Chapter 172
Audrey’s POV
William turned away from Laurel and settled back onto the sofa. He stroked his beard, his eyes never leaving her face. The room went quiet.
“So,” he finally said, “Ethan Davies’s evidence was true after all.”
He paused, eyes narrowing. “The people who exposed Audrey online and spread rumors about her were connected to
Parker–Rose Studio.”
“The men who tried to kidnap her and crashed into her car were instructed by your agent Jennifer.”
William’s voice hardened. “And this morning when Audrey was beaten, that too was arranged by Jennifer under your
direction. What do you have to say for yourself?”
Laurel’s lips trembled, but she stayed silent.
His eyes turned cold. “A jealous, vicious woman like you still dreams of joining the Parker family? As long as I’m alive, you’ll never set foot through that door as Blake’s wife!”
Blake shifted beside me but said nothing.
William turned to his grandson. “I don’t care what terminal illness she claims to have, or if she’s supposedly dying. From today on, if you continue seeing her, I will no longer consider you my grandson!”
No one dared breathe.
“Charles,” William barked, “see them out!”
As Charles moved toward Laurel, I spoke up. “Jennifer stays.”
Jennifer’s face went white as she looked toward Laurél for help. But Laurel was too busy with her own crisis to notice.
Laurel took a deep breath and approached William. “William,” she said, voice quivering, “I’m truly being wrongfully accused! These things have nothing to do with me!”
Her eyes filled with tears as she glanced at Blake. Then she spun toward Jennifer.
“How could you?” she screamed, her hand flying through the air.
The sound echoed as Laurel’s palm hit Jennifer’s cheek. Before Jennifer could recover, Laurel struck again with full force.
Jennifer stumbled back, her lip split and bleeding. Two teeth had been knocked loose, blood trickling from her mouth.
“I treated you like family!” Laurel shrieked. “And this is how you repay me!?”
Jennifer touched her swelling face, eyes wide with shock.
“Tell me!” Laurel continued, voice rising. “When did I ever tell you to expose Audrey online? When did I tell you to spread
rumors about her?“.
Chapter 172
She grabbed Jennifer’s shoulders, shaking her. “Everything you did, you did on your own! Now I’m being blamed! Last night I was asleep early I knew nothing about what happened!”
Jennifer opened her mouth, but no words came out.
“Why did you have people beat Audrey? Why did you use my name?” Laurel’s eyes flashed with rage. “You stood under that security camera deliberately to frame me, didn’t you!?”
She shoved Jennifer hard. “Say something! Why are you trying to frame me!?”
I watched Laurel’s performance unfold. The blood on the floor caught my eye.
“Miss Rose,” I said, “you can hit your agent of four years with such brutality?”
Laurel turned to me, breathing hard. “She did terrible things behind my back! No matter how close we were, I cannot forgive that!”
She glared at Jennifer before facing me again. “Jennifer, you’ve been with me for so many years. I considered you family. How could you do this to me?”
What an act. She’s really going all in.
“Why continue pretending?” I asked. “If Jennifer wasn’t following your orders, why would an agent with no connection to me target me repeatedly? She has no grudge against either of us. Why would she risk your reputation and try to harm me? What possible reason could she have?”
For a split second, I caught pure hatred in Laurel’s eyes before she masked it.
“Maybe…” Laurel said, voice softening, “she wasn’t trying to ruin my reputation. Maybe she thought with Blake supporting me, he would protect her for my sake…”
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