Chapter 33 The Collapse of the Adams Group was Her Masterpiece
The photo, taken three years ago, was found on the court's official website. In it, Simon is dressed in professional attire, standing confidently in the courtroom during a passionate debate.
The software Edward developed was incredibly magical. By scanning a clear photo of a person's face into the software, it could find relevant information about that person from photo databases worldwide in just a few minutes, far more accurately than using a search engine.
When Edward searched for Simon, it took him a full ten minutes, but he wasn't a prominent figure in public and rarely took photos, let alone had social media accounts.
Edward pondered, ‘He's just a prosecutor. Why is he so mysterious?’
"Landon... Simon..." Edward mused for a moment, and suddenly, widening his eyes, it clicked in his mind, ‘Could it be...’
Edward squinted his eyes, feeling complicated emotions and struggling to breathe. He thought, 'Lily, you're something else. You can't make up your mind and accept anyone who comes your way. After leaving me, you quickly attached yourself to Landon and got involved with another man from the Taylor family. Do you really think you're that popular?'
At that moment, the roar of a sports car came from behind.
Edward snapped back, looking out the window.
A black sports car zoomed past him.
It was Lily's car.
He wondered, 'Why would she suddenly appear here? Things can't be that simple.'
Edward was burning with anger and punched the car window.
"Bart, catch up with her."
...
The entrance of the hotel was crowded with journalists, and the investigators had a hard time getting the disheveled Dick into the car.
This press conference ended in farce.
Instead of leaving in the car, Simon went to the back door and patiently waited for Evelyn to appear.
A few minutes later, her Bugatti's La Voiture Noire arrived as planned and stopped in front of Simon.
William rolled down the car window and politely greeted, "Mr. Taylor, hello."
"Hello, William."
Simon bent down to look at Evelyn, who was lazily sitting in the passenger seat. He smiled dotingly and pinched her smooth cheek.
"It seems like William has been taking good care of you lately. You've gained some weight on your face."
"No, I haven't," Evelyn said with a pout.
"Yes, you have. Your face is all chubby now, even cuter."
She thought, 'Simon just met me and already says I've gained weight. How rude. No wonder no girls like him.'
Meanwhile, Edward, hidden in the shadows, witnessed this flirtatious scene.
His expression was like an impending storm, his fists clenched tightly.
Bart looked at the rearview mirror, trembling with fear.
But silently in his heart, he thought, 'Mrs. Wellington is so outstanding and beautiful that it's normal for men to pursue her. It's only Mr. Wellington who doesn't seem to have good taste and doesn't appreciate Mrs. Wellington.'
"How was I today? How did I perform?" Simon raised an eyebrow provocatively, proudly seeking Evelyn's praise.
"You looked great. This time, you gained a lot of fans. Many girls were looking for information about you online, and you even trended." Evelyn leaned on the car window, looking up at Simon with a lively, girlish charm.
Edward stared at his ex-wife intently. Strangely, he wanted to stand in Simon's position at this moment, and he wanted to have the same eye contact with her. He wanted to see her lively expression, as she had never smiled at him like that before.
"It doesn't mean much to be admired by the whole world. I only hope that my darling Evelyn admires me, and that's enough," Simon said disdainfully.
"That's too cheesy. Simon, you're not suited for romantic acting. Your comedic persona suits you better," Evelyn teased.
After a couple more jokes between the siblings, they returned to the main topic.
"But, Simon, I'll also need your help with this matter's aftermath," Evelyn frowned.
"Don't worry. He won't get off lightly for tarnishing our family's reputation. He'll at least have to spend three years in prison. I will never give him a chance for reduced punishment or let anyone bail him out," Simon assured her.
Simon showed his approval, "But all this is thanks to you. You calculated accurately, and he stepped into every trap you set. He really played along. If only all the bad guys were this obedient, it would save us a lot of trouble for our judicial personnel."
Dick was indeed a fool.
However, the KnightSpear Group was able to sue Dick because Mike finally agreed to testify successfully. He revealed Dick's behavior of amassing wealth at the hotel using Mike for the past two years.
Just last night, Evelyn secretly found Mike, who was in a run-down state and drunk at a small tavern, and informed him that there would be a press conference the next day. In order to protect himself, Dick would definitely throw Mike under the bus.
