the number. If the recipient ever asks who you are, just remain silent." Emily bit her lower lip in excitement. "No matter what she asks, do not answer her. You only need to send the photos and the rest will play itself out."

For the chaos to come, she believed that Mary Sullivan could take care of it on her own since it was such a simple job.

"Definitely, but before that. Am I getting a reward?" He asked.

"Naturally. A hundred thousand." Emily then immediately transferred the money over to him through her bank card.

There was a clear look of satisfaction on her face as she got into the elevator to leave.

Not too long after, Mary received the photos from an unknown number. The photos of Stanley Batton and Catherine Batton together.

Her eyes lit up as soon as she saw them.

Xyla's husband got into an affair? Hahaha...

This was fantastic!

That woman looked so sweet together with her husband and she loved him so much. If she were to find out that her husband was cheating on her, wouldn't she die of anger? Once the photos are exposed, she would have to live in embarrassment as well! Hahaha!

The thought of that alone was enough to make her satisfied beyond compare.

Still... Who exactly sent her those pictures?

Curiously, Mary texted the number back. "Who is this?"

No reply ever came even after Mary waited for a long time.

She tried calling the number but it went straight to voicemail.

She tried a few more times but each time garnered the same result. Eventually, she gave up trying to identify the sender entirely.

However, this allowed her attention to return to the photos which she had put to the side while she was trying to find out who the sender was.

Despite not knowing who sent the photos, she now owned them and they would be of great use to her. That was what truly mattered to her in the end. "You're so doomed, Xyla!" Mary snorted to herself, coldly.

Chapter 445

Chapter 445

While all this was happening, Stanley Batton had just returned home again. Xyla was watching television, her legs crossed as she held a large pack of chips in her arms.

On her, was a set of aqua green, casual Hanfu styled clothes made with real silk. White laces were adorned around the hem, the cuffs, and even her trousers. The combination made her skin look white as snow.

She didn't have any makeup on and her long, black, curly hair casually lay on her shoulders. She could have been mistaken as a goddess who had accidentally fallen from the heavens.

Stanley silently approached before sitting down next to her. "Why haven't you gone to bed?"

"Hmm... Not sleepy yet."

"Didn't the doctor tell you to get more rest?"

"I've been resting on the bed most of the time. It's boring and unpleasant when I have to do it for long hours at a time. I just want to watch some television for a while," Xyla said as she smiled.

Her eyes moved past him and onto the clock hanging on the wall. An hour and a half had passed since he left, but to her, it felt like a century had come and gone.

Whenever he wasn't around, the whole house felt empty to her.

Even if he wasn't doing anything, his presence was enough to make the entire house feel different.

"I think I'll be going to bed now. You get some rest too." She then switched the television off as she organized her thoughts before ascending the stairs.

She didn't dare to sit alone with him. She was afraid that her mind would wander too far off again.

He furrowed his eyebrows as he watched her go up the stairs. He watched her back disappear in silence before falling into deep thought once again.

Though she was being polite and gentle, he knew it was all just a façade. There was something about her that was still off to him.

Her politeness almost felt alienating to him.

***

Xyla tossed and turned in her sleep throughout the night. It was three in the morning when she was finally able to get some sleep.

It was eleven o'clock when her eyes opened again the next day.

After a gentle stretch and a little effort to get off the bed, she was ready to start cleaning herself up.

Bzz... bzz...

Her phone vibrated at that moment.

Curious, she took a peek at her phone.

Her eyes almost popped out when she saw the news heading on the screen.

"Husband of Quest Property Group's princess, Xyla Quest, found cheating on her with a teenage girl!"

Even before she saw them, Xyla had a feeling that some paparazzi must have caught Five Batton with his girlfriend while they were out on a date.

Holding her breath, she tapped on the article link to have a look at the rest of it.

"Xyla Quest, the princess of Quest Property Group and also the official successor of Jeremy Quest, has a husband who was found cheating on her with a teenage girl."

Scrolling further down, she saw pictures of Five Batton and the girl having lunch together at a KFC, screenshots of them walking out of a hotel together through the lens of a security camera, and a photo of his back while walking into the same hotel.

