Alexander let out a deep, mocking laugh, as if he had just heard the most ridiculous joke. "Hahaha! How can she be behind this?" he scoffed, shaking his head in amusement.
Still smirking, he stepped closer to Veronica, his tall frame towering over her. With a slow, deliberate movement, he reached out and tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear, his fingers grazing her cheek for the briefest moment.
His touch was firm, yet controlled, as if sealing his words with an unshakable conviction.
"She doesn’t even qualify to wash your shoes," he said coldly. "How can she possibly manage to destroy a company or even challenge me?"
His voice carried the arrogance of a man who ruled without opposition, his confidence unwavering.
He took a step back, his piercing gaze locking onto hers. "Stop thinking about it," he commanded. "Focus on the press conference that’s coming up. Let me take care of everything."
His words were final—an assurance and an order wrapped in one.
Veronica smiled faintly, carefully choosing her words to paint the perfect picture of a victim. Her voice trembled ever so slightly as she spoke, her red-rimmed eyes glistening with unshed tears.
"But when she visited our home yesterday... she warned all of us," Veronica whispered, lowering her gaze as if recalling a painful memory. "And she—she even slapped my mother and me."
She paused deliberately, giving Alexander a moment to process the statement before continuing, her tone laced with false grievance.
"She can beat me to death if she wants," she added, sniffling as if struggling to hold back tears. "But she shouldn’t have raised a hand against my mother."
Veronica knew she was lying, but what did it matter? She just needed to plant the seed of doubt.
"And... and..." She hesitated, her voice barely above a whisper before she finally gathered the courage to speak.
"She came in a luxury car," Veronica murmured, her eyes flickering with something unreadable. "Earlier, she wasn’t , but now..."
She trailed off, allowing the implication to settle in. She didn’t need to say it outright—she was painting a picture with careful strokes, leading Alexander to the conclusion she wanted.
Ultimately, she was hinting that Aurora had a sugar daddy backing her, that someone powerful was supporting her, and that this person was the reason behind the sudden attack on the Smiths.
"When my mother confronted her about it... she slapped her," Veronica sobbed, her shoulders trembling as she acted pitiful, playing her role to perfection.
A chilling silence followed her words. Alexander’s expression darkened, a muscle ticking in his jaw.
Encouraged by Alexander’s reaction, Veronica pressed on, her voice laced with careful hesitation, as if she were reluctant to speak but felt compelled to reveal the truth.
"She went back to college today," she murmured, watching his expression closely. "She even took a test."
She bit her lip, as if struggling with her next words before finally continuing, "But she dropped out of college before, and her academics were never good. She failed all her subjects last year..."
Veronica hesitated, lowering her gaze as if unsure whether to continue. But she knew exactly what she was doing. She let a beat of silence stretch before adding, "But... but... she went straight to the principal’s office today."
She stole a glance at Alexander, gauging his reaction before delivering the final blow.
"She was hinting that it was because of her sugar daddy that she was able to do all of this."
Her voice trembled just enough to make it sound like she was reluctantly spilling a harsh truth, her expression one of conflicted concern.
The implication was clear—Aurora had someone powerful pulling strings for her, someone who had not only put her back in college but was also helping her climb where she didn’t belong.
Veronica didn’t stop there. She continued, her voice barely above a whisper, as if she were hesitant to speak but forced by the weight of the truth.
"There are also... rumors," she said, her fingers gripping the hem of her dress tightly. "On the college forum... people have been saying that she’s being kept by an old man."
She sniffled, lowering her gaze as if ashamed to even repeat such a thing. "I-I didn’t want to believe it at first, but with everything that’s happening... the luxury car, her sudden return to college, the way she walked into the principal’s office like she owned the place..."
She trailed off, shaking her head as if deeply troubled, carefully crafting the image of an innocent sister, merely concerned about the path Aurora was taking.
"Say that again," he said, his voice dangerously low.
Alexander’s grip on his pen tightened until it snapped in half. The room felt suffocating. The idea of Aurora—his wife, the woman he had spent years despising—entangling herself with another man sent a foreign, unpleasant sensation crawling through his chest. He wasn’t sure what it was, but he didn’t like it.
Veronica watched him closely, gauging his reaction. She had sown the seeds of doubt, and now all she had to do was wait for them to sprout.
Back in the warehouse, Lily’s struggles were in vain. A door creaked open, and a man stepped inside. His tailored suit and sharp gaze sent a fresh wave of fear coursing through her.
"Miss Lily," the man greeted, his tone calm yet laced with amusement. "I’ve been waiting for this moment."
Lily’s throat dried up. "This is a mistake—"
"I don’t make mistakes," Calvert cut her off, stepping closer. "You had a job to do, and yet, here you are. How unfortunate for you."
Lily bit back her panic. She had played so many games, manipulated so many people, but for the first time, she realized—she was the one trapped in a game she couldn’t control.
The pieces were moving, and someone had just declared checkmate.
Calvert leaned back in his chair, his eyes narrowing as he took in Lily’s trembling figure. A disappointed sneer tugged at his lips.
This wasn’t what he had been expecting. He had been anticipating Aurora, imagining how he would break her, how she would look beneath him—vulnerable, helpless, completely at his mercy.
His twisted mind had already painted a vivid picture, one where she was bound, unable to resist, her body trembling under his control.
But instead, he had been delivered Lily.
A wave of irritation flashed through him, but he quickly masked it with a triumphant smirk. No matter. He would deal with Lily first.
As for Aurora, she wouldn’t escape him for long. One way or another, she would end up right where he wanted her.
His fingers tapped against the armrest as he let his imagination wander, his thoughts growing darker. The thrill of the hunt was half the pleasure, and soon, he would have everything he desired.