Chapter 661 Breaking the Illusion
The foreigner seemed to find the media answer satisfying.
"These pictures are fabricated. They create misleading impressions. They are not valid evidence.
This farce has now been reviewed by the police. If anyone further spreads this misinformation and causes reputational damage to Miss Taylor, they will have grounds to meet with today’s police report and will win without question.”
Taylor turned triumphantly to Paul and said with mock pity, “Mr. Paul, I don’t know which idiot you hired to take those shots, but it looks like you got swindled. You probably spent a fortune on those worthless pictures. Poor you–bleeding your wallet dry just to obsess over me.”
Paul’s forced smile stiffened on his face.
Just as his setup unraveled before the cameras, a calm voice echoed from the speakers.
“Today, I, Alan, ask the media to bear witness…”
Taylor, still riding high from the reversal, turned around in shock. Alan had taken the mic.
His tone was steady. “As a servant of the Kendall family, as Miss Taylor’s bodyguard, I know my place. I would never overstep my role or involve myself with Miss Taylor in any way beyond my duty. If I ever do, may I die a miserable death.
This oath is not for defense–it’s a warning: anyone who dares spread filth about my lady again, I, Alan, will not rest until we settle it.”
His eyes locked fiercely onto Paul.
The cameras flashed nonstop, capturing Alan’s vow in full.
“Looks like he really is loyal,” someone whispered. “He wouldn’t take the oath earlier, but now that things are clear, he swears it loud and proud. Makes him seem more believable.”
“Exactly. A smart, capable woman like Miss Taylor would never get involved with a bodyguard. That was pure slander.”
“Paul just assumes everyone else plays as dirty as he does.”
But Taylor stood frozen.
Why did it hurt so much to hear Alan swear something like that?
It wasn’t guilt–it was frustration, because she was too powerless to shield her own people. Alan had to publicly humiliate himself just to protect her.
She clenched her fists and said coldly, “Paul, you’ve caused enough chaos. Now it’s my turn.”
With that, she clapped her hands twice.
The doors opened again, and several men in suits strode in.
“Well, Mr. Paul, your press conference sure is grand. Funny how none of us, your business partners, got the invite.”
Their sarcasm echoed throughout the room.
Paul stared in disbelief as the men marched up the stage.
Taylor stood calmly at the side, smiling like she was enjoying the show.
Once the men had surrounded Paul, Taylor casually walked to Alan’s side, giving him a quick glance. She muttered under her breath, “Acting on your own again. I’ll deal with you later.”
“Yes, Miss,” Alan replied obediently, standing tall in full bodyguard posture.
Taylor sighed but said nothing more.
Paul, meanwhile, was losing control. He pointed a finger at the men around him. “This is my press event. None of you were invited. Leave now–or I’ll have security throw you out!”
One of the men snorted. “Sure thing, Mr. Paul. Just settle your outstanding debts with us first. Pay what you owe, and not only will we leave–we’ll even bow and apologize. Sound fair?”
Paul snapped, “If you want to discuss business or payments, take it to our office. Speak to someone in management. You think I, the CEO, have time to settle every little invoice? You expect me to handle every grain of rice and bean in this company? I’d drop dead from exhaustion!”
He turned to one of the company managers standing in the crowd and barked, “What are you waiting for? Get these men off the stage! Or do you want them making a circus out of this?”
But in Taylor’s earpiece, Yunice’s voice chimed in. “He’s flustered. Time to turn up the heat.”
Taylor stepped forward with a sweet smile. “Gentlemen, don’t let Mr. Paul fool you. As his wife, no one knows the Powell family’s current finances better than I do. If you follow the manager out now, I can almost guarantee you won’t see a single cent. You all have contracts, don’t you? And according to those, Powell Corporation is already overdue on payments. If you don’t demand your dues in front of the press right now, you may never get them back.”
From the audience, a reporter raised a pointed question. “Miss Taylor, can you clarify? The Powell Corporation’s financial reports from the first half of the year looked great. They even exceeded projections. How could they be out of money? Are these men really unpaid vendors–or did you invite them here to create confusion?”
Taylor responded coolly, “I’m not like some people–I don’t fabricate evidence. Lies always get exposed eventually. I’m a businesswoman. I would never stake my company’s credibility on slander. Besides…”