Khloe froze for a moment, then leaned in without thinking, her eyes fixed on her mother. “Mom, please continue. I’m listening.”
Laura inhaled deeply, her gaze clouded with pain and a sense of helplessness. “Your grandfather always believed your father was unremarkable, incapable of upholding the Evans family’s legacy. When he recognized your extraordinary talent and intelligence, he secretly drew up a will.”
Khloe’s eyes widened in shock, and she couldn’t help but ask, “What kind of will?”
Laura’s grip on Khloe’s hand tightened as she explained, “The will stipulates that if you marry before turning 26, the entire Evans family property will be transferred to you. Meanwhile, your father would only receive a modest sum of cash and some houses.”
A surge of intense anger flared within Khloe, threatening to shatter her composure. She clenched her hands into tight fists, her nails pressing into her palms, yet she felt no pain.
So, this was the truth. Back then, Joshua was always showing off Laura, acting like the perfect, loving husband in front of everyone. But then, out of nowhere, Lorraine showed up with fake evidence claiming Laura had been unfaithful. The evidence appeared so convincing that, if not for Khloe’s unwavering trust in her mother’s character, she might have been fooled.
When Laura left the Evans family, she barely defended herself. It felt like, all of a sudden, two people who once got along had completely drifted apart.
In the end, it all came down to the will. After all, it involved so much wealth.
Laura understood it wasn’t just about Joshua’s feelings. It was the lure of wealth that corrupted human nature. Joshua could never tolerate Laura staying in the Evans family, given she knew about the will, and her leaving was her way of protecting Khloe. Otherwise, Joshua might have devised a way to eliminate Khloe back then.
Three years ago, Khloe had found herself behind bars. She had always believed it was due to Joshua losing his senses over Lorraine. But now, everything made perfect sense to Khloe. It became clear that Joshua had been pulling the strings all along, paving the way for Lorraine and Sloane to frame her without a hitch.
“That man is nothing more than a snake.”
Every hardship, every moment of pain and injustice, had crystallized into a fiery resentment aimed squarely at her father.
Laura let out a quiet sigh, her sorrowful eyes heavy with regret. “Yes, Khloe. I’m so sorry I couldn’t protect you from all of this.”
Khloe’s eyes grew red, tears threatening to spill, though she stubbornly refused to let them fall. As she straightened her posture, her eyes radiated a fierce determination, like a single star glowing brightly in the night sky.
“Mom, don’t say that. None of this is on you. I won’t let anyone exploit me again. The people who hurt us will pay.” Khloe’s tone was as cold and firm as steel.
Laura lifted her hand and brushed Khloe’s hair, a small, relieved smile appearing on her face. “Khloe, I trust you. But the road ahead won’t be simple. You need to stay cautious.”
Khloe bit down on her lip, her gaze unwavering and resolute. She nodded firmly. “Mom, trust me. You’ll see them fall. In the meantime, keep pretending to be unconscious. If you need anything or have to step out, reach out to the people I’ve assigned to you. I’m afraid Joshua might go as far as trying to harm you.”
“Alright, I’ll do as you say. Go and handle what you must. I’m here for you,” Laura agreed with a nod.
After a brief pause, Khloe added, “Mom, I’ll need your help with something. I’m planning to go back to university for my classes…”
An hour later, Khloe stepped out of the ward. Her face was calm and unreadable, betraying no hint of the emotions she had just felt. She got into the car and directed the driver towards Tess’s office. The moment she walked into the office, Tess greeted her warmly. “You’re here. Take a seat.”
Khloe gave a polite nod, her face composed and steady. With a warm smile, Tess poured a cup of coffee and passed it to Khloe. Then, she opened a desk drawer, pulled out a pile of photos, and set them on the table in front of Khloe. “Have a look.”
Khloe’s eyes fell on the photos, and to her shock, they depicted Eric cornering her against the wall at the hospital, capturing the compromising scene in detail.
