Diarmuid could tell that Abigail was venting her frustrations at him.
However, he could not tell her that Ricky had been captured by Debbie so that she would not have to worry.
And yet, Debbie herself had sought out Abigail to tell her just that, while also demanding that she get a lover.
How was he supposed to abide with that?
“I’ll find Ricky as soon as I can.”
Abigail restrained her temper just then-things were hard for Diarmuid right now as well.
“Debbie knows your methods after working for you over the years. She won’t let you find Ricky so easily-not after she’s burned all bridges. Be prepared and wary, because I’m worried that she’d have other cards aside from Ricky and Tommy. Try to get her to talk the next time she’s with you.”
Looking up and into his eyes just then, Abigail murmured, “I just hope that this will be over soon.”
“Yeah,” Diarmuid replied. “I know.”
He had sent his people out to look, after all.
“I have to go now,” Abigail said, not wanting further trouble.
Diarmuid caught her wrist. “I’m sorry.”
None of this would have happened if one of his closest confidants had not betrayed him.
Abigail did not complain, however, since it would not change anything-all they could do was to turn things around.
Her lips twitched, but she kept her silence.
Diarmuid squeezed her hand in turn, his face appearing pale as he tried to speak.
Silence ensued between them.
Over at the hospital, Peter Lindt woke up and tried to sit up when he opened his eyes to see his wife and daughter.
Shirley Lindt quickly went up to help him, asking, “You were just fine in the morning. What happened?”
Peter was silent for a while before saying, “Tim Goldman is trying to screw me over.”
Shirley was actually confused.
Ember Lindt sat on his bed, watching him as she asked, “Dad, what happened? You have to tell US.”
Peter scowled. “Tim Goldman somehow managed to get dirt on US. He knows everything: from the equipment not up to regulation that caused the fire, to the lack of proper fire prevention measures that led to multiple deaths. I had to bribe the people reviewing the incident to alter their findings and pin the blame on the deceased’s negligence, so that we didn’t have to pay much damages or assume a heavy responsibility… and now, Tim Goldman is using it against me as leverage.”
“We can just look for the troubleshooter before…”
Peter cut his wife short before she could finish. “He’s retired.”
“Then, what do we do?” Shirley became flustered.
“I can ask Zachary for help,” Ember said then.
“No.” Peter leveled a stern look at his daughter. “If he knows, he would use it as leverage to threaten US too.”
“But he’s now on our side, isn’t he?” Ember pointed out. “He came home and he’s been good to me. Also, didn’t he apologize about what happened last time?”
Even so, Peter did not fully believe in Zachary, and was still wary toward him.
He would not ask for Zachary’s help unless he was absolutely desperate.
As such, he told Ember, “Don’t tell him. Understand?”
Ember nodded tamely, but her phone suddenly rang.
She took it out and saw that it was a news notification.
She did a double take when she saw the title, and tapped on it.
It was exactly what her father had just said!
How did it make the news?!
“Dad, this is bad,” Ember said as she showed it to Peter, knowing that there was no hiding it now. “Someone posted about it online, and it’s now making headlines.”
Peter’s pupils dilated as he read the news post. “What… How?!1
But that was not all—the families of the deceased had now come forward, demanding justice for the dead. The old workers who used to be employed at the factory were also testifying that the factory had no fire safety measures as well, even stating the model numbers of the factory equipment used-all of which were prohibited for violating safety regulations.
And it was only gaining further traction now.
“It seems that Tim Goldman doesn’t just want money… He wants me dead too!” Peter growled, his gaze darkening as his hands clenched into fists.
There was no way he would take this lying down.
He whipped out his phone to make calls to the press, intent on paying them to take down the news posts.
What he did not know, however, was that Zachary Slate was working with Tim, and they were offering the press double-even triple-of what Peter would pay them.
As such, there was simply nothing Peter could do to enforce a press gag- no media outlet was willing to help at all.
However, he knew that as the news kept circulating, it would cause enough of a stir and lead to a reinvestigation.
And when that happened…
Overwhelmed by the monumental pressure, he collapsed again.
Seeing the direness of his situation, Ember ignored her father’s instructions and went to Zachary, hoping that he would help.
As she hurried to Zachary’s office building, he agreed to see her, more or less aware why she was looking for him.
“Did you see the news, Zachary?’ she asked the instant she saw him.
It was only natural that Zachary knew since he was the one behind everything, but he still played dumb. “What news?’
Ember naively showed him her phone, unaware that Zachary was not the person she knew before.
The kind, compassionate man whom she had coerced and conspired against was now cold and calculative.
Zachary pretended to read the news and feigned surprise as well.
“You have to help me.” Ember tugged on his sleeve.
“Calm down,” Zachary assured her. “Of course I will.”
Ember happily threw herself into his arms at that. “Oh! Thank you, Zachary!”
There was only cold disdain on Zachary’s face, but he passed it off as if he was reading the news. “Is everything they say true?”
It was a lie to lure Ember, though she was quick-witted enough to reply, ’Of course it’s a lie. My dad would never do that.”
“Ember, you have to be honest here,” Zachary told her. “I’m not going to be of help if you lie to me, and we’re already married. Shouldn’t we at least trust each other? Don’t you trust me?”
Ember looked up into his eyes. “I…”
She thought about her options.
Her father could not make any decisions right now, so she had to pin her hopes on Zachary anyway.
Moreover, she had grown to trust Zachary because he had been coming home punctually these days and slept on the same bed as she did.
Most importantly, he apologized for losing his temper with her and her family.
He must want to get along with her now!
However, she had no idea that this was all part of Zachary’s plan-the drugs he had been feeding her to confess everything would wipe her memories soon after.
“If you don’t want to tell me, then forget it,” he said, as if not wanting to trouble her. “I’ll look into this myself and find a solution.’
Seeing that he was compromising as much as he could, Ember naturally spilled the beans. “Actually, everything they say is true, but it’s in the past and it’s supposed to stay buried. But someone who means harm exposed it, and it won’t do if this gets out of hand-you have to think of a way to silence the media.”
Zachary’s lips curled up lightly in disdain and his gaze turned dark. “Okay, I will.”
He had recorded every word Ember just said, including her admitting that everything on the news was true!
Even with his evidence, Zachary could not topple the Lindts in a single stroke.
However, that was not the case now that he had Ember’s confession.
He sent her home to wait for his updates, after which he quickly uploaded the recording online.
The incident had already caused significant unrest, and in this age of networking, no individual or event gets to hide.
Soon, Peter Lindt was named, and a horde of journalists as well as outraged netizens arrived at the hospital.
They both returned home, their faces ashen, but another bombshell landed almost as soon as they sat on the couch.
“You have to listen to this…”
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.
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