Chapter 77
Chapter 77
“Samantha! What happened to you?!” Lorelei’s voice rang out as she hurriedly ushered her daughter inside.
“It’s all that Jewel’s fault! She’s jealous of how much you care about me. I just pointed out that she’s being kept, and she called a bunch of people to beat me up!” Samantha declared, her voice dripping with indignation.
What she couldn’t bring herself to admit was that Jewel had single–handedly left her looking like this, and she felt utterly humiliated in front of that gorgeous man.
Lorelei’s fury ignited at Samantha’s words. “That little brat has gone too far! How dare she lay a hand on you! Just wait; I’m going to deal with this!”
“Mom, don’t go! She’s got her backers now and doesn’t care about you at all. If she had any respect for you, she wouldn’t have treated me like this in front of everyone,” Samantha added, fanning the flames. “You might end up being her target
too.”
“Surely not! She used to be so obedient around me; there’s no way she would dare,” Lorelei replied, unable to believe Samantha’s claims.
Samantha simmered with anger, feeling even more unjustly treated as her mother continued to defend Ash.
Samantha shifted her gaze to her mother, Lorelei, her frustration evident. “Can’t you see? She’s just pretending! Even if we apologize as Dad suggested, she’d probably just laugh at us and kick us out.”
Noticing her mother’s lingering doubt, Samantha pointed at her own bruised face, tears pooling in her eyes. “Look at what she did to me! How can you not believe me? I’m your real daughter; I would never lie to you!”
As Lorelei took in the angry red marks on Samantha’s face, her skepticism began to fade. Just the other day, her husband had proposed that they apologize, and she had almost agreed. But with someone willing to use violence over a disagreement, it was clear that an apology would only invite more humiliation.
Just then, Dexter walked in with a stack of gift boxes, his cheerful tone slightly lifting the mood. “I got some nice gifts from a few friends. Let’s go find Jewel.”
Samantha’s heart sank at the mention of that name. She had just been attacked by her, and now they were supposed to make
nice.
Lorelei frowned, her expression darkening. “Samantha ran into her today while trying to get her to convince Shadow Ventures to invest in us, but instead, Jewel just attacked her. Do you really think an apology will do any good?”
“What happened?” Dexter’s expression turned serious.
Samantha stepped closer, showcasing the handprint on her face for her father to see, her voice dripping with sorrow. “Dad, look at what she did! Shouldn’t she be the one apologizing?”
When Dexter remained silent, she rolled up her sleeves to reveal the bruises on her arms. “She didn’t just hit me in the face; I got beaten all over! Doesn’t that bother you at all?”
Seeing the bruises made Lorelei’s heart ache. Forgetting that Samantha had provoked the confrontation, she rolled up her own sleeves in outrage. “This is unacceptable! We can’t let our daughter suffer like this. I’m calling the police! I want them to arrest her and teach her a lesson!”
Hearing her mother’s fierce determination sparked something in Samantha. Yes! If they called the cops, they could get that horrible girl arrested. Instantly, her tears dried up.
But Dexter was still skeptical. After all, anyone who could get an invitation to Prime wasn’t going to be an easy target.
“Dad, I’m your real daughter! You can’t hesitate to call the police! Are we really going to wait until she beats me to a pulp?”
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Samantha pleaded, fresh tears glistening in her eyes.
Dexter let out a deep sigh. “The company is on the brink of collapse. If we can’t secure an investment from Shadow Ventures, the company is finished.”
Right now, they still had a chance to reach out to Jewel for that investment, but if she ended up in jail…
Samantha bit her lip, frustration boiling over. “Isn’t there any other way?”
Dexter shook his head, his expression filled with resignation. “Unless you can find someone else to invest, we have no choice but to seek her help.”
The idea of having to beg someone she once looked down on was unbearable for Samantha.
After a moment of contemplation, she lifted her chin, determination blazing in her eyes. “We won’t have to beg her; I have a plan.”
Dexter’s surprise was evident. “Wow, I didn’t expect you to be so clever! You really are my daughter. I can’t wait to see what you come up with!”
As Samantha and Calvert pulled into the driveway of the Turner family home, they spotted Caspian enthusiastically leading Dorothy out to the helipad, gesturing towards the sleek helicopter parked nearby. “Check it out! This is the aircraft I designed! I brought it back for Mom. Want to take it for a ride?”
Dorothy hesitated, torn between her excitement to fly and the knowledge that Calvert would definitely not approve.
Catching Caspian’s enthusiasm, Ash stepped forward, her tone cool and measured. “Is that helicopter safe for passengers?”
Caspian shot her a challenging look, clearly annoyed. “Who do you think you are? Still mad about me calling you out this morning? I had no idea you were so sensitive!”
“Can you actually guarantee its safety?” Ash raised an eyebrow, skepticism clear in her voice.
“I flew it back myself! How could it not be safe?”
Caspian’s bravado stirred something in Dorothy. Ever since her heart problems began, she had flown less often, but after taking a nourishing pill recently, she felt better than she had in a while.
The tightness in her chest was gone, and she could handle some light activity now. Surely, sitting in a helicopter and feeling the wind would be fine.
“Well, if you’re that confident, I’d love to join you for a little adventure,” Dorothy said, her excitement bubbling over as she moved toward the helicopter with Caspian.
Calvert frowned, concern knitting his brow. Dorothy’s health couldn’t withstand any rough treatment, and today’s weather was cloudy with a hint of wind. ‘What if the turbulence frightens her?‘ he thought.
Before he could express his concerns, Ash quickly interjected, “Hold on, let me check it out first. I’ll make sure it’s safe before you get on.”
At the sight of Ash, Dorothy smiled. “You’re such a sweetheart! Honestly, I could skip the ride.”
Yet despite her words, her gaze kept drifting toward the helicopter, clearly reluctant to give up.
“If you want to fly in my helicopter, just say so! No need for excuses!” Caspian settled into the pilot’s seat, a smug grin on his face. “Come on, let me show you what I can do!”
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Ash stood firm, unwavering “What I’m saying is Fil be the one flying
If Caspian took the controls, her whole plan would be shot