"It's impossible. Don't even think about using me like this, making me testify. I'm not that stupid," Mike protested.
"If you can't realize it yet, then you're truly foolish," Evelyn replied.
So, last night, Evelyn and Mike made a deal.
"I have evidence of the secret transactions between you and Dick, and I haven't submitted it to the prosecutor's office yet. This is because you were once my father's loyal employee. I'm giving you one last chance," Evelyn said.
Mike thought about his journey over the past twenty years, from being a banquet hall supervisor to slowly climbing up to the position of deputy manager. Apart from his efforts, he also owed his success to Charlie's trust and support. But later, after gaining power, he lost himself and ultimately self-destructed, ending up in this situation. He felt regret and guilt.
"At the press conference tomorrow, if Dick doesn't implicate you, then I will personally submit this evidence to the prosecutor's office and abide by the will of justice. If he does as I say and implicates you for reduced punishment, then you will personally testify against all of his crimes. If you can correct your mistakes, I will definitely hire a top lawyer to defend you and minimize your punishment. You can choose which option is more favorable for you," Evelyn explained.
Evelyn successfully coerced Mike into delivering the evidence himself, which devastated the Adams Group and left them with no hope for recovery.
Because she remembered how Charlie always said not to push people too far, even if you have the upper hand, as it could backfire.
...
Simon returned to the district attorney's office to continue working on cases, while Evelyn returned to her job at the hotel. The siblings temporarily parted ways.
Halfway through their walk, William noticed through the rearview mirror that a Mercedes-Benz was following them.
"Ms. Taylor, we are being followed. Should we call the police?" William asked.
Evelyn calmly looked at the rearview mirror, surprised. She thought, ‘That's Edward's car. So he was also at the press conference earlier, just hiding in the shadows. It seems he cares a lot about his fiancée's family.’
Evelyn smirked, "Let's not go back to the hotel for now. Let's go for a drive at Crescent River instead."
"But what about the person following us..." William was still worried.
"Don't worry, I'll protect you." Evelyn smiled confidently.
William widened his eyes, thinking, 'Did she just say it the other way around?'
...
The black sports car made consecutive turns, and Bart was completely focused on following it. He swore he had never been this nervous during his exams or interviews with the Wellington Group.
Edward stared intently at Lily's car, curious about who was driving her. The man's driving skills were obviously inferior to hers; otherwise, they would have lost them by now.
He caught a glimpse of Lily's hair billowing in the wind like a beautiful flower blooming in the evening.
Edward's icy gaze gradually softened, becoming gentle.
That scattered strand of hair unknowingly clouded his mind, making him lose his composure.
He thought, 'How can she be so carefree?'
She was like a brilliant sunset, deeply engraved in his eyes, causing a subtle ache within him.
Finally, the Bugatti sports car stopped by the Crescent River bank.
Evelyn got out of the car alone and stood by the railing, squinting her eyes and enjoying the evening breeze.
Edward also got out of the car, elegantly adjusting his double-breasted suit. His strong physique exuded a dazzling golden glow.
He gazed at Lily, who was waiting in the wind. Lily wore a stunning yet dignified red dress. Her eyes sparkled, and her lips were fiery red. She was as beautiful as a heavily pigmented oil painting in the Palace of Versailles.
Edward couldn't help but walk towards her.
When he was just a step away, she suddenly took a step back, maintaining social distance.
"Mr. Wellington, you followed me all the way from the press conference, and now you want to break my arm?" Evelyn's teeth were white, and even her mocking smile looked beautiful.
"Lily," Edward called her name, somewhat angry.
He glanced at her left arm, pretending to be casual, and thought, "It seems her arm must be fine."
"Does Mr. Wellington have his identification? Don't come to me for no reason; let's just get divorced while we're at it. It doesn't matter if it's too late. Mr. Taylor can make the City Hall work overtime for us special individuals," Evelyn said with an even brighter smile.
Divorce had become a sarcastic taunt that never failed to provoke him.
"Lily, you're quite arrogant," Edward approached her.
"What?" She furrowed her brows lightly.
"You've managed to maneuver between the Taylor brothers and use them to suppress the Adams Group until they can't turn things around. I really underestimated your methods."
