Chapter 419 Can Only Protect You
The early spring weather was still a bit chilly, and it was the weekend with a light drizzle.
Most people on their day off were still in bed, playing on their phones.
#Rosewood City Mine Disaster
This hashtag was trending at that moment.
Aiden was trying to control the narrative, while Francis was doing the same.
Aiden wanted to remove the trending topic, while Francis was spending money to keep it at the top.
Ollie's video, on the other hand, didn't get much attention.
Everyone was flocking to the mine disaster topic, and its popularity quickly surpassed ten million.
And it was still growing.
Aiden was getting anxious and called the village leader to inquire.
The village leader said no one had touched the burial site.
But Aiden's nerves didn't relax.
He called a few trusted people.
They all said they hadn't seen anyone from Francis's side near the village.
"Francis is good, but he can't make the dead talk, right?" Dash asked cautiously, seeing Aiden's grim expression.
He knew he had made many mistakes.
Right now, he couldn't drag Aiden down.
Aiden rubbed his tired eyes and retorted, "What if Francis really has that ability?"
Dash thought it was unlikely but didn't dare to argue.
"Aiden, you can handle this, right?"
Aiden couldn't confidently say he could handle it.
With anyone else, maybe.
But with Francis, he wasn't sure.
Aiden frowned. "Are you sure there were no survivors, that the whole family died?"
"Sure, even the baby."
Aiden looked at the glaring top trending topic.
If Francis was just manipulating public opinion to expose the mine disaster to the public, using public pressure to force an investigation, that would be manageable.
But he feared there was a bigger trap waiting for him.
Elissa and her friends also saw the trending topic.
Anne said, "If the Wright family really covered up the mine disaster, they're finished."
Elissa and Hope didn't comment.
So many lives lost, if investigated, they couldn't escape.
This time, the Wright family was likely done for.
Anne added, "No wonder Mr. Hammer specifically told us not to go out."
Hope propped her chin, looked at the comments for a while, then put down her phone and said to Elissa, "The Wright family thought marrying Francis to someone without a background was his weak spot. Too bad, Francis has more leverage."
Elissa snorted, "The Wright family brought this on themselves. Justice may be delayed, but it will come."
Anne chimed in, "The Wright family messed with the wrong person."
Soon after, someone claimed to be a survivor of the mine disaster and publicly accused the Wright family of negligence.
When Aiden saw the accusation video, he couldn't sit still.
He immediately contacted the village leader, who had also seen the online developments but was equally confused.
The village leader asked, "Could it be someone acting?"
Aiden hoped it was acting, but he didn't think Francis would use such a public method for a performance.
If it were him, he wouldn't do it this way.
It would be too easy to expose.
Aiden said coldly, "Are you sure you don't recognize the person in the video?"
The village leader hesitated, "Well, there's no such person in our village. That family really did die..."
Aiden couldn't listen anymore and hung up.
He angrily kicked over the coffee table.
He hadn't cursed in a long time.
Dash hadn't seen Aiden like this in a long time.
Even when he first told him about the mine disaster, he wasn't this angry.
"Francis can't be this lucky every time. This can't be true," Dash said.
He had just finished speaking when the top trending topic changed.
#Paternity Test Confirms Accuser is Mine Disaster Survivor
Aiden clicked on the topic and saw the surname "Warner," feeling a wave of dizziness.
The family that died had the surname "Warner."
"Francis would make the act convincing, so it's normal for him to know these details." Dash's hand holding the coffee cup started to tremble uncontrollably, "We can't scare ourselves. We must stay calm..."
Aiden kicked Dash. "Didn't I warn you back then that the mine disaster was risky and not to be short-sighted?"
Dash's health had deteriorated over the years.
Despite constant care, he couldn't match Aiden's prime.
That kick left him lying on the ground, weakly saying, "I was... trying to make the Wright family... better."
Aiden sneered, "Are you satisfied now?"
