Stacey suddenly started laughing hysterically. “Did Madison promise you something? Is that why you sent me shopping today? All these years, I thought you cared about me. I’ve done so much for this family. How can you be so heartless?”
“If I don’t take drastic measures, the company might collapse and go bankrupt. You’re focused on protecting Ashley, but you need to think about more than that. You have to consider what’s best for our unborn child,” Peter replied, a hint of redness creeping into his cheeks. After a pause, he added, “I’ve been a father to Ashley for so long. Now, it’s time for her to make a small contribution to the family. What’s wrong with that?”
Stacey stared at him with bloodshot eyes. “A small contribution? Peter, do you realize that what you’ve done could put Ashley behind bars?”
Peter replied casually, “I talked to a lawyer. He said she won’t be locked up for many years.”
Stacey was shocked.
“Not for many years? Do you understand the situation? If this goes badly, Ashley’s future will be ruined! Her chances in the entertainment world will be over!”
“Entertainment world? You keep talking about how great it is, but have you ever seen her give me a dime? When she gets out, I’ll help her find a job and make sure her later years are peaceful. It has come to this point. You’ve always been practical; you should understand where I’m coming from. I’m doing this for our family!”
Peter didn’t want to argue with Stacey anymore, so he turned his back to her.
Stacey slumped into the chair, feeling overwhelmed and helpless. What more could she say or do now?
Peter had always claimed he was acting for the family’s sake, but Stacey now saw that he never really considered her or Ashley as part of his family.
He was only looking out for himself, willing to abandon anyone.
Stacey felt that her years of hard work had become a big joke.
Since Madison’s return, Peter had been bowing to her. Stacey felt like she was just a pawn, always at risk of being discarded.
Stacey had never felt so weak and helpless, and tears began to fall.
But she had faced tough challenges before and always managed to get through them. This time, she wouldn’t give up so easily!
Wiping away her tears, Stacey left the police station and called Rupert. Her voice trembled as she begged, “Rupert, you have to help Ashley this time! I’m willing to do anything to save her!”
“What’s going on? Take it easy,” Rupert said.
After hearing Stacey’s story, Rupert let out a soft chuckle. “It’s not a big deal. It’s just a minor issue. No need for tears. I have some contacts at the police station. I’ll send someone to post bail for Ashley.”
“Really?” Stacey felt relieved and wiped her tears away. “Are you really going to help Ashley?”
Rupert replied casually, “I’ve told you I won’t ignore Ashley’s situation. Just go home and wait for the news.”
Stacey regained her composure, got up, and walked away confidently.
Rupert was Ashley’s biological father, so with him involved, things would likely be sorted out smoothly.
Soon, news of Ashley getting caught swapping medicines started spreading online, causing a stir among people.
People who used to criticize Bianca now turned their attention to Ashley, digging into her past and exposing her mistakes.
“I remember she got arrested once for some shady deal.”
“Yes! I recall that too, but I don’t see any recent reports about it online.”
“Given this scandal, I’m starting to wonder if the woman in that controversial video was her!”
“I always had doubts about her innocence. Ashley seems to have many secrets. I wonder who’s backing her!”
“The fact that Orion Entertainment signed someone like her is questionable!”
The online sentiment shifted quickly, but many were still holding out hope for Ashley, waiting for the official story from the authorities.
In the CEO office of the Vanguard Group, Rupert paced back and forth.
He had tried calling several high-ranking officers at the police station, but none of them answered.
His only option was to send someone to the police station to negotiate directly, but they were quickly sent back to him.
What started as a simple issue had turned into a major problem, making it seem like a huge force was blocking his communication with the police.
In Edenfield, who could have enough power to do this?
Suddenly, Rupert remembered Stacey’s stepdaughter’s boyfriend, Evans. If Ashley were jailed, it would clear Bianca’s name.
So, Dave took action.
‘It must be him!’
Who else could pull this off except Dave? It couldn’t be Lucas!
Rupert sneered, realizing he had finally found a flaw against Dave.
‘It was time to end this!’
He put on his coat, left the building, got into his car, and told the driver firmly, “To Emerald Artists Agency.”
****
Bianca went to the hospital after taking care of the company’s urgent issues.
Reese had been moved from the ICU to a general ward.
Blake had been watching over her for the past few days so Bianca could focus on her work without extra worry.
“Has she woken up yet?” Bianca asked as she entered the ward.
She sighed when she saw Reese lying still.
Blake shook his head. “No, not yet. But the doctors say she’s getting better. There’s hope she might wake up soon.”
After a pause, he added, “How are things at the company? I saw online that Ashley is accused of manipulating an employee and tampering with Reese’s medication.”
Bianca’s eyes narrowed as she looked at Reese’s pale face. “Ashley acted recklessly, putting innocent people at risk just to hurt me. She won’t escape the consequences,” she said, clenching her fists.
“Ashley seems to have some powerful backers. Whenever negative news about her comes up online, it gets quickly removed. I’m worried this time…”
Bianca had the same thought. However, this situation was different. Ashley had broken the law, and if there were attempts to clear her name, her secret supporter would be exposed.
Bianca was eager to find out who was behind Ashley.
“Blake, thank you for staying here these past few days. I’m free now, so I’ll stay. You should go home and rest,” Bianca said with a smile.
She decided not to linger on Blake’s earlier comment.
Blake gave her a knowing look but said nothing more. “Okay, I’ll switch shifts with you tonight,” he said, standing up.
Once he left, Bianca sat by Reese’s bed, gently brushing her bangs away. The once chubby-faced Reese looked much thinner, with more defined facial features.