Khloe glanced at the photos on the table, looking completely unfazed. She lifted her gaze to meet Tess’s, her voice calm and unbothered. “Did these photos come from the paparazzi?”
A flicker of surprise sparked in Tess’s eyes; she hadn’t expected Khloe to be so direct and perceptive. She nodded, a hint of hesitation in her reply. “Yes. Since I already announced your collaboration with Starshine Entertainment, the paparazzi were quick to follow up. As soon as they snapped these, they came straight to me for a payout.”
Khloe scoffed softly, her tone icy. “Don’t. Let the paparazzi post them. Someone else will handle the cost.”
The words caught Tess off-guard, leaving her briefly stunned. Khloe’s approach was like that of a seasoned pro, not a novice. If anyone should be panicking about these photos going public, it was Sloane, who had secured quite a few deals in the industry thanks to her status as Eric’s girlfriend.
Once, Khloe and Eric had been the perfect couple, admired by everyone around them. His recent attempt to reconnect clearly signaled he wasn’t over her. Khloe’s calm refusal was only natural, but her composure in the face of such a surprise-with no trace of bitterness or regret-was impressive, to say the least.
Such steely control was something Tess had only ever seen in Henrik; it was as if he and Khloe were cut from the same rare cloth.
Tess quickly pulled out a stack of papers and handed them to Khloe. “These are the production teams available for collaboration. I’ve included all the top people in the industry. Now that our budget has increased, you can choose anyone you want.”
When “Peaks of Eternity” was first released, Khloe’s work had won major awards domestically and internationally, turning her into a legend overnight. Tess knew that they had to shoot for the stars now; “Peaks of Eternity” needed to be nothing short of extraordinary, carrying forward the success of the original novel. Who better than Khloe, the author herself, to bring these beloved characters to life once more?
Khloe took the documents over and started thumbing through the pages.
The warm afternoon light streamed through the window, casting a gentle glow across her skin. Her complexion was so smooth and luminous in the sunlight that it almost seemed to radiate warmth. Tess was so enraptured that she felt an urge to capture the moment in a photo. As the head of an entertainment company, she had seen her fair share of beauties, but Khloe-with her serene poise and exceptional talent-was a rare gem indeed. No wonder Henrik, even knowing the troubles surrounding her, couldn’t resist being drawn to her.
Suddenly, Khloe paused, her fingers frozen on the last page of the stack of documents. “None of these will do. Not one.”
Tess blinked in surprise. This collection was already the best the industry had to offer. “Then who did you have in mind?”
Khloe lifted her gaze, her eyes flashing with intense ambition. “Elwood Wilson, the famous director.”
Tess’ eyes widened. “What?”
At the sprawling villa, Sloane stood over a spread of photographs, her expression a storm of fury. Her eyes flashed with such heat that they seemed to burn through the glossy images, and she tossed objects around the room in a fit of rage, her immaculate makeup failing to mask the fire simmering beneath.
“Khloe is trying to get with Eric again!” she cursed through gritted teeth. “Mom, that woman must have put some kind of spell on him. She’s a convict, but Eric can’t seem to get her out of his mind, and now Karl has thrown a hundred million her way. She’s nothing but a slut!”
Sloane could barely contain her anger; in that moment, she felt as though she could’ve killed someone.
Across from her, Lorraine’s face tightened, a glint of cold cunning sparking in her eyes. “Patience, Sloane. Khloe’s just a pretty face. When it comes to heritage, status, real connections, she’s no match for you. Eric is just distracted.” She paused, then her lips curled into a sneer. “As for the role…”
“If she wants to challenge us, we’ll take her down, and she won’t even see it coming. There are plenty of ways to end someone in this industry-quietly, and without a trace.”
A dangerous light flickered in Sloane’s eyes. “You already have a plan, don’t you?”
Lorraine’s smile sharpened. “We’ll start by finding out when her team plans to announce their new lead actress.”
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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