Chapter 100 Discovering the Truth

Discovering the Truth

</Chapter> Paige glanced overcast a sidelong glance at Raymond and remarked, her voice laced with determination, "It looks likeseems I need to getmust secure VIP access to all the members-only placesexclusive areas at Northwind. I don't wantrefuse to get stoppedbe halted at the door again next time I need something, and give, providing an opportunity for someone the chance to take advantage of exploit the situation."

"Somebody,"Raymond, the person referred to, repliedin question, responded with a hint of indignation, "I'm nothardly an outsider."

That night, no oneevening, Xena was more upset than Xena. On her way backthe embodiment of fury. As she journeyed home, she vented her frustration over the phone withto Elijah.

, her words sharp and biting.The Wren family had apologized and taken a slap in the face, occurring right been forced to swallow their pride, enduring a public humiliation that had transpired immediately after they had stepped out of exited the clubhouse and gottensettled into thetheir car.

Kieran, quick to act, immediately picked upretrieved his phone and said, "Dad, his voice urgent as he announced, "Father, Mandy, I've gotobtained the surveillance footage from our room."

Isadora, holdingnursing her bruised face with an ice pack to her face and looking miserable, said, "That utterly dejected, protested, "The medicine was fromprescribed by our family doctor; it's definitelyundoubtedly safe. How could such a mistake happen? Dad, bigblunder occur? Father, elder brother, why didn't you investigate properlythoroughly before reacting? Our family's justfamily has accepted itthis far too easily and at too great a cost."

, and the price we've paid is steep."Her father Suzhou, her father, sighed heavily, "Let's chalk it upattribute this to bad luckill fortune. This wholeentire incident washas been incredibly disgraceful, and if. If it drags oncontinues to linger or gets outbecomes public knowledge, our family will become the laughingstock of Northwind. It's better for everyonein everyone's best interest to resolve it quickly."

swiftly."As Kieran adjustedmanipulated the smartphone screen, projecting the surveillance footage onto a screen embedded in the back of the car seat, he echoed thehis father's sentiment, "Even if we don't admitdeny it, once the surveillance footage is checked, it would clearly be linked toinevitably link us. So, it to the incident. It might be betterwiser to just accept it, apologizeoffer an apology, and calmdefuse the situation. The Hawke Corporation is too busy celebrating preoccupied with its anniversary celebrations to letallow this newsscandal to spread and affectdisrupt the upcoming events."

WhileAs the surveillance footage played on the screen insidewithin the car, Isadora watched and winced, wincing in pain.

"That Xena, she really struck hardcertainly doesn't hold back!" Isadora lamented as even, the ice pack couldn't relievedoing little to soothe the stingingthrobbing pain from those heavythe forceful slaps.

Isadora'sHer resentment towards Xena was burningflared as she watched her enter the private room on the screen. Just as Isadora was about to curseunleash a string of curses, she suddenly noticed somean unidentified powder falling into a glass whenas Xena's fingers knockedbrushed against it.

"That movement, that posture," Isadora observed, it was all looked painfullytoo familiar to her. Forgetting even to hold the ice pack to her face, she pointed to the screen and exclaimed, her voice rising in excitement, "Look at Xena's hand, what is she doing? WasIs she druggingspiking Louis's drink?"

The video rewound several seconds as the group watched the scene again, this time with intense scrutiny.
their attention now razor-sharp. Kieran frowned, "Does Xena have something in her hand? Is she drugging Louis?"

AtIn that moment, Isadora was too agitatedworked up to feelnotice the pain on her face anymore. "Exactly, that must be it. BackI did the same thing in the private room, I did the same thing.. So, did Louis passedpass out because he was hit with two different drugs?"

After she spoke, Mr. Su turned to the doctor driving the car, "Doctor Liu, if someone is dosed with two different drugs, could they pass out?"

Doctor Liu ponderedconsidered the question for a bit then repliedmoment before replying, "Yes, it's very possible.highly likely. One drug can already be enough of a shock to the bodysystem, but with two, it's clearly an overdose. If the effects of the two drugs clashconflict, fainting would be the least of the worriesconcerns—it could even be lethal."

Lethal? fatal."Fatal? The word sent a chill down Mr. Su broke out in a cold sweat.

Su's spine.Thankfully, Louis had been saved.

Just then, Doctor Liu remarked, "From what you're saying, if Mr. Holt was hit with two drugs, then the abilitiesskills of the female doctor who treated him...they must have been exceptional."

extraordinary."Mr. Su couldn't care less about howthe doctor's exceptional the medical skills were at thethat moment. He was justsimply grateful that Louis didn't endhadn't ended up in the hospital and create, causing a citywide scandal, yet had miraculously escaped death. It was as if the Wren family's ancestors had accumulated a wealth of good karma.

Isadora, gritting her teeth, said clenched in anger, spat out, "That wretcheddespicable Xena, spawninghatching such vile schemes, even had the nerveaudacity to pin it all on me? How dare she strike me? The Sackler family is nothing compared to us, the Wrens. What right does she have..."

Isadora didn't finish her sentence whenIsadora's tirade was cut short by Kieran interrupted, "Claiming to be Louis's fiancée, I suppose taking her anger out ontowards you could make sense."

