Chapter 74
“As you asked, I’ve dug up some details. Turns out, it was Ms. Miranda Hawk who confessed back then. And guess who her defense attorney was? Mr. Alistair Hawke, the Hawke family’s second eldest son.”
Elian skimmed the papers briefly.
“The Hawkes really buried this deep. To this day, only a handful know Miranda did time. They’ve scrubbed everything else clean, leaving no loose ends to pull at.”
“Why cover it up unless there’s something to hide?” Elian mused aloud, his voice steady. “They just want to keep it out of the public eye, prevent anyone from digging up what should remain buried.”
The assistant looked puzzled.
Elian’s eyes turned frosty, a cruel smile playing on his lips. “The whole situation of Miranda being in jail reeks of a setup. Her confession was likely coerced, her imprisonment unjust.”
“Would a family really do that to their own daughter or sister?” the assistant shivered at the thought.
Elian’s gaze was icy. Snorting coldly, he glanced at his phone, where a notification had popped up.
“Find out anything related to Arabella all these years.”
The assistant nodded. “Understood.”
At the moment, a notification linking Sebastian and Miranda emerged in Elian’s view. His expression darkened.
Why was that guy everywhere? Though he kept tabs on Miranda, he didn’t have a personal account. It was safer that way, given the Ashcroft family’s need for discretion.
“Find some work for those two PR firms,” Elian instructed, his tone chilly.
“Right away.”
Online chatter about Miranda’s identity and Arabella’s uncanny resemblance to the Zades was spreading like wildfire. But the people at the center of the gossip remained blissfully unaware.
At that moment, Arabella was busy pestering her brother to take her to the shooting range. “Come on, Alistair, take me there! I heard Sebastian goes there a lot.”
Alistair wondered, “You’ve got a crush on Sebastian now?”
Arabella blushed, grinning. “No way! I just want to meet him. You and Dorian are club members, you must see him sometimes, right?”
Alistair, ever the doting brother, relented. “Not that often, it’s hit or miss. But sure, I can take you. Just promise me you won’t wander off.”
Arabella nodded eagerly. “Promise, Alistair.”
Meanwhile, Miranda emerged from her herbal bath feeling revitalized. The herbs she cultivated herself always seemed to work wonders. She changed and prepared to leave for a meeting with a director about her next film.
But just as she hit the road, a voice message buzzed through.
It was from Hannah Lancaster. “Mira, I’m being bullied!”
Miranda hit the brakes, immediately responding, “Where? Send me the address.”