Dash took a deep breath, trying to ease the pain, and grabbed Aiden's pants leg. "I've been obedient since the mine disaster. You can't abandon me."
Aiden wanted to help, but how?
He knew Francis.
As an opponent, he understood him better than anyone.
No matter what he posted online, it would be futile.
"I can't do anything. The only way to save the Wright family is for you to turn yourself in and admit your crimes."
Dash immediately objected, "I don't want to go to jail."
Aiden clenched his fists, trembling slightly. "Sacrificing one to save the Wright family, that's what you taught me."
Dash clung to Aiden's pants leg, "I'm your father! Are you just going to watch me go to jail? The Wright family has so many people, can't we find someone else? For the Wright family's prosperity, they should step up and take the blame."
Aiden wanted to get a DNA test.
Dash couldn't be his real father; they were too different.
How could someone like him have such a useless father?
"Francis will have a backup plan. He won't let you get away with it. You have to go to jail. Think carefully, save yourself or save the Wright family."
Dash's eyes showed despair.
When Aiden made a decision, there was no changing it.
But he still struggled, "Can't we save both?"
Aiden laughed, full of sarcasm. "Do you think after putting Francis through this, he'll let the Wright family go? If you don't admit your mistakes, Francis will destroy the Wright family."
Dash couldn't believe it, "We've been around for nearly a century. The Peterson family, no matter how powerful, is still under control."
Aiden coldly looked at Dash, "If Francis has a complete chain of evidence, he can ruin the Wright family and advance his career. If it were you, you'd do the same."
He certainly would.
Dash's grip on Aiden's suit pants left wrinkles.
But before he could say more, the pants leg slipped from his fingers.
Aiden pulled his leg back, bent down, and patted the wrinkles, speaking coldly, "I'll give you five minutes. If you can't decide, we'll do it my way."
Dash looked terrified, then suddenly lay stiffly on the ground.
His eyes were vacant.
"Some people are questioning the video, saying the survivor is an actor hired by Francis." Anne was munching on some fruit and said, "People these days have no stance of their own."
Elissa replied, "It's obviously the Wright family trying to control the narrative. There's no way they'd admit it."
Anne nodded, "True."
Hope had just gotten off the phone with Jerry. She turned to Elissa and said, "Aiden's father was rushed to the hospital, but it's not looking good. He might not make it."
Anne spoke up before Elissa could, "After all the bad things he's done, it's a wonder he's lived this long. If he dies, it's what he deserves."
Elissa put an arm around Anne's shoulder and shook her head, "Anne, you're still too young."
"What do you mean?"
"Dead men tell no tales. If Aiden's father dies, all the blame can be pinned on him. Aiden is capable; he could walk away unscathed and save the Wright family. Later, he might still come after Francis."
Anne didn't really understand the power struggles of the big players.
She made a throat-slitting gesture, "Wouldn't the Wright family, being so ruthless, just..."
Elissa and Hope both nodded.
At a private hospital.
The place was locked down from the outside in.
Relevant authorities had arrived at the hospital to inquire about the mine disaster.
Aiden used Dash's emergency situation to deflect their questions.
The evidence chain wasn't complete yet; it was still in the investigation phase.
They couldn't take Dash away.
They didn't have the authority to interrogate Aiden either.
After a few simple questions, they left.
Everything was going according to Francis's plan.
Willard asked, "That paternity test report, was it just to scare Aiden?"
The bones hadn't even been dug up, so how could they do a paternity test?
Francis tapped his index finger, and a bit of ash fell quietly into the ashtray.
Just like the Wright family, now running on fumes.
He said with a deeper meaning, "I never lie."
Could Willard believe that?
He pondered for a moment and asked, "Did Sylvia provide the evidence?"
Sylvia had been trained from a young age but hadn't faced any major crises. She was taught to support her husband and handle those matters.
She was much less bold than Melinda.
After being detained for so many days, a little intimidation made her spill everything.
Sylvia's parents, seeing the trending topic, also started to panic.
