Chapter 985 Lily Has Evelyn Kidnapped
The Cunningham Group was implicated in a transnational criminal case—no small matter. When members of the Cunningham Group voluntarily surrendered to authorities, law enforcement took it very seriously.
As soon as Nolan turned himself in with evidence, the media descended.
Negative press about the Cunningham Group flooded every channel. The company's PR department immediately released a statement claiming that CEO Nolan had alerted authorities as soon as he discovered the problems, and that they were awaiting the results of the police investigation.
Despite this, public opinion turned against the Cunningham Group under what appeared to be orchestrated influence.
In a short time, the company struggled to maintain its foothold in Silverlight City, with volatile stock prices presenting enormous challenges.
In Kerea, Lily watched the news with a satisfied smile. "The Cunningham family will never recover from this," she said.
Her phone rang. She eyed the caller ID warily—it was from Moscow. Clearly William calling. She had betrayed his trust, and he wouldn't let that slide, but she had to take this gamble. She quickly disconnected the call and thoughtfully bit her fingernail.
What now? William was connected to the black market, and if he wanted to come after her...
"Ms. Taylor, we can't continue like this," her assistant rushed in anxiously. "Someone sent threatening letters to the company. People from the black market will surely come after you. What are we going to do?"
Lily furrowed her brow. She wasn't afraid of people like Ethan and Jasmine, but she did fear underhanded operators like William.
The Cunningham family was in turmoil because of her, and William would face joint investigations in Moscow. If the Cunningham family fell, so would William—their fates were intertwined.
Clenching her jaw, Lily's expression darkened. "It's all or nothing now—either he goes down or I do."
She needed to lure William back to Silverlight City and into the hands of local authorities. That way, the Cunningham family would no longer pose a threat to her.
"But William is clever. How can we bring him back?" her assistant asked, unable to devise a plan.
"Doesn't William have a daughter in the entertainment industry? Evelyn, right?" Lily asked coldly.
Her assistant nodded.
Lily clenched her fist. "Have her kidnapped to lure William back, then alert the police."
"Ms. Taylor, I don't recommend returning to Silverlight City now. The Cunningham family is there, and the company here—" her assistant said worriedly, concerned about threats from both within and without.
"There's no choice. I won't sleep soundly until William is dealt with!" She had to eliminate William first.
The Cunningham Villa
At the Cunningham family home in Silverlight City, Cordelia sat on the sofa, looking troubled. William would never return to face justice.
She had sent him a long message detailing how he had wronged their children over the years, begging him not to ruin their son's life. William never responded.
Cordelia had given up hope for William; the man had no conscience.
"Mom, don't worry. Nolan will be fine," Jasmine said softly, sitting beside Cordelia.
Amelia was there too, comforting Cordelia. "Mom, you still have us."
"The Cunningham Group's legal team is working hard. It'll be alright," Jasmine sighed.
"Mrs. Cunningham, there's a young woman outside asking to see you. She says her name is Evelyn, William's adopted daughter," announced the housekeeper.
Cordelia looked startled and glanced at Jasmine, who appeared equally confused.
Evelyn? Why would she come to the Cunningham Villa? Considering the baby-switching incident years ago, Evelyn should have been the true daughter of the Wilson family.
"Mom, I'll go check," Jasmine said cautiously. After all, William had developed genuine feelings for Evelyn, having raised her himself, unlike Jasmine who had been switched at birth.
Jasmine didn't care about William; she could live without a father as long as she had her brother and mother.
Walking out to the courtyard, Jasmine saw an anxious Evelyn. She looked disheveled, with visible injuries on her face, as if she'd been in a fight.
"What happened to you?" Jasmine asked in surprise.
"Someone tried to kidnap me," Evelyn explained breathlessly. "They called my father—William—demanding he return to Silverlight City or they'd kill me. I didn't contact William right away. I thought I should tell you first, so if William does come back, the police can arrest him." She looked nervously at Jasmine. "I know he's done terrible things. He always said people must pay for their mistakes. I don't want him to keep making more."
Evelyn had seen the news about the Cunningham Group and realized the entire company was being destroyed because of him. Unable to think of another solution, she decided to turn against her own father. William was implicated in smuggling, trafficking prohibited goods, and black market operations—serious crimes that had ruined countless families.
After much hesitation, she made her decision on the day of the attempted kidnapping.
"You were kidnapped?" Jasmine quickly ushered Evelyn inside. "Did they hurt you?"
Evelyn shook her head. "Bunch of amateurs. They couldn't handle me."
Jasmine's mouth fell open in surprise. She had almost forgotten that Evelyn had always been independent. William had made her learn self-defense and combat skills from a young age, which explained why she maintained respect in the entertainment industry despite not being a top star.
As a stunt performer, her physical abilities were impressive. The kidnappers clearly hadn't done their homework, thinking they were abducting an ordinary young woman.
"Do you know who sent them?" Jasmine asked.
Evelyn nodded. "I heard them mention someone called Ms. Taylor."
"It's Lily," Jasmine said, shocked.
The recent media coverage had been orchestrated by Lily. She wanted to destroy both the Cunningham Group and the family.
Lily had truly become desperate.
"William was planning to work with Lily, probably having a change of heart about using the Cunningham Group. He wanted to separate from the company, but Lily betrayed him. He dug his own grave," Jasmine said with a frown.
As a black market operator, William would certainly seek revenge against Lily for her betrayal. To protect herself, Lily needed to eliminate this threat, so she ordered the kidnapping of William's beloved adopted daughter to lure him back to the country.
Clever plan.
Jasmine brought Evelyn into the living room and explained the situation to Cordelia.
Cordelia's eyes welled with tears as she took Evelyn's hands. "You've been through so much."
In the baby-switching incident years ago, Evelyn had truly been the most innocent victim.
"I'm sorry," Evelyn said with guilt. "I should have helped you sooner."
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