Chapter 160 Observing
The Adams family hit rock bottom overnight and became infamous.
Karen got busted for soliciting murder. She was not facing the death penalty or life in prison, but she was looking at a minimum of twenty years. At fifty, it seemed like she would spend the rest of her life behind bars.
Meanwhile, Bray had a massive heart attack from all the stress and ended up in the ICU. They missed the critical golden hour, leading to brain damage and a deep coma.
"Ms. Adams, you need to be prepared. There's a high chance your father will be in a vegetative state." Hearing the doctor's words, Nicole felt like she'd been struck by lightning. Her face went pale.
The Adams Group was drowning in debt. Suppliers and creditors were hounding them, scaring Nicole into hiding in a hotel, too afraid to go home.
Hiring a lawyer for Karen and paying for Bray's treatment nearly wiped out her savings, making her experience poverty for the first time.
Then, Betty's studio contacted her.
When Nicole fled the birthday party in a panic, she left her dress behind. When she went back to get it, she found it trampled and ruined, covered in black footprints.
"What? Five times the compensation?" Nicole clutched the slip, her bloodshot eyes glaring. "Over six hundred thousand dollars for a ruined dress? Are you robbing me?!"
"Do you think over six hundred thousand dollars is expensive?" Betty's assistant smirked. "Our clients are rich or noble. Even a million dollars is nothing to them. If you thought it was too expensive, you shouldn't have borrowed the dress."
"You! How dare you talk to me like that?! I'm going to file a complaint!" Nicole was furious, practically spitting fire.
"Fine, complain all you want, but pay the compensation within half a month. If you don't, we'll sue you and take enforcement measures." The assistant gave her a disdainful look and left.
Nicole collapsed into a chair, sobbing quietly at first, then bursting into loud, open-mouthed crying.
After crying herself out, Nicole wiped her face, gritted her teeth, and drove to Riverside Villa.
Her last hope was Tiffany! She was in this mess, and Tiffany couldn't be blameless. As her biological aunt, Tiffany couldn't just stand by and do nothing!
At that moment, the Wellington family was having dinner.
Byron, feeling a bit better, had left the hospital and returned to the villa in Half Moon Bay to recover.
Tonight, the Wellington family was all together, including Edward.
But the atmosphere was so tense it could ruin anyone's appetite.
The dinner table used to be Tiffany's stage, where she'd always show affection with Patrick in front of Edward.
But tonight, they ate separately. Patrick looked gloomy, and Tiffany was listlessly picking at her food.
Debra, on the other hand, was eating more than usual.
"Eat less! Haven't you noticed your face getting rounder? Be careful, or you won't find a husband!" Tiffany, frustrated by the Adams family, vented her anger on Debra.
"Can't I eat a bit more? Besides, I'm not worried about getting married."
Debra muttered, "Tiffany, Patrick, no need to be so down. It's better to rip the band-aid off quickly. The engagement party didn't happen after all; we gave nothing but an announcement, not a big deal."
"Shut up!" Tiffany snapped at Debra.
Patrick's face darkened even more.
Tiffany thought, 'Thank God Nicole's scandal came out early, or I'd have made the Wellington family a laughingstock!'
Just then, the butler rushed in, looking uneasy. "Ms. Adams is outside, demanding to see you, Mrs. Wellington."
Tiffany's face fell, feeling like she was on pins and needles.
"Go see her. She's family," Patrick said coldly, not looking up.
Tiffany knew Nicole wouldn't leave without seeing her, so she braced herself and walked out.
"Tiffany!" Nicole ran over, crying, and clung to Tiffany's arm. "You have to save Karen! She's your sister!"
"Save her? How? Hiring a hitman? What was she thinking? A two-year-old could've been sent away, problem solved. But she wanted to destroy the body? Does she think killing is easy?" Tiffany scolded, filled with anger.
"But what else could we do? Evelyn knew about my affairs in Mythorica. With her background, she'd have found out about the child! We were desperate!" Nicole cried.
"Foolish! Evelyn was bluffing. She crushed you easily! Now you've made a huge mistake, and with all the evidence against you, how do you expect me to help?" Tiffany was furious that Nicole, her carefully groomed pawn, had been ruined by Evelyn. 'I need to cut ties with the Adams family immediately,' she thought.
"You can't just abandon us! Creditors are hounding us, and Bray is in a coma. I can barely afford the hospital bills!" Nicole trembled. "Can you help pay off the debts? Just consider it a loan. When we recover, I'll pay you back!"
"How will you pay me back?" Tiffany sneered. "Dick's in prison, Bray's in a vegetative state, and the Adams family is done. Even if I sold you, you couldn't pay it back! If I were you, I'd buy a ticket to Mythorica and hide. Don't you have many lovers there? Go find them for help!"
Tiffany's attitude was heartless. She shook off Nicole, wanting to get rid of her immediately.
But Nicole's fingers clung to her arm like claws, her tear-filled eyes turning sinister. "Tiffany, we've worked together for so long. I've always listened to you and done so much for you. Have you forgotten?"
Tiffany felt a chill. "What are you going to do?"
"I'm already ruined, and Edward despises me. I have nothing to lose!" Nicole's face twisted with rage. "If you don't help me, I'll tell Patrick everything you've made me do. From getting close to Edward, to spreading rumors that led to his isolation and Amanda's depression and suicide, I'll tell them everything! We're family, don't force me to give it all in!"