No matter how she looked at it, they looked like a couple in every single photo of them together. Some of the photos even showed him looking at the girl with loving eyes.

Xyla felt as though she had been stabbed with a knife.

She knew he had a girlfriend but simply knowing and actually seeing it for herself was a completely different experience.

It was extremely uncomfortable.

Aside from jealousy, anger welled up inside her as well.

She remembered that she had clearly hinted to him to be very careful while being in contact with other girls. If he ever got caught, both of them would be in hot water. She had initially thought that Five Batton was a wise man, and that he knew what he should and shouldn't do.

She now felt that she may have overestimated him.

 

Chapter 446

Chapter 446

She shouldn't have put that much faith in Five Batton. She should have hinted more times to him and not just once.

It was far too late for that. Trouble was already at their doorstep.

Outsiders would definitely have started criticizing her. Who knows how many people were already laughing at her behind her back.

As for her father. She knew he would die from rage as soon as he saw the news.

Her family would be in chaos.

Thinking about it, Xyla Quest's brows furrowed, a great discomfort in her heart. With wrinkles already starting to form on her forehead, she began calling the man's number, a clear look of distraught on her face.

While she was calling, a group of executives of the Dragon Group was having a meeting in the Dragon Group's conference room.

Stanley Batton had a matching black suit on and he sat on the main seat with his usual poker face. He was giving orders to the executives of each department of the company when his phone began to ring. The call was untimely and everyone's eyes fell on him almost automatically.

A frown formed on his face as he checked to see who was calling. The moment he saw the word 'Xyla' flashing on the screen, his frigid facade dropped almost instantaneously.

He turned to look back at the crowd, careful to have his poker face on before doing so. "We'll pause the meeting for a while."

As he walked toward the door, Stanley answered the call.

"Five Batton! What on earth is wrong with you? I told you to be extra careful had I not? Why didn't you just listen?" Xyla's tone was filled with anger.

The conference room was carpeted and the executives weren't talking loudly when the call was answered.

Though his speaker wasn't on, all the executives could still hear Xyla's anger.

Everyone was simply stunned at that moment as they slowly looked at each other.

Who on earth would dare to talk to their CEO like that?

That person would be better off dead!

Everyone took turns looking at Stanley's face, expecting him to burst into anger.

However...

There weren't any emotions on his face at all. Rather, his eyes reflected how perplexed he was at her words. "... What are you saying? I don't understand." Noticing that he was still in the conference room, he opened the door and left.

As the door closed behind him, everyone started discussing about the mysterious woman.

"She sounded angry at him but he barely gave any response."

"Is he really our CEO? Did he get possessed or something?"

"That's the first time I've ever seen him bear such a gentle reaction."

Zack Cassidy was in the room and silently agreed with all the chatter. However, he didn't say anything and kept his usual calm facade on.

Stanley leaned against a wall as he took in everything that Xyla explained to him.

"Haven't you read the news? You've been exposed for cheating on me! I've told you before, haven't I? That even if you want to cheat, you should be very careful when you're around that girl. You went to a KFC and a hotel with her! Don't you know how to keep a low profile?"

Stanley was stunned but more confused than anything.

Exposed for cheating on her?

Bzz... bzz... His phone vibrated after she stopped talking for a brief moment, "There, I've sent the article to you. Open your WeChat to have a look," said Xyla.

Without ending the call, he tapped on the news article to get some answers.

He was shocked when he saw the full article.

It took him a moment before he regained his composure. "Are you still there?"

"I am..." Xyla's tone was still filled with anger.

"Are you angry?"

"How could I not be? Our marriage may be fake but only we knew about that! Everyone else thinks that you're my real husband. Now that my husband's cheated on me and it's on all the major headlines, how could I not be angry?"

 

Chapter 447

Chapter 447

Stanley felt the corners of his lips curve into a faint smile. "Xyla you fool... That's my blood-related sister."

On the other side of the line, Xyla Quest froze for a brief moment.

