Terrified, she had immediately called Lionel.


    "The police haven''t even sent a notice yet, so what are you panicking about? Besides, thepensation won''t be millions. At most, it''ll be a few hundred thousand. I can afford that!"


    Lionel roared back, kicking the coffee table in a fit of rage.


    "Stop calling me! As soon as the notice arrives, I will transfer the money to the police department, and they will ensure you receive it!"


    After saying this, a thought urred to him, and he added, "And let me be clear. Whatever amount the police determine is what you get. If you''re not satisfied, take it up with them."


    "If you try to use this to extort me, I can and will sue you for ckmail! You''d better think carefully about that!"


    Lionel knew Mrs. Edith Woods wouldn''t pass up a golden opportunity to squeeze


    him for more money.


    If the officialpensation amount was too low for her liking, she would definitely make a scene.


    He had to make it clear that he knew the Woods family was trying to exploit this situation for a huge payday. He wasn''t blind to their intentions.


    Mrs. Edith Woods was about to say more, but before she could get a word out, Lionel furiously hung up on her.


    "Who does he think he is, yelling at me? He''s the one who broke thew, and he has the audacity to shout at me!"


    Mrs. Edith Woods seethed, phone in hand, and immediately tried to call him back.


    This time, however, she realized he had blocked her number.


    "Oh, so you dare to block me? I''m going to the police right now and demand justice! You shameless bastard, let''s see if the police can''t handle you!"


    After hanging up, Lionel switched his phone off in frustration.


    He didn''t want to receive any more calls or see any more news online.


    The police report, thepensation, Hannah''s divorce stunt, Quennel fanning the mes online, the elders threatening to disown him.....


    One thing after another, it all came crashing down on him at once,


    giving him no room to breathe


    as if


    determined to crush himpletely.


    Lionel couldn''t understand how so much could have gone wrong in less than a month.


    Thepensation and the police issue could wait.


    Hannah''s divorce could also be put on hold for now.


    As for the online gossip, let them talk. He had been a trending topic so many times it


    didn''t even matter anymore.


    The most pressing matter was the elders'' meeting.


    If he was truly cast out, handling everything else would be infinitely more difficult.


    At that thought, Lionel felt a throbbing in his temples, a relentless, maddening pulse that left him feeling utterly lost.


    On the way home, Quennel


    instructed his subordinates to keep the negative stories trending, to dredge up Lionel''s past mistakes and put them on full disy


    He wanted to make sure Lionel and Sandra became public pariahs, hated by all.


    "Do you think Lionel will show up tonight?" Mrs. Mary Rosenberg asked from the seat beside him.


    Quennel put down his phone. "He will. Lionel knows better than anyone how dangerous it is to be cut off from the Rosenberg family."


    The purpose of flooding the inte


    with negative press and rehashing


    old scandals was to make sure the


    Poy forget just


    elders sawit all lest


    how many foolish things Lionel had


    done.


    “It was you today, calling him for no reason," Mrs. Mary Rosenberg said, a hint of reprimand in her voice.


    “I regret it now,” Quennel said, his eyes half-closed as he stared out the window.