Chapter 1553 Terrible Consequences
Julia was such a smart person.
With just a slight turn of her mind, she understood what Derek meant.
But would Michael really cause such a ruckus in the Jude family over those things?
The Jude family never owed Michael anything. They provided him with the best education. If he hadn't taken it for granted, if he hadn't gotten involved with Megan, everything in her hands would have been Michael's.
Julia recalled the conversation she had with Michael at home some time ago.
He had said, "I only understand now, it's a good thing you took over the Jude Group back then. If it had been me, it would have been a disaster. I really am foolish; you are more suited for this position."
She had replied, "Everyone stumbles sometimes, but each time you fall, you need to reflect on the reasons to truly improve. You're still young, and if you work hard, you'll have the chance to create brilliance again."
But would Michael's thoughts now still be the same as his thoughts back then?
After pondering for a while, Julia finally spoke, "I will send people from EchoReach to find him."
After ending the call, she made several more calls to Elliott, but no one answered.
In the Presidential Palace
Derek stood quietly on the balcony.
He held a cigarette in his hand, something he rarely smoked, but today he was deeply troubled.
Three minutes later, he grabbed his coat and went downstairs.
As he drove out, the Presidential Palace guards stopped him, "Sorry, Derek, the President has issued a notice that no one is allowed to leave the Presidential Palace after nightfall."
Derek gripped the steering wheel, "What if I insist on going out?"
"You should be well aware of the consequences of causing trouble in the Presidential Palace," the head of the guard said, standing straight and unyielding.
Derek let out a cold laugh and turned back to the main building.
On the first floor, Carl and Violet were discussing matters with two secretaries.
When Derek barged in, Carl frowned in displeasure, "Get out, we're in the middle of a discussion."
"Fine, then let me leave the Presidential Palace," Derek said, striding over. "Laura hurt her hand, and I need to go check on her and discuss some things."
"You all can leave," Violet instructed the secretaries.
After the secretaries left, Carl slammed the file shut and stood up, "She hurt her hand? That's such a minor issue, and you need to go over there at night? Derek, if you're so free, why haven't you finished the project proposal I gave you a few days ago?"
"Dad, a proposal can't be done in a day. I need to investigate and gather data, and you told me not to rush."
"I said not to rush, but you took it as an excuse to not hurry at all? Is this how you handle things for me?" Carl snapped, "I think you're just focused on your love life now."
"Dad, I really need to go out tonight," Derek said, growing impatient with the argument. "This afternoon, Michael almost forcibly took Laura away. Now we can't reach Michael, and we don't know where he's hiding. If he goes to your rival, the consequences could be disastrous. I need to discuss with Laura about making our relationship public as soon as possible."
"You're crazy." Carl immediately slammed the table, shouting, "I've been troubled enough by your issues, and now you want to make your relationship public? Are you out of your mind?"
"Dad, in situations like this, the first one to speak out gains the upper hand. Michael will definitely reveal it. He's in a mindset of wanting to destroy what he can't have. We need to act first."
"That's nonsense," Carl said, unable to bear it any longer. "I've watched Michael grow up. How could he go to my rival? I'm his uncle."
Derek let out a mocking laugh, "I don't think he sees you as his uncle anymore. To him, you might be an obstacle. Dad, think about Michael's behavior last night. His thoughts are so extreme that no one can predict his next move. The only thing we can do is to be proactive and act first. Also, why did he suddenly hide, and why can't any of us reach him? What is he planning?"
"Can't his parents reach him either?" Violet suddenly asked.
"No," Derek nodded. "Mom, think about it. If Michael goes to the media on his own, no media outlet would dare to speak out. But if he goes to Dad's rivals, it's different. Rolf Tackett and Leandro McCall would love to see Dad have a scandal during his term, so he can't get re-elected. They don't want to wait for Dad to finish his term."
Carl's face changed, and the more he thought about it, the angrier he became. He slapped Derek on the back of the head, "I warned you, you're the one causing trouble."
"Dad, this isn't my fault; it's your nephew's."
Derek said, "Actually, my relationship with Laura is just a normal relationship between single adults. But if Michael jumps out and accuses us of having an affair while Laura was still married, then he's helping outsiders against you, the President. And it benefits him. People are already calling him a bad man. If he shifts the blame to Laura, people will see him as a victim, repeatedly deceived by women. They might even think the President is helping his son steal someone else's wife, which would cause public outrage."
Carl immediately felt uneasy.
"Dad, think about it. Michael doing this benefits him. His career is in shambles. This is his way of stirring up trouble in the Jude family. To shut him up, what will you do? You'll have to give him benefits. If he wants to return to the Jude family, you'll have to let him in. Julia will have to compromise to calm things down."
"Enough." Carl held his head.
He had to admit that if Michael really betrayed him, the consequences would be dire.
Even if Michael had no evidence, just him, as Laura's ex-husband, publicly accusing them would create an image of the Presidential Palace abusing its power.
That would make Carl's re-election nearly impossible.
But the problem is, even if Derek makes his relationship with Laura public, no one knows what will happen.
"Dad, as long as we are genuinely in love and not related by blood, people might not say too much. It depends on how we guide the narrative. But if Michael speaks out first, the public will have a preconceived notion and might not believe us."
"You think it's that simple? Once it's public, no one can stop you and Laura from being together, right?" Carl sneered, "Do you know how much trouble this will cause me?"
"If you trust me, I can handle this."
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