The Unlucky Turn by Mark Twain 320
‘Ask us to keep it a secret? Impossible!”
‘Exactly. This is huge gossip. It would be a waste not to leak it!”
‘Tamara, that fake, manipulative snake! She has humiliated me so many times before. Watch me send her trending this time and let the internet tear her apart!”
‘Shh, keep it down. The Sherwood family isn’t one to mess with. If they hear you, your parents will beat you senseless…”
They spoke like this, but the excitement in their eyes couldn’t be hidden.
As he stepped out of the banquet hall, Fitch’s assistant quickly caught up with him, whispering. “Mr. Sherwood, arrangements have been made to pay off the media. We’re also monitoring social media to ensure the news doesn’t spread.”
Fitch let out a cold “Mhm,” his eyes sinister. “Today’s events absolutely cannot affect the company’s stock price.”
The assistant nodded. “Yes, I understand.”
Fitch paused, then asked, “How is Tamara?” \
‘She has been sent back to the Sherwood residence. The doctor checked her and said she fainted from emotional agitation. It’s nothing serious.”
Fitch sneered. “Good that it’s nothing serious.”
He narrowed his eyes, his voice low. “Tell her to behave herself for a while and stop causing trouble for me.”
“Yes.”
10:32
After the guests had dispersed, only a few waiters remained in the banquet hall to clean up the mess.
Josiah grabbed Hackett, who was preparing to leave, and dragged him to a deserted corner, questioning him in a lowered voice. “Dad! Why did you agree to let Fitch buy shares just now? If he has ulterior motives, the Sloan family is finished!”
Hackett frowned, shaking off his hand impatiently. “What do you know? The Sherwood and Sloan families have decades of friendship. Besides, Tamara is already the Sherwood family’s daughter-in-law. The interests of both families have long been tied together. How could the Sherwood family harm us?”
Josiah’s gaze was sharp. “Dad, did you really not notice that Fitch’s
attitude today was very strange? Yvonne was almost killed, yet he wasn’t angry at all. Instead, he defended Tamara at every turn! Four years ago when Yvonne fell down the stairs, Fitch wanted to tear the culprit to pieces! Now that his daughter has been victimized again, he’s indifferent. Is that normal?”
Hackett’s expression changed slightly, but he quickly, regained his composure. “Stop being so paranoid! I know what kind of person Fitch is better than you do!”
He huffed. “He’s protecting Tamara now only because she is the Sherwood family’s daughter-in-law. He just doesn’t want to air dirty laundry in public!”
Josiah gritted his teeth. “Dad! Business is war. You can never be too careful!”
Hackett waved his hand impatiently. “Enough! If you have this much free time, you’d be better off thinking about how to solve the lawsuit from the Langley family! Leilani actually dared to disown us in public and get Callahan involved! If the Langley family really pursues this, we’re in big trouble!”
Josiah wanted to say more, but Hackett had already turned and strode away, his back radiating unquestionable stubbornness.
The night was heavy, and the streetlights flickered slightly in the wind.
Leilani had been following Yvonne. Finally, she found Yvonne on a park bench near the hotel where the wedding had been held. The girl was curled up on the bench, arms wrapped tightly around her knees, shoulders trembling slightly like an abandoned animal.
Leilani lightened her steps, walked over slowly, and sat down beside her.
Sensing someone approaching, Yvonne jerked her head up, her red eyes
still filled with tears.
‘Leilani…” Her voice was choked, filled with deep grievance and
confusion.
Leilani didn’t speak. She simply reached out and gently pulled her into an
embrace.
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