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Novel Catalog
Chapter_154
In the hotel lobby, Dennis sat on the couch with Winona dutifully by his side, both of them waiting in tense silence. Dennis kept his head high, exuding arrogance, not bothering to acknowledge Liam as he stepped out of the elevator.
Liam had seen all kinds of people over the years, and he had learned to read them quickly. Dennis’s dismissive attitude did not go unnoticed. Despite the scorn, Liam only sneered inwardly. He slowed his pace as he approached Dennis and Winona, stopping in front of them.
Dennis, with his usual haughty demeanor, lifted his head slightly and gave Liam a cursory glance, showing no interest in initiating conversation. In his eyes, a mere secretary wasn’t worth his time.
Winona, however, stood up and addressed Liam, her voice soft but polite. “Mr. Davidson, Grandpa and I are ready. May we proceed to meet Mr. Yates now?”
Liam smiled, though it was a practiced, polite smile. “I’m afraid Mr. Yates is unavailable at the moment. It seems unlikely you’ll be able to meet with him today.”
Winona froze. Her face turned slightly pale, and she looked at Dennis for guidance, her expression one of confusion and distress.
Dennis’s initial shock quickly morphed into fury. His grip tightened on the cane in his hand, his knuckles turning white. The news hit him hard—how could Howard refuse to meet him? In Dennis’s mind, his family’s status in Seacrity should have ensured an audience with someone as influential as Howard.
His eyes narrowed dangerously as he stared at Liam, the room heavy with tension.
Liam, maintaining his calm demeanor, met Dennis’s glare without flinching. Inside, however, he couldn’t help but feel disdain. Intimidating me? Liam thought. Does he even know who I work for? Over the years, Liam had faced people far more ruthless than Dennis. The truly powerful, like Ms. Zeller, didn’t need to show anger to command respect—they simply exuded authority.
Dennis, visibly irritated, turned to leave, muttering under his breath. Winona hurriedly followed behind him, keeping her head down and not daring to speak.
As they exited, Liam dropped his forced smile, his thoughts turning to the greater picture. The Smith family’s troubles were just beginning.
That night, news about the Smith family’s alleged criminal activities spread like wildfire across major websites. The scandal involving tax evasion, bribery, and the use of substandard materials was now all over Seacrity’s newsfeeds. The Smith family had reportedly avoided paying over 3 billion dollars in taxes, and their involvement with corrupt officials had been exposed. Daniel was one of the officials implicated, having taken bribes from the Smith family for a land deal two years ago.
To make matters worse, there were reports of the Smith family using cheap materials that led to leukemia in children, with over ten families affected. The Smiths had tried to cover up the situation, even resorting to violence to silence the parents of sick children. Tragically, two parents had taken their own lives after their complaints were ignored.
As the details of the Smith family’s wrongdoings came to light, it quickly turned from an economic issue to a criminal matter. If proven true, they faced severe legal consequences.
Wyatt, who had been sound asleep, was jolted awake by a phone call from his secretary. When he checked his phone, his heart sank. The scandal threatened his own career, and with his potential transfer to Betrico looming, Wyatt knew he had to act fast.
He convened an emergency meeting with his trusted officials, making sure those not implicated in the scandal took immediate action. Those involved were detained, their communications cut off.
Throughout the night, Wyatt held four consecutive meetings, trying to prevent the situation from spiraling further. The public outrage was building by the minute, and if he didn’t manage the fallout quickly, the entire city might turn against the Smith family.
The next morning, Nellie woke up to an eerie silence in the house. The living room was empty, and she found herself wondering where everyone had gone. Usually, the staff would have already prepared breakfast, but today there was no sign of them.
Growing irritated, Nellie stormed through the house, only to find the staff gathered in the garden, their attention focused on their phones.
“What are you all doing?!” Nellie demanded, her voice sharp. “Are you being paid to stand around gossiping? Get back to work and prepare my breakfast immediately!”
One of the servants, unable to hold back any longer, spoke up. “Mrs. Chambers, there’s no need for you to fire us. In fact, we don’t want to work for the Smiths anymore. Instead of breakfast, I suggest you check your phone.”
The others chimed in, nodding in agreement.
Shocked, Nellie glared at them. “What are you talking about?”
“You should check the news,” another servant said, her voice full of disdain. “The Smith family’s crimes are out in the open now. People are calling for you to pay for what you’ve done.”
One servant cursed bitterly. “The Smiths are ruthless! They’ll get what’s coming to them!”
The others agreed, expressing their own disgust. “The Smiths are going to hell,” one muttered.
Nellie’s face turned white as she processed their words. She had no idea what was going on, but the anger in the servants’ voices was undeniable. She rushed back into the house to check her phone, her heart pounding in her chest.
As she entered, she collided with Zeke, who looked just as frantic. “Mom, terrible news…” he began, his voice shaking.
The scandal had erupted in full force, and the Smith family’s empire was crumbling before their eyes.