They had been involved in some of it. To protect themselves and Sylvia, they quickly tried to curry favor with Francis.
They handed over the samples they had secretly kept.
As soon as Simon found the survivor, he secretly brought them back and did a paternity test.
Now they were just waiting for the authorities to investigate and complete the chain of evidence to destroy the Wright family.
Willard couldn't help but admire Francis's sharpness.
"When Sylvia drugged you, you knew but still fell for it, just waiting for today?" Then he realized something else. "And you reconciled with Elissa because of it. Two birds with one stone."
Francis just slightly curled his lips, saying nothing.
His silence was an admission.
Otherwise, he would have refuted it.
Willard knew him well.
He said, "Letting Dash die might allow Aiden to escape consequences, but keeping him alive is risky—you never know how he might turn against you later."
Francis extinguished his cigarette and spoke coldly, "Then make sure he doesn't get the chance."
The Wright family had all gathered, surrounding Aiden.
But they weren't asking about Dash's condition; they were worried about the Wright family getting into trouble because of the mine disaster.
They all relied on the Wright family's protection.
Aiden was very annoyed. He didn't have the mind to think about how to protect these miscellaneous Wright family members.
He was thinking about how to escape from Francis's grasp.
As long as he kept everything he had, he would have a chance to make Francis suffer.
But he also knew that Francis wouldn't let him escape easily, given the leverage he had on the Wright family.
"Aiden, say something. What do we do?"
"Yeah, you're the head of the Wright family. You have to ensure the Wright family is safe."
"Otherwise... Dash is critically ill anyway. Let him take all the blame."
Aiden didn't want to listen to any of it. He had his men lock them all in a nearby hospital room.
His mind was racing, trying to find a way out.
Just then, his phone rang.
It was an international number.
A glint flashed in his eyes as he answered.
"I can help you," a woman's voice came through, without any preamble.
Aiden paused and said, "Okay."
The voice on the other end said, "But I can only save you."
"That's fine."
He hung up and immediately left the hospital.
An hour later, Dash was pronounced dead.
The Wright family couldn't find Aiden.
In the end, they pinned all the blame on Dash and pleaded for a simple funeral.
They promised to meet any demands the mine disaster survivor had.
The investigation showed that Dash bore the most responsibility.
Others, though involved or having taken money, hadn't committed serious crimes.
Dash's death brought temporary peace to the Wright family.
Willard looked at the feedback and asked Francis, "Was this within your expectations?"
Francis's eyes were deep.
Aiden's departure was indeed unexpected.
Francis asked, "Have you found the woman who called Aiden?"
Hayden shook his head, "The call came from a public phone booth abroad. Even if we find the booth, we can't identify who it was. It's not as easy as it is here."
Francis's fingers played with a lighter, flipping it back and forth.
He seemed lost in thought.
Willard spoke up, "I haven't heard of Aiden having close ties abroad."
He suggested a possibility, "Could it be one of your enemies?"
Francis paused, as if thinking of someone.
He asked Hayden, "Where was the phone booth?"
Hayden replied, "Zephyria."
Francis's eyes narrowed.
"Didn't your sister run off abroad during the chaos?" Willard teased.
Francis lit the lighter, the blue-purple flame reflecting in his eyes.
A hint of a smile flickered within.
But Willard felt a chill. "You look like the Grim Reaper right now."
Francis raised his hand and pointed in Hayden's direction, tapping the air twice with his index finger.
He instructed, "Jessa doesn't have that kind of power. Check who she interacted with during her time abroad."
Hayden nodded and went to work.
Willard sipped his tea and said, "To get Aiden out of the country in such a short time, this person must have significant power and influence abroad."
Francis countered, "How do you know Aiden is out of the country?"
Willard was taken aback, "What?"
At that moment, Aiden was on a bus.
The mixed smells of various foods around him made him feel nauseous.
It was his first time enduring such hardship.
In the future, he would make sure to get back at Francis for all of this.
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