Chapter 369 Postponement
Elise's face darkened. She had made sure to stop Charles, but she had forgotten about Eugene.
Eugene and Charles were tight, and they would never let her take control.
"Mr. Bailey, Charles and I are family, no matter what. This press conference is about my son, so there's no need to trouble you. I'll handle it myself."
Elise lowered her eyes, looking despondent.
Right now, she was a mother who had lost her child.
The reporters below aimed their cameras at the two of them, and one of them spoke up.
"Mr. Bailey, are you interfering in the Percy family's affairs? Why not let Mrs. Percy host the press conference? Or did Mr. Percy pay you off to cover something up?"
The crowd erupted in murmurs.
The reporters looked shocked, staring at the colleague who had asked the question.
Was he out of his mind?
Eugene's smile froze as he narrowed his eyes, staring at the reporter.
He retorted, "With such bold speculation, should I assume you've been paid off by Mrs. Percy?"
As soon as he finished speaking, the Percy Group's security swiftly dragged the outspoken reporter out, without making a sound, efficiently and cleanly.
Nolan, standing below, scanned the reporters with a stern expression.
"I've said it before, anyone spreading rumors will be considered an enemy of the Percy Group. Think carefully about what you want to ask."
Elise's expression stiffened on stage. She had invited reporters to create a buzz, but now one was gone, and the others were too scared to speak.
"Mrs. Percy, I'm a friend of Charles, as everyone knows. He can't make it right now, so there's no harm in me hosting the press conference."
"As for this being a family matter, why hold a press conference at all? You've just lost your son, you must be very sad. You should go rest."
Eugene smiled politely, gesturing for her to step aside.
Elise saw the smile on Eugene's face, and a flash of realization hit her, making her heart race and cold sweat break out on her back.
Eugene might seem frivolous, but he was actually very adaptable and slick.
Now, his words had cornered her.
Thinking quickly, Elise regained her composure.
After all, she was the woman who held the title of "Mrs. Percy".
She smiled and said, "It's alright. Zachary is gone, and I must take on my responsibilities as a mother. It's just a shame I didn't get to see him one last time."
She lowered her eyes, showing a hint of sorrow.
The crowd felt a pang of sympathy.
After all, her son had died abroad under mysterious circumstances. It was a wonder she hadn't collapsed.
"Mrs. Percy, my condolences." Eugene offered.
Elise wiped away a tear and nodded.
"I know you're friends with Charles, but now that I'm here, I should host the press conference. It's not good to keep the reporters waiting."
Eugene, with one hand in his pocket, glanced at the time on his watch.
"Since the reporters are here, they probably don't mind waiting for Charles. Mrs. Percy, I'm not here to disrupt the press conference. If you don't want me to host, let's wait for Charles together. He'll be here."
He paused, then addressed the reporters, "Thank you for your patience. Charles will be here in half an hour."
"What?"
Elise's face changed. How could he come? Her people had already succeeded in the assassination! Unless that wasn't Charles.
Seeing the reporters' attention on Eugene, she couldn't hold back any longer and stepped forward.
"Charles was in a car accident and is in critical condition. How could he be here? This press conference is crucial for the Percy Group. Eugene, stop causing trouble."
She had prepared for this day to reclaim her rightful power, but Eugene's sudden appearance had disrupted her plans. She wouldn't allow it!
Charles in critical condition?
The crowd was stunned by the news.
The reporters' cameras clicked furiously, eager to broadcast their words live.
Eugene raised an eyebrow, not surprised by Elise's desperate behavior.
Elise had shown remarkable strength after losing her child. If Charles hadn't told him about this, she might have succeeded today.
"Mrs. Percy, how am I causing trouble? Look, Charles called me ten minutes ago. He'll be here soon. Everyone, please be patient."
Eugene smiled, unfazed, and showed his phone screen to the crowd.
Whether they could see it clearly didn't matter, as long as it bluffed them.
The reporters exchanged glances. They had already waited a long time; another half hour wasn't much. This was big news, and no one wanted to miss it.
For now, no one spoke up for Elise.
Meanwhile, Benjamin was still shaken from the earlier terror.
He had thought he would die today, but Charles' bodyguards had arrived just in time, and none of the assassins had escaped.
He was grateful to be alive but had a new understanding of Charles' cunning.
No wonder Dean had warned him not to provoke Charles.
Seeing Benjamin in a daze, Charles frowned slightly, "Scared? If you're afraid, look away."
His left shoulder had been shot, and it had only been treated briefly. Though the black suit hid the blood, the smell was strong.
They had switched to a new car and were heading to the press conference.
Benjamin shook his head, whispering, "No."
But he glanced at the bloodstained suit and asked, "Does it hurt a lot? We should go to the hospital instead."
Seeing his concern, Charles pressed his pale lips together, trying to soften his expression, "It's fine."
Benjamin's eyebrows furrowed like caterpillars, and he comforted, "Mr. Percy, if it hurts, you can cry. My mommy says men can cry too."
He and Dean played soccer together, and getting hit by the ball hurt a lot, let alone a bullet wound.
Charles' lips curled slightly. He had endured worse; this pain was nothing.
He patted Benjamin's head with his good hand, "Your mommy didn't tell you that crying doesn't solve anything. Will my wound heal if I cry?"
Benjamin was speechless. He had never thought of it that way.
"But," he started, then closed his mouth.
Forget it, Charles was made of steel. It wasn't his pain, so he wouldn't comfort him.
Seeing Benjamin fall silent, Charles realized he had been too harsh. Benjamin was still a child, at an age where emotions were expressed freely. It was too early to talk about this.
He cleared his throat and added, "You can cry. You're not a man yet, just a boy."
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