Fumingbe justified."Furious, Isadora retorted, "Her, takingventing her anger out on me? She wishes!" She paused, a sudden realization dawning on her. "Wait... isn't Xena supposed to be Louis's fiancée? She's been attached at the hip with inseparable from Elijah for years.

And they're nearly They're practically at the altar, already talking about picking outdiscussing wedding dresses.

If it's gottentheir relationship has progressed to this stagepoint, why would she stoopresort to using the same tactics I did?"

The gears incogs within Isadora's mind began to turn, and it suddenly clicked, "Oh my gosh, what if there's been a hitchwhirl, and with a sudden clarity, she gasped, "Could there be a snag in Xena and Louis's wedding plans?

That's Is that why she's so desperate to climb into Louis's bedensnare Louis, to use it as leveragea bargaining chip to force a marriage and elevate her status?"

It wasfelt as ifthough Isadora had stumbled uponunearthed a profound secret, and she couldn'tcould barely contain her exhilaration. Her face didn't even hurt anymore withoutexcitement. The absence of the ice pack no longer caused her face to throb, and her mood liftedsoared dramatically.

Although this speculation had no confirmation, Mr. Despite the lack of concrete evidence to support her theory, Mr. Su and Kieran immediately agreed with her.
"You're not wrong, doeswere quick to concur. "You may be onto something," Mr. Su mused, "Does Xena really need to go through all this trouble? Doesn'tresort to such lengths? Isn't she already have an engagement withengaged to Louis? They've even picked outselected the wedding dress. Why should she have to scramble like the rest of us?"

Kieran chuckled as he spoke, "This is great news, really greatindeed fantastic news. We’re the first to hear aboutdiscover this, and on top of that, we even have evidenceproof that Xena drugged someone... Right, turn around quicklywe need to act fast, I need to take care ofsecure the surveillance footage from the club."

Getting rid of Erasing the video would mean thatprovide the Wren family had solidwith irrefutable evidence of Xena's drug incident.

transgression. Although they had verbally acknowledged it in the roomamongst themselves, it was just their word against hers, but. But now, with Xena's act caught on camera, there wasthey had tangible proof!

The Wren family hurriedly boughtpromptly purchased the surveillance video from the club and had the original footage erased.

deleted. Xena had a roughchallenging night and, ultimately, came up empty-handed. Buther efforts proved fruitless. However, she still had to musterrally her spirit becausespirits as there was only one more day to prepare for the Hawke Corporation's annual celebration.

She had to triumph over Louis publicly outshine Louis, to show upeclipse Paige.

With no other optionalternatives, she had to switch tactics.

At all costs, thechange her strategy. The annual celebration couldn'tcould not be the moment whenplatform for the Carnegie family announcedto announce Paige and Raymond's relationship, and ideally. Ideally, it would be a time whenan occasion where Paige was publicly humiliateddisgraced, tarnishing the Carnegie family's reputation.

That way, even if she marrieddid marry Raymond, hertheir marriage would have to remain a secret.

On the other side Meanwhile, Louis's health had taken a hitdeteriorated. After restingspending the night recuperating in the hotel for the night, he hadn'twas still not fully recovered.

He missed going intowas absent from the office the nextfollowing day and had a doctor prescribe some strong medicinepotent medication to quickly restoreexpedite his health.

recovery. As CEO, he absolutely couldn't be late forcould not afford to miss the board meeting on the morning of the annual celebration.

Raymond spent a lovey-doveyromantic night with Paige, and in the morning, Charles picked arrived to pick him up. Before leaving, he invitedextended an invitation to Paige one last time.

. "Mrs. Carnegie, the shares under your name are significant. Why not accompany me to the shareholders' meeting tomorrow?"

The shareholders' meeting didn't mean much toheld little significance for Paige in the grand scheme of things.

Paige lookedglanced down at the man sittingseated in the wheelchair, smilinggrinning as if he were a demigoddeity among mortals.

"Raymond, what's this shareholders' meeting thing all about? You're after aseeking formal statusrecognition, aren't you?" she accusingly said.

accused. What about the whole idea ofhappened to keeping thetheir marriage under wraps?

a secret? Was he trying to manipulate her into wantingdesiring recognition?

Seeing through Raymond's ployscheme, Paige yankedwithdrew her hand back and said seriouslystated firmly, "Either we get a divorce, or we go public. What's your choice?"
Raymond pressed his lips together, pretending not to hearfeigning ignorance of Paige's remarkcomment. He turned and called out to shouted at Charles, "Charles, what the heckon earth are you doing now? Move it? Hurry up! I've got a meeting soon, and if you delay me, it's coming out of your paycheck."

Caught off guard, Charles hurriedlyhastily took a couple offew quick steps forward to catchkeep up.

Paige smiled silently to herself. If things stayedremained as they were, perhaps their marriage could lastendure a few more days.

If their problemsissues became public, she feared that the first ones to tearturn against her apart would be the directors and shareholders of Universe Group.

Paige stood still, watching as Charles escorted Raymond away.

Pearl, holding a satellite phone, walked up toapproached Paige, waited until Raymond’s car was out of sighthad disappeared from view, and then handed the phone to Paige, "Xanthe, your call."