Chapter 060 Consequences of One's Actions
Grace promptly uncovered the truth, and sentencing followed swiftly. Tom and others had raped women using violence or other coercive means, and they were sentenced to three to ten years of prison time, with the duration varying according to the severity of each case. Tom received a five-year sentence.
Zach had hired a capable lawyer and tried every trick in the book to escape the charges, winding up with only a few days behind bars.
The court and local authorities inevitably publicized Tom's misdeeds. People who saw Tom's name started digging and discovered that he was the son-in-law of Congressman Kaleb's daughter.
The Yule family had previously denied that it was Tom, but now the truth had come to light. The details of Tom's sordid dealings with other men and women in hotels were leaked, sparking widespread online discussion.
Internet sleuths unearthed more of Tom's misdeeds. Laura had cleaned up after Tom's messes, dealing with pregnant women and even paying for their abortions among other things. Suddenly, Laura too was swept up in the scandal.
Being a political figure, this also dragged Kaleb into the mire of public gossip. They repeatedly made the trending topics on social media as the public devoured the details of the unfolding drama.
Kaleb's promotion had previously seemed like a sure thing, but now, under the weight of public opinion, not only had he failed to advance, but he had also been demoted instead. He was reassigned to a peripheral position, with little hope for future opportunities.
In a fit of rage, Kaleb made a beeline for the jail. He almost beat Tom to death.
Laura also divorced Tom. She accused him of repeated infidelity, even getting several women pregnant, and managed to leave Tom penniless. Once Tom got out, he would have nothing.
Grace watched Tom's downfall without an ounce of sympathy, thinking he got what he deserved.
Tom had married a wonderful wife who could have been a great asset to his career, which was a stroke of luck for him. However, Tom had taken this for granted and engaged in reckless behavior, resulting in his current predicament.
Grace had seen the news about Tom online. She felt that everything seemed to have resolved too smoothly, leaving no chance for Tom to retaliate before he was swiftly sentenced.
Moreover, the news about Tom appeared to have been prepared in advance and released all at once. Although Grace sensed something was odd, she couldn't quite put her finger on it.
Was someone helping her? Could Xavier be involved?
Grace didn't know. She had contemplated calling the number Xavier gave her so many times that she almost knew it by heart, but she never dialed it. She was concerned that Xavier might be busy, or that he might suspect ulterior motives. After all, Xavier had told her to call only if it was absolutely necessary.
Ultimately, Grace chose not to call Xavier. Their worlds were not meant to collide; they lived separate lives and rarely intersected.
What concerned her now was whether Zach would come after her and take his revenge. Grace had openly confronted Zach this time knowing that his hot temper and narrow-mindedness could be used to her advantage. But given his personality, Zach was likely not one to let this go.
Grace was somewhat worried Zach might get physical with her, yet even Zach seemed to be in hot water.
Because of these connections, the stock prices for Lewis Group plummeted. Even though they had a contract with Reed Group, Tom's arrest had thrown Reed Group into chaos—there was no way they were going to fund Lewis Group now.
With Tom and Laura divorced, the financial support for Lewis Group became even more unlikely.
The manufacturers endorsed by the factory were all awaiting Zach's payments.
Zach was in a bind, struggling to pay his employees. He had no idea where to borrow the money from. The finance department had called him numerous times, and Zach's secretary had also tried to get in touch with him, repeatedly. So, Zach had simply turned off his phone and holed up at home.
In a matter of a few weeks, Zach had aged considerably. Once a charming and handsome middle-aged man, he now presented himself in disarray; his unshaved beard contributed to his unkempt appearance.
The thought of calling the Montgomery family had crossed his mind. After all, they were soon to be relatives, and he felt that, under no circumstances should the Montgomerys turn a blind eye to his predicament.
However, Patrick repeatedly rebuffed Zach's attempts to reach out. It got to the point where Patrick wouldn't even take his calls, claiming he was out of town on business.
Zach felt utterly helpless and clueless about where to turn for financial support.
Taylor couldn't stand watching him deteriorate any further. "Zach, look at the mess you've become!" she lamented.
Her patience was waning. Taylor had married Zach partly because of his good looks, but now she found him completely useless.
"Daniel's coming to visit me in a few days. Just look at you now. If Daniel sees you like this, he's surely going to criticize you!" she remarked.
‘Daniel?’ Zach shot up, his eyes filled with a sudden intensity as he turned to Taylor, embracing her tightly.
"Taylor, you've been put through so much lately," he whispered in her ear.
Throughout their years together, Zach had grown to understand Taylor completely, recognizing all her vulnerabilities and sensitivities.
"You've had a rough time following me all these years, and I promised you a better life. We're almost there, just one last hurdle. You know how tough it's been for the company recently, and how that lowlife Grace has set us up. Resulting, in the company's crisis, and the Montgomery family has left us out in the cold.
"But once we get through this, I guarantee our company will thrive again. Then I'll make good on all my promises to you. Plus, you have shares in the company, so you wouldn't want to see it fail, right?" he remarked, hopeful.
"Zach, what are you trying to do?" asked Taylor, sensing his motives.
Zach finally revealed his agenda, "Taylor, can you ask Mr. Gunter for another loan? I swear I'll pay him back soon."
Taylor replied, "Zach, haven't you always despised Daniel? You never wanted me to contact him." She had to reach out to Daniel behind Zach's back every time.
Zach denied, "When have I ever detested Mr. Gunter? I have nothing but respect for him."
"Zach, do you really think Daniel's money is so easy to borrow?" Over the years, Taylor had already borrowed quite a bit from Daniel.
Daniel was quite wealthy in Oakworth, and Oakworth was just one of his many romantic escapades. Although Daniel was generous, his generosity always came at a cost.
"I know, Taylor, don't be mad. I was just at the end of my rope, okay? Daniel's favorite person is you. If you talk to him, everything will be all right," Zach said, coaxing with deceit in his voice.
"Taylor, my dear, just help me out this one last time, will you? Daniel is coming to see you, so I'll book a luxurious hotel for you two. You can spend a couple of days there together, how does that sound?" he proposed.
What would happen after Zach booked a hotel for Taylor and Daniel was not hard to guess.
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