Chapter 136
The next person to call Lily was Sandra. She immediately asked what was happening and what Lily planned to do to clear her name. She also warned that if Alexander saw the news, it would undoubtedly make him furious, especially considering what had happened between his parents.
Lily felt relieved that Sandra didn’t accuse her outright, unlike so many others. “Has Grandma seen it?” she asked.
“No,” Sandra replied. “I’ve made sure no one will show it to her today. Seeing this would bring back all the pain from what happened between her son and Angela. She had planned to visit Angela at the hospital today, but I convinced her to postpone it. Reporters are probably swarming the hospital.”
Lily sighed in relief, thankful that her grandmother, Helen, hadn’t seen the news. “Thank you, Sandra, for keeping this from her—and for trusting me.”
“Have you spoken to Alexander yet?” Sandra asked with concern.
“Yes,” Lily replied. “He’s really upset.”
“Alexander should know you’d never do something like this. Even if the pictures look convincing, it’s obviously a setup. You’re not that kind of person.”
Lily managed a weak smile. “I hope he realizes that. I still believe he’ll trust me and not what’s being said online.”
Outside the Blake Corporation headquarters, a mob of reporters had gathered, eager to get a statement from Alexander about the scandal. Some protestors were even demanding that he divorce Lily. There had always been people who disliked the fact that Alexander married her. Many had wanted him to marry their daughters or a wealthy socialite from H City. Now, with the rumors swirling, those voices were louder than ever.
“Mr. Kane, what do you plan to do about your wife’s alleged affair with her close friend?” a reporter shouted.
“Are you going to divorce the heiress of the Blake Empire?” another one asked.
The questions kept coming, but Alexander ignored them all as his bodyguards shielded him from the press. He finally made his way inside the building.
“Get the company’s security to clear out those reporters right away!” Alexander ordered sharply.
“On it, sir,” James, his assistant, replied before rushing out to follow his orders.
As soon as James left the office, he heard the sounds of objects being thrown and smashed against the walls. His boss’s rage was obvious, and the tension in the air was thick.
Every employee in the building worked diligently, not wanting to add to Alexander’s foul mood. They knew how deeply he cared for Lily, so hearing these rumors had undoubtedly hit him hard.
The press reported that Alexander had yet to make any public statement regarding the allegations.
Meanwhile, in another part of town, Ariana watched the news with a satisfied grin. “Even if he doesn’t say anything publicly, I already know what he’s going to do. There’s no way he’ll let Michael get away with this. He’ll probably kill him for touching his wife. As for Lily, she won’t just be divorced—he’ll make her regret everything.”
Ariana’s smile widened as she imagined what would come next. With Lily out of the picture, Alexander would be lonely, vulnerable. Ariana planned to swoop in, ready to comfort him. She was certain that by nightfall, Alexander would head to his favorite nightclub, and she would be there, waiting to offer her support.
Samson, standing at the living room entrance, watched Ariana silently. He knew her plans, and it filled him with dread. If only he could stop her. But ruining Lily’s reputation wasn’t enough for Ariana; she wanted to destroy her completely, even planning to make Lily’s death look like an accident. Samson felt powerless to intervene.
Online, the insults aimed at Lily were relentless, worse than anything any celebrity had ever faced. Caleb, her grandfather, had been watching the news and reading the comments. The more he saw, the angrier he became. He couldn’t believe the extent of the public outrage, all because of one woman determined to ruin his granddaughter’s happiness and family.
Caleb was keeping his anger in check only because Lily had pleaded with him to remain patient, assuring him that she had a plan to handle everything. It was a good plan, and if it succeeded, the public’s opinion would shift in her favor within days. When that happened, Caleb was determined to see that Lily received the public apology she deserved.
“If Alexander makes any public statement—no matter what he says—I’ll make sure Lily divorces him,” Caleb told Victor, who stood nearby.
Victor sighed but remained silent. There was nothing he could say that would change the situation.
Meanwhile, Lily had spent her day ignoring calls from the company, investors, and others. She was currently in an online chat with Michael and Jacob, her trusted friends.
Michael: “My security guy just called. Some men came looking for me at my house.”
Lily: “That’s Alexander’s men. He told me he was going to deal with you.”
Jacob: “You were right. Alexander’s coming after Michael, just like you said he would if the news broke. He even visited our hideout, according to our lookout. I’m not sure how he knew about it.”
Michael: “I can’t believe Alexander can’t see that this is fake. I know the pictures look real, but he knows you better than anyone!”
Lily: “I don’t want to dwell on that right now. Let’s focus on our next step. What’s Ariana been up to?”
Lily was doing her best to keep her mind from spiraling. She couldn’t let Alexander’s reaction distract her from dealing with Ariana.
Jacob: “Ariana booked a VIP table at the nightclub Alexander frequents. I’m guessing she’s hoping he’ll show up tonight, and she can use the opportunity to get close to him.”
Lily’s heart sank. She knew Ariana would try to take advantage of the situation, but she didn’t think it would happen this quickly. Ariana had tried to seduce Alexander before, and though she had failed, this time, with Alexander vulnerable, what if she succeeded?
Michael: “You shouldn’t have told her,” he muttered.
Jacob: “She would’ve found out eventually.”
Lily read their messages but didn’t respond immediately.
Lily: “Let’s treat this as a test for him.”
Michael wanted to ask, *What if he fails?* but he held back, not wanting to add to Lily’s distress.
Lily: “What else is she planning?”
Jacob: “Her main scheme is still in motion, but she’s working to ensure no one suspects her. You might not even get a direct confrontation from her.”
Lily: “No matter how she tries to trap me, I’m ready.”
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