Hearing Samuel''s offer, Hannah immediately shook her head. "There''s no need. This is Lionel''s responsibility. We shouldn''t get involved."


    Samuel looked at her, a confused expression on his face.


    He couldn''t understand how she could so readily trust Lionel with this. After all, if Lionel chose not to investigate, the story would keep trending online for days.


    "I know you''re worried about me, but don''t be. He''ll definitely investigate this."


    If asked why she was so confident, she wouldn''t have a concrete answer. It wasn''t really confidence, but more of a test to see if he would genuinely investigate if she didn''t interfere.


    After all, he''d been full of promisestely; she just wasn''t sure if he would follow through with action.


    Seeing her resolve, Samuel didn''t press the matter. He simply instructed his family to continue suppressing the online chatter and to investigate who was constantly pushing the topic back into the spotlight.


    Meanwhile, Lionel had discovered that Sandra was now in Roxa. Just as he was preparing to go after her, his mother suddenly called and told him toe home.


    Before he could even respond, she had already hung up.


    Lionel pinched the bridge of his nose, a headache already forming.


    His newly appointed assistant, Leo, who was previously his deputy, saw his dilemma and couldn''t help but speak up.


    "While we know she''s in Roxa, we can''t be sure we''ll be able to apprehend her just by showing up. This involves crossing borders; we''d need to contact the local police for assistance first."


    "Why don''t you head home first, sir? I can use the time to iron out the details of our cooperation with the police there. And besides..."


    Hearing Leo trail off, Lionel''s frown deepened.


    "Besides what?" he asked coldly.


    herto


    "And your mother hardly ever calls you. For her to call now... if you don''t go, there''s no telling if she''ll get involved in Hannah''s situation You know how much she dislikes Hannah. An opportunity to ruin her reputation would probably delight her; she might even be fanning the mes."


    Leo''s words sparked a bold thought in Lionel''s mind.


    "You''re saying... the reason Hannah''s story won''t die down, no matter how much


    money I throw at it, could be my own mother pushing it back to the top?"


    He had suspected Sandra was behind it, but she likely didn''t have the financial resources to sustain t for this long. He knew someone else. had to be involved, but he had no idea who.


    But if it was his mother keeping the story trending, that would actually make sense.


    Then again, he and Hannah weren''t divorced yet. If Hannah''s reputation waspletely ruined, his mother would lose face among her social circle. She had no real reason to do this.


    After mulling it over, Lionel made a decision. "I''m going home now. You investigate


    my mother. See if she''s the one pulling the strings. If she is, message me immediately."


    "Yes, sir!" Leo responded.


    Lionel drove home. The moment he walked in, he saw his mother sitting there. At


    the sound of his footsteps, she looked over at him, her expression grim.