Chapter 986 Jasmine, I'll Drag You Down with Me Even If I Die
Cordelia shook her head, patting the back of Evelyn's hand. "None of this was ever your fault. You're a victim in all this too."
Evelyn sat on the sofa, speaking quietly. "I don't know if William will actually return."
Jasmine fell silent. Would someone like William really return for Evelyn, especially now that he knew she wasn't his biological daughter?
Cordelia clearly lacked confidence as well. Based on what she knew of William, his actions were unpredictable.
"Our current evidence only traces back to Bill's time, but he's dead now. Even if Silverlight City police arrest William, it won't mean much unless he voluntarily confesses. He never directly participated in the Cunningham Group's operations or management," Cordelia said wearily, sinking into the sofa. In that moment, she seemed to have aged years.
Jasmine wanted to comfort Cordelia but didn't know how. Evelyn looked equally worried, uncertain what to do.
"William's coming back!" An assistant burst through the door, breathless with excitement. "Our sources in Moscow confirm he's returning to the country."
Cordelia stared in disbelief. "Are you certain?" Jasmine asked.
The assistant nodded. "He took a flight last night."
"Lily's people called last night too," Evelyn added nervously.
"Well, I never thought he had even that small shred of conscience left," Cordelia remarked sarcastically.
Evelyn sat silently on the sofa, unsure what to say. William was still the man who had raised her. She had done all she could.
At the abandoned garage where Evelyn had been taken during the kidnapping attempt, Cordelia and the Cunningham family waited nearby. Lily wouldn't have told William that Evelyn had escaped; she'd be waiting to catch him when he arrived.
She clearly hadn't anticipated that Evelyn wouldn't immediately call William after escaping.
"Still no sign of her?" Lily demanded angrily inside the warehouse.
"Ms. Taylor, that Evelyn girl is too skilled a fighter. She knocked us out and escaped," the kidnapper explained nervously.
Lily's face darkened as she clenched her fists. Before she could respond, her phone rang—William calling.
She hesitated, then answered.
"Lily, I know you took my daughter. If anything happens to her, you'll have me to answer to," William threatened, his voice cold and steady.
Lily paused, puzzled. William didn't know Evelyn had escaped?
"As long as you get here within thirty minutes, I won't touch Evelyn," she said, testing him.
"I'll be there soon."
William was actually coming. Lily was shocked that someone as cunning as William would fall for such an obvious trap. This was the man who had deceived countless people—how could he make such an elementary mistake?
"Nolan has surrendered, and the case is still under investigation. He'll likely be sentenced. The Cunningham Group is barely holding on, with stocks in freefall. It's hard to say if they'll survive," her assistant whispered.
The Cunningham Group was facing catastrophe.
Lily smiled coldly. She wanted the Cunningham family ruined beyond recovery, wanted Jasmine to suffer unbearably.
William arrived, parking outside the warehouse and stepping out alone.
The fact that he dared come alone made Lily increasingly suspicious of his intentions.
Not only Lily, but Cordelia, Jasmine, and Edward, who were hiding nearby, were equally shocked. William was too intelligent to walk into such an obvious trap alone.
"The police are positioned nearby," Edward whispered.
"My father knows I wouldn't be easily kidnapped," Evelyn said softly. "Maybe he's returning deliberately, to protect the Cunningham family."
Cordelia remained silent, unwilling to believe in William's good intentions.
As soon as William entered the warehouse, police quietly surrounded the building.
"Lily, you betrayed me. Did you think eliminating me would let you sleep soundly?" William asked calmly, making no mention of Evelyn.
Lily frowned. "You knew Evelyn escaped?"
William laughed coldly. "Why do you think I made sure Evelyn learned self-defense?"
He had lived in constant fear that his true identity would bring disaster to Evelyn. That's why he hadn't objected when she wanted to pursue a career in Kerea—he actually preferred her to be out in the world, especially in the spotlight.
"William, if you knew Evelyn escaped, why did you still call and come here? You couldn't have..." Lily's expression changed suddenly. "You called the police? Have you lost your mind?"
Lily had planned to have William arrested, but never expected him to turn himself in.
"How else could I repay you for how you've schemed against the Cunningham family?" William said, his voice low.
Lily panicked and turned to flee, but it was too late. The police had already surrounded them.
William's lips curved into a smile as he watched Lily. "There's no escape for you now."
The police surrounded the warehouse and discovered enough contraband in William's car to warrant a death sentence.
"Lily, you tried to harm me. Were you planning to steal this shipment for yourself?" William said in a hushed voice, effectively implicating her.
Lily had been secretive about the kidnapping, covering her tracks carefully. Now caught by police at an apparent "transaction," she couldn't escape responsibility—especially since the Powell Corporation already had a history of smuggling contraband.
"William, you've gone mad!" Lily stared at him in shock. He was willing to destroy himself just to bring her down with him.
Outside the warehouse, Cordelia, Jasmine, and Edward approached.
Seeing William arrested, Evelyn choked back a sob. "Dad..."
William feigned indifference. "I'm not your father. Your biological parents are from the Wilson family. We have no blood relation."
Evelyn's eyes welled with tears, understanding he was deliberately distancing himself from her.
"Everyone down on the ground!" The police ordered Lily's men to kneel.
Her people panicked, trying to flee, but were quickly pinned down by officers.
"Sir, this is a misunderstanding! He's framing us," Lily protested nervously.
"We'll determine that during our investigation," an officer replied curtly.
Lily glared furiously at Jasmine. "You came to watch me fall, didn't you? This is all because of you!"
Jasmine looked helpless—how was Lily's self-destruction her fault?
Breathing rapidly, Lily lost control. She shoved away the officer trying to arrest her and ran to her car, pulling out a gun.
Firearms were strictly prohibited in Silverlight City. She had brought it to protect herself against William's people, never expecting him to come alone.
The police would find the gun in her car eventually. She had no other options left.
She had to take a desperate gamble.
"Jasmine, if I'm going down, I'm taking you with me!" Lily shouted, firing the gun at Jasmine.
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