Chapter 354 The Foundation
A few days later, Sophia held a press conference to announce the establishment of the Emma Foundation, funded by an amount equivalent to the value of her shares in the Stuart Group. The foundation would be dedicated to helping orphans and impoverished children.
At the press conference, she said, "This money is my way of making amends for the past and my hope for the future. Through the Emma Foundation, I want to help more children in need and give them a better future."
The news of the press conference quickly spread throughout Lakeside Haven, and people praised Sophia's charitable act. When Emma saw the news on TV, a contented smile appeared on her face.
"The Emma Foundation! Mrs. Stuart has finally found her path," Emma said softly.
Michael walked over to her and gently put his arm around her shoulders. "Yeah, everyone has their own path to follow. Emma, when are we leaving?"
Emma pondered for a moment. "Let's wait a bit longer. Give Lucas some time to say goodbye to his family."
Lucas was just an excuse, and both Emma and Michael knew it, but neither of them voiced this truth.
After the news of Scarlett's defeat spread through Lakeside Haven, Phoenix's life took a turn for the worse. She had been living extravagantly on Scarlett's support, but now that Scarlett had lost her shares, Phoenix's financial lifeline was cut off. Sitting in a café, she stirred her coffee anxiously, contemplating her next move.
Just then, the conversation at the next table caught her attention.
"Did you hear? An old lady got scammed out of a huge sum of money, even mortgaged her house."
"Really? What happened?"
"A relative convinced her there was a high-return investment, but they took all her money and ran."
"Does that trick even work?"
"Not on most people, but for those who are desperate and out of options, you never know. Plus, the scammer was someone the old lady trusted."
"No wonder. But isn't the scammer afraid the old lady will come after them?"
Phoenix's eyes lit up as she eavesdropped.
"What's there to fear? The scammer's probably long gone with the money by now. The old lady can't even find them."
Phoenix quickly calculated in her mind.
The more she thought about it, the more she felt this was a golden opportunity. Scarlett was at her most vulnerable right now. If Phoenix could exploit this moment, she might be able to scam a large sum of money and disappear, never having to answer to anyone again.
'That's the plan!' Phoenix resolved inwardly, quickly paying her bill and leaving the café.
Meanwhile, the two people in the café exchanged a knowing smile. One of them took out a phone and dialed a number. "Ms. Jones, it's done. Phoenix has taken the bait."
On the other end, Emma's voice was calm. "Good job. Now, let's see how she performs."
The next day, Phoenix dressed meticulously, wearing a low-key yet luxurious outfit and carrying a designer handbag. She arrived at Scarlett's house and knocked on the door, her face showing concern.
"Aunt Scarlett, I heard you've been feeling down lately, so I came to check on you," Phoenix said gently as she entered.
Scarlett was sitting on the couch, looking haggard. She forced a weak smile when she saw Phoenix. "Phoenix, you're here. It's been a tough time."
Phoenix sat beside Scarlett and gently held her hand. "Aunt Scarlett, don't be too upset. Even though you've lost your shares, you still have us, your family. We'll always be here for you."
Scarlett's eyes welled up with tears, touched by Phoenix's words. "Phoenix, you're so considerate. Unlike others who have all distanced themselves."
Phoenix smiled slightly, a glint of calculation in her eyes. "Aunt Scarlett, I actually have some good news for you."
"Really? What is it?" Scarlett looked at her with a hint of curiosity.
Phoenix leaned in close to Scarlett and whispered, "I've recently met an investment expert who has a very lucrative project with high returns. I thought, since you're tight on cash, if you invest some money, you might quickly become wealthy again."
Scarlett hesitated. "Investment? Is it reliable?"
Phoenix nodded eagerly. "Absolutely! This expert is a big name in the industry, and many wealthy people follow his investments. I've already invested some money and made a significant profit in just a few days."
She took out her phone and showed Scarlett a carefully forged screenshot of investment returns. "Look, this is my profit over the past few days. It's multiplied several times!"
Scarlett's eyes lit up with hope as she looked at the numbers on the screen. "Really? Such high returns?"
"Yes, Aunt Scarlett! This is a rare and invaluable opportunity. If you miss it, you'll regret it!"
Scarlett hesitated for a moment but was eventually swayed by Phoenix's persuasion. "Alright, I'll invest! But I don't have that much cash on hand right now. What should I do?"
A flash of triumph crossed Phoenix's eyes, but she maintained her concerned expression. "Aunt Scarlett, you still have this property. Why not mortgage it? Once you make money, you can redeem it. This way, you'll not only recover your costs but also make a huge profit!"
Scarlett gritted her teeth and finally nodded. "Okay! Let's do it your way!"
Over the next few days, Phoenix accompanied Scarlett, helping her with the mortgage procedures and transferring all the money into the investment account Phoenix had meticulously set up. Scarlett watched the numbers in the account grow, filled with hope, completely unaware that she had fallen into Phoenix's trap.
However, just when she thought she was about to become wealthy, Phoenix vanished.
"Phoenix? Phoenix!" Scarlett dialed Phoenix's number, only to find it disconnected. Panic set in, and she rushed to Phoenix's apartment, only to find it empty.
"What's going on? Where did Phoenix go?" Scarlett was frantic. She contacted the bank, only to discover that her investment account had been emptied, and all the money was gone.
"No! This can't be happening!" Scarlett collapsed to the floor, her face pale. She finally realized she had been scammed, and the person who deceived her was her trusted niece, Phoenix.
"Phoenix! You bitch! How dare you betray me?" Scarlett screamed hysterically.
But by then, Phoenix was long gone with the stolen money. Sitting on a flight abroad, she smirked. "Aunt Scarlett, don't blame me. It's your own naivety to blame."
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