Chapter 319 She Taught Me Everything!
Adeline spotted Diana the moment she walked in. Even with a mask, her eyes were unmistakable—narrow, upturned, with a black mole between her brows. Adeline remembered them from their last run-in.
As Diana got closer, Adeline's suspicions were confirmed. This was the same woman hit by Jasper's men for kidnapping Lauren and Bennett a month ago. Morgana's daughter.
Jasper and Sebastian had pretty much taken down Morgana's network in Radiance Springs. Now, Diana was even stuck pushing Ava's wheelchair.
"Move," Diana snapped, annoyed as Adeline blocked her way.
"What if I don't?" Adeline smirked.
Without a second thought, she yanked off Diana's mask, exposing her to the reporters and live cameras.
"You idiot!"
Miles away in her Blue Bay apartment, Stella watched the live broadcast, fury twisting her face. She threw a crystal glass against the wall, the shattering echoing her rage.
Diana was a fool! Did she really think a mask would hide her from Adeline?
Didn't Morgana have other operatives in Radiance Springs? How could they let Diana, with her recognizable features, attend the press conference?
Seething, Stella grabbed her phone. "Monroe, what's going on?" she spat. "Why is Diana at that press conference? Where are your other people? Are they all useless?"
Morgana sighed on the other end. "Miss, my hands are tied. Sebastian's men have caught all my operatives in Radiance Springs."
"What?!" Stella shrieked. "Sebastian's men? How is that possible? He's just a painter!"
"I was just as shocked, Miss, but it's true," Morgana replied, defeated. "Even I am under constant surveillance. . I have a strong suspicion that Sebastian is behind it, too."
"Miss, Diana's exposure is a disaster. Jasper will connect the dots and trace this back to you. We need a plan, fast."
Morgana hung up, leaving Stella fuming.
Evelyn held her phone, her head buzzing, felt a chill. After the Quinn family's downfall, her father had entrusted their resources to Morgana. How could everything fall apart so quickly?
She stared at the TV, her mind racing with fear and confusion.
The live broadcast continued. Ava, struggling under Adeline's relentless questioning, had agreed to let Mr. Taylor examine her legs.
On screen, Mr. Taylor's assistant removed the cast from Ava's leg, revealing an unblemished limb.
"Preposterous!" Mr. Taylor exclaimed. "In all my years, I've never seen such a blatant lie!"
"She may have had minor injuries, but nothing serious enough for a cast!"
He tapped Ava's leg with a reflex hammer. "Do you feel any pain?"
Ava was in agony, but she couldn't break character now. Tears welled up as she shook her head. "No, it doesn't hurt."
"Impossible," Mr. Taylor scoffed. "Whether your leg was ever broken or not, that tap should have hurt. Stop this charade."
The room erupted in gasps and murmurs.
Mr. Taylor was a world-renowned expert. His diagnosis was irrefutable. Even with Sebastian and Adeline's wealth, they couldn't make him lie.
Ava's legs were perfectly fine.
The host, looking grim, turned to Ava. "Ms. Lopez, what is the point of this? Are you lying for sympathy?"
"Answer the question, Ms. Lopez!" another voice called out.
Ava's face was ashen, her hands clenched. The entertainment company had promised her fame, fortune, even cosmetic surgery and endorsement deals. Her future had seemed so bright.
Thanks to Adeline, Ava's world was falling apart.
No way, she thought desperately. She'd fought too hard to get here. She wasn't about to let it slip away now.
She glared at Adeline, eyes burning with hatred.
Then, with a dramatic sniffle, she burst into tears.
"Yes," she sobbed, voice thick with fake remorse. "My legs aren't broken."
"But I never meant to deceive anyone!"
The room fell silent. All eyes were on Ava, microphones thrust towards her, waiting for her explanation.
She dabbed at her eyes, trembling theatrically. "Adeline's actions drove me to despair. I wanted to die. That's why I jumped."
"But I was saved. And my injuries were minor. I pretended my legs were broken to get attention, to get help."
"And," she added, glancing at Adeline with a fearful look, "I was terrified that if Adeline knew the truth, she would use even crueler methods to silence me."
Her performance was convincing. She sounded genuinely afraid of Adeline.
Adeline, watching while Sebastian held Diana, couldn't help but smile.
"Still acting, Ava?" she asked gently. "You might want to rethink your next move. The media company you signed with? They went bankrupt ten minutes ago."
Ava's head snapped up, eyes wide in disbelief. "Impossible!"
"Oh, but it is," Adeline purred. She tapped her phone and projected a news article onto the screen. It detailed the sudden downfall of the media company Ava had signed with.
The company was a front for Morgana's illegal activities. Blake, working with Adeline, had hacked their systems and sent evidence of their crimes to the authorities.
The timing of the exposé, perfectly synchronized with Ava's press conference, was no coincidence.
Ava stared at the news report, her face draining of color. It couldn't be true. Just days ago, they had promised her the world.
"Don't be naive," Sebastian said coldly. "Did you really think they saw any real value in you? That they intended to make your dreams come true?"
"They chose you because you were foolish and desperate enough to target Adeline for them!"
Ava crumpled to the ground, her facade shattering. Her world, her dreams, lay in ruins.
"No," she whispered, voice hoarse with despair. "This can't be happening."
Adeline approached her, expression softening slightly. "This is live, Ava. Have you thought about the consequences? You might find it impossible to stay in Radiance Springs after this."
Ava bit her lip, trembling uncontrollably.
"There's still a chance to salvage this," Adeline offered calmly. She gestured towards the restrained Diana. "Tell me, what's your relationship with Diana?"
Ava hesitated, glancing between Adeline and Diana.
"The truth is," she finally choked out, "everything I said, everything I did, was Diana's idea! She coached me on every detail!"
She pulled out her phone. "I was afraid she wouldn't take responsibility, so I recorded our conversations!"
Adeline took the phone, smiling triumphantly. She played the video on the large screen for all to see.
Meanwhile, in the Foster Group's headquarters, Ryan watched the live stream with astonishment and amusement.
"Well, this is a turn of events," he remarked, turning to his boss, who sat behind his desk, eyes fixed on the screen. "If I recall correctly, Mr. Foster, this Diana woman is a close friend of your wife, isn't she?"
Jasper didn't reply. His eyes, narrowed thoughtfully, stayed glued to the unfolding drama.
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