"...What? Sister?"

"Who else could she be? You and my sister are the only ones who I ever behave kindly toward," Stanley chuckled, a hint of playfulness in his eyes.

Xyla's heart was suddenly at ease with just that simple explanation.

"She's just returned from overseas a few days ago. We went shopping that day and had a meal together. I only have one sister and she rarely returns so it was normal for me to want to visit her while she was here."

Xyla continued to be speechless. The heavy chains that had been binding her heart for the past few days were quickly disintegrating.

Slowly, she felt her breath return to her.

So when they were eating together that day, it was his sister calling? He had just been accompanying his sister all this time and she wasn't his girlfriend?

How did such a major misunderstanding happen?!

In the next few seconds, Xyla could feel a smile forming on her lips.

Thinking back, if she was his little sister, why did he save her contact name as 'Little Darling' on his phone?

He definitely wasn't the kind of person to do that willingly.

Which meant that his sister must most definitely have saved the contact on his phone and refused to let him change it. Since he cared for her as much as he cared for Xyla, he must have simply went with it. He was such a loving brother.

"I never knew you had a sister," Xyla said.

"There wasn't a real reason to bring her up since you've never asked," replied Stanley.

"I see. I'll clear up the mess for us then."

"Alright. I still have some things to attend to at work, so we'll talk about it when I get back home tonight."

"Alright."

Upon ending the call, Xyla could not help but to jump with joy.

Knock, knock...

Knocks on her door interrupted her happiness.

"Please come in," Xyla said as she continued to hold her cell phone close to her heart in glee.

Georgie Clementine burst through the door. Seeing Xyla filled with smiles, she assumed that she had not seen the news. Georgie took in a deep breath before sitting by her side. "You... Haven't heard the news, have you?"

"I have. She's not his girlfriend, Georgie."

"...Huh?"

"She's his blood-related sister," Xyla explained.

"Wait... So... It was all just a misunderstanding? You and the reporters misunderstood who she was?"

"Hmm..." Xyla simply nodded.

Georgie went silent for a moment before putting on a serious face. “...President Xyla, even if he doesn't have a girlfriend like you thought he did... Both of you are still incompatible with each other, I hope you haven't forgotten about that..."

Georgie gulped as she waited for it to hit Xyla. Her gleefulness would definitely be dampened.

Georgie was right. Xyla's smile faded almost instantaneously.

Her words drenched Xyla's joy like a bucket of icy cold water. It completely put out the warmth she had in her heart just seconds ago.

As Xyla's senses came back to her, she sighed. It was true. They weren't meant for each other.

Even if she ignored the fact that they were on completely different paths, she was still engaged. Though she had not met her husband, that person was still her husband.

In the beginning, she obviously had ample self-control. However, she allowed herself to lower her defenses and now she barely had any control of her emotions left.

Sifu would definitely be let down if she continued to do this.

Guilt spread like wildfire in her heart and her mood plummeted.

Georgie looked into her eyes. She knew what Xyla was thinking and she knew no more needed to be said. She patted her shoulder gently before turning around to leave. There were a lot of things that she hoped Xyla would eventually come to understand on her own. Georgie believed that Xyla could definitely figure them out by herself.

Chapter 448

Chapter 448

With her mind brimming with thoughts, Xyla logged into her Weibo.

She looked at the trending hashtags.

It was as she had expected.

#Xyla's husband exposed for cheating# was currently tenth in place in the most-searched hashtags.

"What's the point of being rich and handsome if you're still going to cheat on her? That Xyla is such a pitiful woman."

"Often my views are based on how the scum looks. He's just too handsome, I can't bring myself to talk bad about him."

"Tsk, tsk, tsk, what a failure. Even with that much money and beauty she still failed to keep an eye on her husband. What else needs to be said? Hahaha..."

After taking a brief look at the comments, she found the most popular marketing account at the time and forwarded the news immediately, with her own comment on the situation for clarification. Bzz... bzz... At that moment, Xyla's phone began to vibrate. The sound echoed throughout the initially silent room.

The caller was Mary Sullivan.

