The cacophony was jarring, each blow a brutal reminder of the attackers’ relentless fury.
As if smashing the car wasn’t enough, they began hurling all kinds of disgusting filth onto the windshield, their laughter and shouts echoing through the parking lot.
Before security could arrive, the group snatched up their belongings and disappeared like shadows melting into the night, leaving behind a scene of chaos.
The parking lot fell silent again, save for Karina’s groan of frustration as she stepped out to inspect the damage.
“My car!” she wailed, her voice echoing in the cavernous space. She stumbled back at the sight of the windshield, now caked in filth, and fought to suppress the anger rising in her chest.
An urge to gag surged within Karina.
“It’s ruined! I only had it for two days! Those disgusting lowlifes-I’m calling the police! I need to know who did this!”
“I already know,” Corrine said, her voice low and cutting, as her icy gaze swept over the battered car.
Her tone was like the cold bite of a winter wind, sharp and unyielding, carrying a chill that lingered long after the words had been spoken.
Karina’s gaze snapped to Corrine as she listened, her lips curling into a mocking smile. Identifying the mastermind was not challenging. After a brief moment of thought, it became obvious-Leah, that relentless fool, was behind it all.
Karina remembered warning Corrine to be careful of Leah’s retaliation, astonished at how quickly her prediction came true. She was curious to see if Leah could afford the consequences of her actions.
Leaning forward, Karina inquired, “What do you plan to do about her?”
A cold smile curved on Corrine’s lips, carrying the lethal charm of a poppy.
“I think I’ll entertain her games a while longer.”
Corrine had thought that taking down the viral posts would rein in Leah’s behavior, but Leah seemed eager to stir up even more trouble
Turning away, Corrine pulled out her phone and sent a message to Jules.
“I need a favor.”
Jules called her immediately, his tone casual.
“Corrine, you don’t waste any time when it comes to asking for favors, do you?”
“I’ll send you a file shortly. Help me pin a video to the top of all major forums. Title it ‘Popular Actress Colludes with Unknown Criminal Forces to Commit Violence in Public.’ Make the font big and bold, as obvious as possible!” Corrine instructed casually. She added, “Be sure to blur the faces-I can’t risk my grandfather finding out.”
Jules grumbled, “Am I really needed for such trivial things?”
“It’s no trivial matter when your help is needed,” Corrine retorted, quickly sending a document to Jules on WhatsApp.
As Karina examined her damaged car, she fought back her dismay and caught up to Corrine, complaining, “You should’ve just revealed your real identity and put her in her place. I’d like to see her arrogance after that!”
“I intentionally kept my distance from the Ford family back then,” Corrine explained.
“Plus, the Ford family doesn’t flaunt their wealth.”
This rule stemmed from an incident in her mother’s childhood-a kidnapping. After Kiley was safely recovered, Carl concealed all family details to protect her.
Consequently, only a select few knew of Kiley and Corrine-Carl’s daughter and granddaughter.
Jules, having downloaded the file, scrutinized it intently. His expression was icy, a frost seeming to settle on his eyebrows. He muttered under his breath, “She’s really pushing her luck!”
His fingers flew over the keyboard, entering strings of complex commands. As he navigated through Leah’s data, a mischievous grin appeared on his face. How intriguing!
In another part of town, Matias received the alarming update and dashed into the CEO’s office. A flash of annoyance crossed Nate’s face at Matias’ abrupt entrance.
“Sir, there’s trouble involving Miss Holland,” Matias reported, presenting his phone to Nate.
“This afternoon, she narrowly escaped an assault by unidentified assailants in the underground parking lot. Fortunately, she was unharmed. The suspects are now in custody and under investigation.”
“Good job,” Nate said, handing back the phone.
Matias accepted the phone with a modest grin as Nate’s voice, cool and detached, added, “Let finance know to double your bonus this month.” It seemed that helping Corrine was definitely a rewarding task!
Matias fought back a grin, respectfully replying, “Thank you, sir!”
“Keep the online discussions clean. I want nothing that could sour her mood. Ensure there are no negative remarks about her anywhere,” Nate instructed, rising from his chair.
He walked toward the expansive window with a purposeful stride, his presence dominating the room
Although the statement was short, Matias could feel the fierce and ruthless aura behind it.
He glanced at his boss’s back, his gaze intensifying with understanding.
The recent peaceful life had perhaps dulled his awareness of Nate’s true nature. Hidden beneath Nate’s charming facade was a mind both strategic and merciless.
Matias lowered his gaze and responded, “Yes, sir!”
Corrine was on her way back to the company when her phone buzzed with a call from Jayden.
It wasn’t hard to figure out why-Jules, in his eagerness to curry favor, had probably already told Jayden everything.
She sighed softly before answering, her tone bright and affectionate.
“Uncle Jayden…”
“Did I scare you?” Jayden wasted no time on pleasantries, his concern clear through the line.
“Jules filled me in on everything. Don’t worry-I won’t let you face this alone. I’ll get to the bottom of it!”
His voice was steady, with an undertone of restrained anger, barely noticeable unless you knew him well.
“Uncle Jayden, I can take care of this myself,” Corrine replied, her voice firm but calm.
“I’ve already put someone on it. We’ll have answers soon!” Jayden’s tone sharpened, heavy with dissatisfaction.
“This went too far. There’s no way I’ll let the person responsible get away with this!”
Hearing the unwavering determination in his voice, Corrine felt an unexpected warmth spreading through her chest. It was comforting to know her family always had her back.
She took a deep breath, steadying her emotions, and spoke with gentle resolve.
“Uncle Jayden, I’m a Ford. Do you really think I’d let anyone push me around? I’ll handle this myself. Besides, I wasn’t hurt, so there’s no need to make such a fuss over it.”
For a moment, there was only silence on the other end. Then Jayden let out a heavy sigh, his words laced with reluctant agreement.
“Fine, I won’t interfere-but that doesn’t mean I’ll stand by and let you be treated unfairly.”
The message was clear. He would let her take the lead, but his own plans wouldn’t stop moving forward.
After Corrine hung up, Karina turned to her friend, her expression a mix of awe and jealousy.
The Ford family’s devotion to Corrine was something she could never ignore. She thought back to the most extravagant example-the time Corrine casually mentioned wanting ice cream. Instead of buying a single flavor, Jayden had purchased every flavor available in Lyhaton, just because he wasn’t sure which one she liked best.
Moments like that made it painfully obvious to Karina what it meant to be the center of someone’s world
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.