Chapter 208
Bryan was going all out to suppress negative press while exhausting every possible means to track down the Berry family.
Even with Bryan’s efforts, the annual meeting scandal was too massive for one man to contain. Ronald stepped in personally to oversee damage control.
Of course, Emery faced harsh reprimands, but to little avail.
The leaked footage was just the beginning. With Aubree fanning the flames, the story exploded online: Rosepoly killed a man, bribed the family, and left the poor victim’s family no choice but to travel all the way to Rithol City seeking justice.
Bryan, having been burned before, didn’t dare make any promises this time. He stated that the matter was still under investigation and that the public would be promptly notified once results were available.
Behind the scenes, they scrambled to uncover what else Aubree had besides the Berry family’s testimony. If she had no more evidence, they’d dismiss it as lies. If she did, they’d find a scapegoat. The goal was to minimize the damage.
“Any updates?” Aubree asked, dressed in loungewear with study materials at hand, as Vincent briefed her on the latest developments over the phone.
“Miss Miller, Rosepoly’s in chaos. Reporters from all the major outlets are clamoring for the latest scoop, but everyone at Rosepoly Group is staying tight-lipped and refusing all interviews. For the past few days, the Wilsons are using back exits with bodyguards to dodge reporters,” Vincent reported. “Also, Rosepoly Group’s stock price is taking a hit right now.”
Aubree understood. “If they won’t talk, someone else will. Send our reporters to interview Anthony.”
The moment chaos erupted at Rosepoly Group’s annual meeting, Anthony knew Aubree was behind it.
‘So she’d been planning this all along,’ Anthony realized. ‘She must have already brought that deceased worker’s family to Rithol City long ago. The Wilson family really underestimated their own flesh and blood.’
Anthony was leisurely sipping coffee in his living room when a knock came at the door. His wife went to answer it.
“Mrs. Carr? Hello, we’re reporters. We’d like to interview Anthony about the fatal fall accident at Rosepoly Group’s worksite.”
Eliza stood frozen at her doorstep, bewildered by the swarm of reporters outside. ‘This can’t be just one media outlet,’ she thought.
“Let them in,” Anthony said as he finished a cup of coffee and took a whiff of its aroma. The coffee just can’t compare to wine, he thought to himself.
Eliza ushered them in, and the reporters wasted no time setting up their camera equipment.
“As former CEO, do you confirm the worker’s death was linked to Rosepoly’s fund mismanagement?”
Anthony maintained a straight face. “I’ve heard some things.”
“Earlier, rumors suggested that Rosepoly’s executives embezzled company funds, leading to the incident. Is this true?”
Officially, Anthony had been dismissed for “mismanagement,” a face-saving gesture from Ronald to avoid an outright feud.
“All I can say is that nothing happens by accident,” Anthony replied ambiguously, but everyone present knew how to read between the lines.
“So it did happen?”
Anthony gave a wry smile. “There was indeed a worker named Logan at the site. But as a mere general manager, my voice carried little weight. I was removed just like that.”
Chapter 208
The reporters got what they wanted and left the Carr residence satisfied.
What Anthony actually said didn’t matter; what mattered was how they would spin it. His hints were enough for them to twist the narrative entirely.
After their explosive reports, the scandal the Wilson family had barely contained flared up again, worse than before.
Initially, three unidentified individuals had claimed to be the victim’s family without evidence. Given the Wilson Group’s strong public image, their statements still held some credibility.
But now, Anthony Stewart, the former head of Rosepoly, had all but confirmed the rumors. Extricating the company from this mess wouldn’t be easy.
Rosepoly’s stock, which had been declining gradually, suddenly crashed.
In just one day, Rosepoly Group’s stock price plummeted by 10%, and the freefall showed no signs of stopping. The speed of the drop was staggering.
In the Wilson family’s living room, Ronald had already smashed countless objects in rage. Worse, he couldn’t even leave the house. Reporters swarmed outside, forcing him to handle business remotely.
“These damn reporters are like leeches!” he snarled through gritted teeth.
Ronald looked at Bryan and Emery. “Bryan, Emery, any solutions?”
Rosepoly’s collapse was inevitable. Clearly, Aubree’s goal was to destroy them, and this was likely just the beginning.
Bryan rubbed his temples in frustration. “We should’ve admitted fault right after the incident and pinned all the blame on Anthony. Now that Emery’s running Rosepoly Group, if the authorities uncover those shady dealings, he’ll be dragged down too.”
“Our top priority is to locate the Berry family immediately. As long as they stay quiet, we can handle the rest.”
Suddenly, Bryan’s phone rang. Seeing it was his secretary, he put it on speaker.
“Mr. Wilson, bad news. Reporters just got to Anthony, and he confirmed Logan’s death was real.”
Rosepoly had neither denied nor admitted the incident, only stating it was under investigation. But now, Anthony’s admission meant Emery, as the responsible executive, had not only failed to report a workplace death but tried to cover it up.
And the true cause of death? Still under scrutiny.
Bryan’s heart lurched. “Hurry, Emery, leave Rithol City now!”
Aubree was never really after Rosepoly Group. Her true target was them, the Wilson Group, the real power behind Rosepoly Group.
Emery was still processing Anthony’s sudden interview when Bryan’s urgent words left him even more stunned.
“What the…”
Before he could finish, the front door swung open. The housekeeper let in several uniformed officers, who flashed their badges. “Rithol City Police Department. Mr. Emery Wilson, you’ll need to come with us.”
“Dad!” Emery instinctively turned to Ronald.
Ronald’s face darkened with fury as he finally realized the truth. Anthony had actually dared to betray him!
“Emery, don’t be afraid,” Ronald said, patting Emery’s shoulder. “I will find a way to get you out of this.”
One officer shot him a scornful look. “Mr. Wilson, you might want to worry about yourself first.”
With that, they escorted Emery away.
Chapter 208
Reporters were already camped outside. As soon as the police arrived, news of Emery being taken into custody went viral within the hour, topping the trending topics once again.
Rosepoly Group’s stock price took an even steeper nosedive.
Ronald exhaled sharply. “Fine. Let Rosepoly burn. But we will save Emery at all costs.”
Ronald might have been a complete failure as a father to Aubree, but when it came to Emery, at least he still acted like a real dad.
Bryan’s phone buzzed again.
Bryan’s face finally lit up. “Dad, we’ve found Logan’s family. I’m heading over right now.”
Ronald waved him off.
After Bryan left, Ronald slumped onto the sofa, a complex mix of regret and disbelief swirling in his eyes. He realized he had truly underestimated Aubree.
If Emery couldn’t be freed, well, he’d make Aubree back down—by force, if necessary.
Just as Ronald was sinking into exhaustion, he spotted Carmen rushing out of her room in a panic.
Ronald’s brow furrowed instantly. “Stop right there.”