A frown formed on her face as she answered the call.

"Congratulations Xyla! You got cheated on again!" On the other side of the line, Mary could barely hide her boastful voice as she spoke into her phone, a smile widening on her face the more she spoke. Xyla felt an immense irritation when she heard her voice. Xyla didn't need to see Mary's face to know what expressions she was currently making.

Her mood was further dampened and she felt like Mary wasn't worth her time.

Just as she was about to end the call, Mary began speaking again.

"Xyla, I guess you were just born to be cheated on. First my brother, and now your husband. It's no surprise really. With his good looks, he must have many other girls by his side. Why would he ever choose to stick with you?"

"He probably only loves your money, hahaha..." Mary burst into laughter as soon as her sentence ended. She was utterly pleased with herself knowing how terrible Xyla must be feeling at that moment. After laughing for a while, she forced herself to stop laughing. "Sorry, sorry, I was just too happy. Thanks for being the cure to my bad mood, Xyla."

Xyla knew that the person on the other side of the line definitely needed a slapping.

However, she really didn't want to deal with Mary at the moment so she simply ended the call.

Her mood was now sour because of her.

Moments later, another call came and this time it was from Jeremy Quest.

Xyla answered the call immediately.

"Divorce him immediately, Xyla. Cheating once is the first step to him cheating a hundred more times. You're a jewel my daughter, there are many other good men out there after you file for your divorce." Even though he wasn't shouting, his voice was full of fury.

Hearing that, Xyla felt some warmth return to her heart. She could understand his rage, looking from his point of view, and that alone told her how much her father loved her.

"Before that dad, please listen to my explanation..."

"Is there really a need for that? I don't want to hear anything more about him. Divorce him immediately, Xyla. Stanley Batton, that brat... How dare he hurt you like that! I'm not going to let him off the hook. I'll definitely teach that brat a lesson!"

Jeremy was standing in Emily Quest's ward on the other end of the line. His eyes burned with great rage.

On the other hand, Emily and her mother-who were standing close by-had joyful expressions on their faces.

They looked at each other gleefully, trying their hardest to hide their smiles.

Chapter 449

Chapter 449

Immediately after he ended his sentence, Jeremy Quest continued. "Worry not, Xyla. I'll deal with him for you."

Xyla simply laughed gently. "Don't be hasty, dad. The woman in the picture is his blood-related sister."

"What?!" Jeremy was stunned for a moment.

"Yes, she's been studying overseas all this time. Don't be angry with him anymore, I'm doing very well with my husband," Xyla explained in a serious but calm voice. "That's... That's great to hear..." Jeremy sighed in relief as he slowly calmed down.

After she was done explaining, Xyla continued to talk with Jeremy for a while. Nearing the end, the smile on her face faded and she began to furrow her brows again. Once the call ended, Jeremy immediately went to the washroom.

Emily Quest could barely hold her excitement and whispered in May Conner's ear, "Mary Sullivan's definitely done a good job this time!"

May snorted, pleased with the situation. "Let's see whether that brat can still be as arrogant as she usually is after this."

Emily didn't reply, but she cupped her hands over her mouth as she secretly smiled.

A flushing sound was heard and the mother and daughter immediately ceased their whispering. Emily quickly put on her usual depressed facade. After washing his hands, Jeremy walked out of the washroom.

May Conner pretended to be worried and stood up. She slowly walked toward Jeremy before asking, "Darling? Is Xyla going to be okay?" Emily could barely hold her anticipation for his answer but she continued to look toward the floor, still pretending to be depressed.

Both of them wanted to hear him say that Xyla was doing terribly.

Jeremy walked closer to both of them and sat by May's side. "She's doing fine."

May let out a long sigh. "How could that be? Is she just saying she's fine so that we won't be worried about her? Xyla, that poor, poor child...” Emily almost laughed out. She pressed her thumb against her index finger so that the pain would allow her to control her emotions better.

"She told me that the girl on the news is just Stan's sister. No need to worry about it any longer," Jeremy explained.

Upon hearing that, May and Emily didn't think much about it.

