She managed an awkward smile. "Dad, don''t overthink it. Mom went to see Mr.


    Wilson to help you discuss a business deal. Mr. Wilson''s wife saw them and mistook her for a mistress. Mom got beaten up and is still in the hospital."


    Nathan was a man; he could tell truth from lies.


    Ultimately, he was the one who had wronged Sophia.


    But...


    "Never mind. You should go get some rest. I''ll be fine after some sleep. I''ll watch my diet from now on."


    It wasn''t just his blood pressure and sugar. It was the fact that he could no longer function as a man.


    Joanna didn''t bother pressing him further.


    If he died early, it would be one less burden for her.


    Everything that was Wendy''s would soon be hers, and Nathan would have outlived


    his usefulness.


    After leaving, Joanna went to bed.


    The next morning.


    Marshall was on his way to work when he was blocked at thepany entrance by


    a crowd of reporters and officials from a joint inspectionmission.


    Marshall''s assistant and bodyguards formed a protective circle around him.


    An official from themission stepped forward. "Mr. Spencer, we''ve received a report that yourpany''s housing development has used building materials that do not meet regtions Inspectors from the construction, safety, and quality assurance bureaus are already on-site conducting checks. We need you to cooperate with our investigation.”


    Marshall nced at the swarm of reporters nearby. The story had already broken before any facts were established. News that the Spencer family''s development used substandard materials was already all over the inte.


    It was Joanna, of course. Yves and his wife were busy weing Maxwell home from jail today; they doted on their son and wouldn''t have had time for this.


    It had to be Joanna. She was cunning and left no evidence, but it wasn''tpletely untraceable.


    Marshall faced the crowd and smiled. "Since all your departments are here, let''s go to the site now. I want you to broadcast the entire inspection process live to ensure that the Spencer family''s reputation is not unfairly damaged."


    As soon as he finished, a reporter shoved a microphone in his face. "Mr. Spencer, by using materials that don''t meet national standards, what Will you say to the homebuyers who trusted the Spencer family when their new homes start having problems?"


    "They work their entire lives to buy a single home with their hard-earned money. If there are quality issues, it would be a devastating blow to them..."


    "I understand your concern for the consumers. But if you''re so concerned, why are you listening to hearsay instead of waiting for the official inspection results?"


    "Nothing has been confirmed yet. You are blowing this out of proportion and inciting panic among homebuyers. As journalists, you haven''t even verified the truth of the matter, yet you''re already reporting these exaggerations."


    "For a journalist, truth is the cornerstone of your work. You must report facts objectively, urately and fairly, without exaggeration, minimization, or distortion, to ensure your reporting aligns with reality. You haven''t even been to my Construction site, yet you''re iming my materials are faulty?"


    Marshall cut the reporter off, his deep, pleasant voice firm and righteous.


    He stood in the cold wind, dressed in a ck overcoat. A faint smile yed on his handsome face. Though he was dressed maturely, his smile still held a touch of youthful charm.


    The reporter was stunned into silence. He was shocked.


    Marshall was just a spoiled, arrogant brat. How could he deliver such a well- reasoned response?