<b>Chapter </b><b>540 </b>
In the heart of downtown, the scandal involving Byron was <b>spreading </b>like wildfire, despite the <b>Chambers </b>Group’s desperate attempts to quash it. Byron’s reputation was tanking faster than a lead balloon, and it seemed like everyone was lining up to kick him while he was down, <b>eager </b>for a <b>front</b>–row seat to the Chambers Group’s unfolding drama.
Adding fuel <b>to </b>the fire was the sudden appearance of a previously unknown heiress <b>from </b>the Ashbourne <b>family</b><b>, </b>which only served to thicken the plot and keep the public interest <b>at </b><b>a </b>fever pitch.
With the heat refusing <b>to </b>die down, Byron remained squarely in the crosshairs <b>of </b><b>the </b>police.
<b>Jeff </b><b>had </b>even <b>swallowed </b>his pride and <b>begged </b>the <b>Chief </b><b>of </b>Police for leniency, but as luck would have it, the billionaire <b>tycoon </b>Emeric chose that moment to make a <b>rare </b>and explosive return <b>to </b>the trending news cycle!
The <b>office </b>TV <b>suddenly </b>cut to a breaking news segment.
There he was, <b>Emeric</b>, after the post<b>–</b><b>ribbon</b>–cutting <b>ceremony </b>for a new venture<b>, </b>was fielding questions from the press.
A <b>reporter </b><b>fired </b><b>off</b><b>, </b><b>“</b>Mr. Ashbourne, regarding the live stream incident the other day, the young woman iming <b>to </b>be your daughter.<b>” </b>
<b>“</b>iming?<b>” </b>Emeric’s face immediately darkened with offense, firing back without a hint of courtesy, “Which rag are you <b>with</b><b>? </b>With that slow uptake, you dare call yourself media?<b>” </b>
The oppressive aura emanating from him was suffocating, leaving everyone around too intimidated to even breathe.
The <b>reporter </b>who raised the question trembled, with her hand that held the microphone shaking.
“That’s my blood, the youngest princess of the Ashbourne n. Her mother is my beloved Myra,” Emeric continued<b>; </b>his icy demeanor softened ever so slightly when he spoke of his daughter, “To me, both Evadne and Nydia are the apples of my eye. I’ve kept Nydia out of the public eye because she’s young and still in school. Her mother and she prefer to keep a low profile, and I <b>didn’t </b>want to disrupt her studies. In the end, my aim has always been to protect my little girl. But who would have thought that my efforts to protect her would give that brainless hound, Byron, the opportunity to prey on my daughter!”
The crowd was stunned.
Man, Chairman Ashbourne sure had a way with words!
Despite his close ties with Jeff, it was clear that for his daughter’s sake, Chairman Ashbourne was throwing no punches in the direction of the Chambers family!
“My daughter has suffered tremendously, and any attempt by the Chambers Group to settle this quietly is out of the question. I will pursue this to the bitter end!” Emeric’s eyes zed with barely contained fury, as he spat venomously into the camera, “Jeff, if you have an ounce of decency left, let your mongrel of a son face the consequences and apologize to my daughter! Otherwise, your Chambers Group will find itself the sworn enemy of the K Group!”
Jeff, red–faced and panting with rage, fumbled with the remote to switch off the TV.
He knew all too well that Emeric was a man of action, not just words. This was not an idle threat – it was an open deration of
war<b>. </b>
“Well. Mr. Jeff, as you can see, your son’s matter has blown up. And now it’s tied to Chairman Ashbourne’s daughter, which makes it a tough nut to crack,” the Chief of Police said, shaking his head. “Without that live stream, I might have been able to intervene. But now, with the whole country watching and the higher–ups in the loop, if I were to manipte this further, not only would I offend Chairman Ashbourne, which I can’t afford, but also if the higher–ups catch wind of it, I’d likely lose my position. Perhaps you should have a frank discussion with Chairman Ashbourne?”
Jeff was annoyed. If not for the fact that the TV wasn’t his own, he would’ve smashed it to pieces.
Over at Silveke Harbor, the news of Emeric’s outburst came just as the young couple was basking in the afterglow of a passionate night, waking up well past sunrise and getting fresh from the shower.
Evadne, her porcin skin barely covered by a towel, sat obediently in a chair as Thaddeus dried her hair. Her raven locks were smooth as satin and thick as seaweed, and it took an age to dry,b, and treat with oils.
But Thaddeus never showed a hint of impatience. On the contrary, he reveled in the task, absolutely smitten with caring for her.
“Umm, your touch is magical; it’s so rxing.” Evadne murmured, her eyes nearly closing from the pleasure, “I could fall asleep again.”
JEM
“Then go ahead, sleep a little more, yeah?” Thaddeus suggested softly, leaning in to k*ss the shell of her ear.
“No, I can’t. With Nydia’s ordeal still unresolved, and Emeric stirring the pot, I’m hardly in the mood to sleep,” Evadne said, while scrolling through social mediaments with a slight smile. “But, thankfully, Emeric’s move has swayed some public opinion in
08:18
Nydia’s favor. Thements <b>are </b>increasingly <b>supportive </b>of her <b>and the </b>Ashbourne group<b>, </b><b>demanding </b><b>the </b><b>Chambers </b><b>family </b><b>provide </b>answers.<b>* </b>
“A girl <b>as </b><b>wonderful </b>as Nydia was bound <b>to </b><b>garner </b>support and <b>silence </b>the malicious gossip <b>once </b>Emeric confirmed <b>he </b>was <b>her </b><b>father</b>. It seems the <b>tide </b><b>is </b>starting <b>to </b><b>turn</b><b>,” Thaddeus </b><b>replied</b><b>, </b>his <b>fingers </b><b>deftly </b>working <b>through </b><b>her </b><b>hair </b>like a seasoned <b>stylist</b>. “But <b>let’s </b>not celebrate too <b>fast</b>. <b>Aaron </b>told me yesterday <b>that </b>he <b>can </b><b>hold </b><b>Byron </b><b>for </b><b>now</b><b>, </b>but <b>if </b>the evidence doesn’t <b>stack </b><b>up</b><b>, </b><b>that </b><b>dog </b><b>will </b>be let off the <b>leash</b><b>,” </b>Evadne said, <b>biting </b>her <b>l*p </b>with <b>a hint </b><b>of </b>anger.
“Don’t <b>worry</b><b>, </b>Evadne<b>. </b><b>It’s </b><b>not </b>over yet. There might still be <b>a </b>twist <b>in </b>the tale<b>,</b><b>” </b><b>Thaddeus </b>reassured her just <b>as her </b>phone <b>began </b><b>to </b>ring.
<b>She </b>nced <b>at </b><b>the </b>screen<b>, </b><b>only </b><b>to </b><b>see </b><b>a </b><b>number </b><b>so </b><b>unfamiliar </b><b>that </b>it could have been from another world.