Both of them assumed that it was probably just a lie to cover up her embarrassment.

May held onto Jeremy's arm gently. "Darling, couldn't she just be lying to us? We've never heard of Xyla mention about him having a sister. Could it be that she's just too afraid that we'll be overly worried about her?"

Jeremy simply shook his head. "That's quite impossible. Xyla would never lie to us. Alright, I need to return to my office now."

Upon finishing his sentence, Jeremy left the room immediately.

After he left, Emily approached her mother and asked, "...Mom, what do you think about this?"

"I think the brat's just lying to save her image... She's never mentioned about Stanley's sister before," May snorted.

Emily snorted as well. "We both have the same idea."

"If we're both thinking the same thing, Mary would definitely not believe the story either. Let's wait for her to solve the mystery. We just need to remain calm for now and wait for Xyla to continue embarrassing herself." In her mind, May was already scheming several ideas.

"That's for sure. Based on Xyla's personality, she would definitely post a clarification message. The message would definitely make the issue go viral again." Emily's lips curved upwards as she smiled coldly.

Chapter 450

Chapter 450

"The more viral this gets, the more jeers she will receive while Mary continues to expose her..." continued Emily Quest.

***

Xyla's clarification message was simple and direct. "My husband did not cheat on me. Our relationship is going well. The woman in the picture is his blood-related sister, my sister-in-law. Cease the gossipping, that's all there is to this scandal."

After the message was posted, countless people began commenting on her post. Many of the comments criticized the reporters and marketing accounts for spreading the fake news.

Not too long after, Josh Batton shared her clarification on Weibo as well.

He didn't add any comments to the post.

Despite that, sharing the post alone brought a huge impact on the matter.

His 'Lover's trees' commented under his post, one after another.

"Ahh... Our baby must be close to Xyla Quest if he shared her Weibo post! I'm so jealous of her!"

"Ahh, I envy you Ms. Xyla. Also, I'd like to say something to those who had spread the fake news. Rot in hell."

"So jealous of Ms. Xyla! Not only does her husband look flawless, but she also has a flawless-looking friend!"

Looking at their comments, Xyla's mood began to lift again.

After she logged out of her Weibo, she sent a short message to Josh. "Thanks for sharing the truth."

"No problem," replied Josh almost instantaneously.

Xyla replied with a smile emoji and so did he.

With the conversation over, she logged out of her WeChat before looking at Georgie who was beside her. "Georgie, please find out who was the first to spread the rumors." Her husband was no celebrity. It was honestly impossible for so many reporters to take notice of him.

It definitely felt like it was a personal attack to bring Xyla down.

Based on her call earlier, it was only reasonable for Xyla to suspect that Mary was a key player in this chaos.

***

As all this was happening, Mary was looking at the clarification post which her idol had shared from Xyla.

A frown formed on her face. She had used so much money on him, helped him make so many viral videos, but not once had he shared anything from her feed. Now here he was, sharing Xyla's clarification post enthusiastically.

Jealousy overflew her veins. Her desire to end Xyla got even stronger than before.

Reading through the clarification message, she was filled with disbelief. What bullsh*t was this? That b*tch really knew how to wiggle herself out of trouble.

Just to avoid the taunting of the people she would create such an absurd explanation. Mary had never heard about Stanley Batton having a younger sister. Did Xyla seriously think this could work? It was impossible, to say the least.

She, Mary Sullivan, would prove it to everyone. That it was definitely not Stanley's sister. That would make Xyla even more miserable and embarrassed than she already was! Immediately after that, she dialed a number furiously. "Help me look up the girl in the Stanley Batton scandal. Check her real relationship with Stanley."

The person on the other end of the line was a prodigy hacker. She believed that he was the perfect candidate for the task.

"I want the answer before noon today. Once you get the accurate information, you'll get two hundred thousand."

***

The gossiping on the internet slowly died down after Xyla's clarification.

Xyla's life returned to being peaceful as well.

After her lunch, she took out her laptop. It was time to settle her work on the Quest Property Group and X Entertainment.