<h4>Chapter 385: The Abandoned Pawn</h4>


    "Alright... we’ll take it as evidence. As long as Mrs. Nelson is innocent, we certainly won’t wrong a good person," the officer said with a friendly smile.


    E walked over to Eric’s side. "Let’s head back. Tonight, we’ll treat Mr. Anderson to dinner."


    Eric gave Lucas a meaningful look. "Alright, thank you, Mr. Anderson, for this."


    Even if Lucas hadn’te, Eric had other ways to take E away.


    It would have only dyed him by a few minutes.


    Lucas smiled warmly. "You’re wee. See you tonight."


    Watching Eric walk off with his arm around E, the officer wiped the sweat from his brow, his hands and feet trembling slightly. "How am I going to exin this to Mr. Bowen and Ms. Miller?"


    After weighing his options, he concluded that the Anderson family’s influence still surpassed that of the Millers.


    Back when the Andersons were just starting to rise, the Millers were indeed more powerful.


    But over thest fifty years, the Anderson family had produced outstanding individuals across various fields, and their wealth and influence had surpassed the Miller aristocracy.


    The officer, who was actually the local chief inspector, had just reviewed surveince footage provided by his subordinates. After watching it, his face grew even darker.


    He hurried to the interrogation room, where Rylee was sitting with herwyer, who was trying to console her.


    "Miss Davis, we’ve made some new progress," the inspector said apologetically. "The opposing party submitted new evidence: surveince footage of your meeting with Miss E. The footage clearly shows you cing the package of heroin on the table. I’m sorry, but thisplicates matters."


    Rylee’swyer stood up in shock. "Please wait. May we make a phone call?"


    "Of course!"


    The inspector left the room again, and thewyer turned to Rylee. "Miss Davis, what do we do now?"


    Rylee clenched her teeth and pondered for a moment. "I can say... someone instructed me to do it."


    "I’ll notify Mrs. Miller!" thewyer said, quickly dialing her number.


    When Mrs. Miller heard that Eric had obtained the surveince footage, she was stunned. She had specifically hired a hacker to erase the restaurant’s surveince records. How did they still manage to get the video?


    Could it be that Eric had foreseen her n and had a hacker ready as well?


    Now that the footage had been submitted, denial was useless.


    Mrs. Miller’s face turned grim. "I need to speak with Hannah."


    Rylee took the phone. "Mommy..."


    "Rylee... you’ll have to take full responsibility for this. At this point, there’s no other way to clear your name. We’ll do our best to negotiate for a reduced sentence."


    Rylee felt a pang of bitterness. After two years of being "Hannah," she had often thought Mrs. Miller truly regarded her as a daughter.


    But now it seemed that was nothing more than her illusion.


    "Alright, Mommy, I understand what I have to do," Rylee said, her eyes moist.


    "But I have one condition, Mommy."


    Mrs. Miller grew impatient. "This is all your fault. If you hadn’t suggested changing the n, this wouldn’t have happened. Your initial idea of self-harm wasn’t bad—why did you have to involve drugs? Now the family dislikes you even more, and they’ll certainly demand I cut ties with you!"


    Rylee chuckled softly. "Mommy, promise me you’ll deliver my parents into Mr. Nelson’s custody. Only then will I agree to take responsibility for this. Otherwise... I’ll expose everything about your ns."


    Mrs. Miller was so furious her temples throbbed, but she had no choice. "Fine! But you’d better keep your word. If you dare reveal anything about us, don’t me me for what happens to your family."


    Rylee finally felt relieved after receiving the assurance she needed.


    When the inspector returned, she confessed. She admitted that her actions stemmed from jealousy of E and her past affection for Eric, which led her to frame E.


    By the time Logan arrived, Rylee had already been detained. Even with the power of the Scott family behind him, he couldn’t secure her release. The inspector’s primary concern was the Anderson family’s influence, not the Scotts.


    The next morning, the Miller family released an official statement condemning Hannah for her moral failings, iming her actions had caused Mrs. Miller significant distress and announcing their decision to sever ties with her. For aristocrats, once interests were at stake, notions of goddaughter or not were utterly unimportant.


    ...


    That evening, E and Eric hosted Lucas for dinner.


    Lucas and Eric got along well, chatting animatedly. E, for the most part, remained quiet. Midway through the meal, Logan burst into the room, visibly agitated.


    "Eric, what is the meaning of this? What has Hannah ever done to you that you would smear her name and ruin her reputation?" Logan demanded, panting, while two bodyguards blocked his path.


    Eric narrowed his eyes and gestured for the bodyguards to stand down.


    "Mr. Scott," Eric saidzily, "you really are only suited to being a celebrity. Your intelligence and emotional quotient are far too low for the scheming world of business. This time, it’s clearly Mrs. Miller’s doing. If you don’t believe me, go ask your precious Hannah yourself."


    Logan’s gaze quickly fell on Lucas, who sat watching him with a cold, indifferent expression.


    "Mr. Anderson?" Logan felt a chill rise from his feet to his spine.


    In Country S, a popr saying once circted in Wall City: Better to offend the devil than to cross Lucas Anderson.


    The man before him, outwardly calm and warm, was notorious for his ruthlessness in action.


    "Mr. Scott, it seems you’re quite free these days," Lucas said with a softugh, his aura of menace so overwhelming that Logan instinctively took a step back.


    "Since Mr. Anderson is friends with Mr. Nelson, I’ll tentatively believe Mr. Nelson’s words. But if I find out he lied, I won’t hold back," Logan retorted coldly before turning and leaving.


    ...


    "You were right," Lucas remarked with a faint smile. "Mr. Scott really isn’t suited for the business world. He’s better off ying a young master in some drama."


    Lucas turned his warm gaze toward E. "E, don’t worry. He wouldn’t dare touch you."


    E gave a slight nod. In truth, she wasn’t keen on interacting with Lucas. However, knowing this wasn’t Eric’s domain, she figured that forging a closer connection with Lucas might serve as a useful deterrent to other threats.


    The dinner concluded smoothly, though E remainedrgely quiet throughout.


    As they exited the private room, E unexpectedly encountered Tiffany.


    "Mrs. Nelson, Mr. Nelson. What a surprise to run into you here!" Tiffany said with a lightugh, as if nothing had happened.


    E gave a polite nod, her demeanor distant.


    "Mrs. Nelson, I have something I’d like to discuss with you. Could you step aside for a moment?" Tiffany asked, still smiling.


    Eric frowned, but E was quicker to respond. "Sure. I have a few things to say to you as well."


    "Mia, go with her," Eric said calmly, ncing at Mia to ensure E wasn’t left alone.