Chapter 71 Backing
Everyone turned toward the voice and saw Nathan walking in, dressed in a black suit with an expressionless face.
He approached Clara, his eyes filled with detachment. "Mr. Windsor is handling business overseas and specifically asked me to inform you that from today forward, you are not to associate yourself with him in any capacity, nor should you attempt to threaten anyone using his name."
Nathan paused, his tone suddenly turning cold. "Mr. Windsor also said that if you continue to overstep your bounds, he won't hesitate to use the Windsor Group's resources to make the Johnson family disappear from Emerald City entirely."
"No... that's impossible! Charles wouldn't treat me like this! You're lying!" Clara staggered backward, her face paler than paper.
"Whether I'm lying or not, Ms. Johnson, you can call Mr. Windsor to verify." Nathan pulled out his phone, displaying Charles's private number on the screen. "However, I should warn you that Mr. Windsor doesn't want to hear your voice right now, so you'd better not embarrass yourself."
Clara stared at those digits, her fingers trembling as she dared not touch the phone.
She knew Nathan was telling the truth.
Charles's recent coldness toward her, and also...
She suddenly remembered that Dominic used to fawn over her whenever they met. But the last time she'd transferred money to him, he'd been uncharacteristically unresponsive, not replying to a single message.
Could it be... Charles had already found him? That was why Dominic didn't dare contact her anymore.
Charles must have reinvestigated what happened six years ago—he knew everything!
And the conversation she'd just had with Emily, had Nathan heard all of that too?
Then Charles would also know that Emily had given birth to his children!
Her dreams of joining high society were shattered.
She would never become Mrs. Windsor!
Charles hated being lied to more than anything, yet she had deceived him for six whole years.
Clara didn't dare imagine what she would face next.
Just then, Wesley entered the lobby, dressed in casual clothes.
He'd just finished filming when he saw the live stream and immediately rushed over. Walking to Emily's side, he first patted Emma's head before turning to look at Clara, his tone carrying a warning. "Clara, I heard you bullied Ethan and Emma? You couldn't possibly be unaware that these two children are artists under my Skyline Entertainment, could you? If you dare harass them again, the cease and desist letters from my lawyers can be delivered to the Johnson family at any time."
He glanced at Nathan standing nearby, speaking pointedly, "Even if you have backing, it won't matter. Charles's reputation doesn't carry weight with me."
Nathan quickly distanced himself. "Mr. Martin, please don't misunderstand—we're on the same side."
Wesley smiled slyly, "Charles was blind for so long, but finally got his vision fixed."
Nathan could only smile along. "You're too kind."
Clara completely collapsed to the floor, watching everything unfold before her, feeling dizzy and disoriented.
Charles would destroy the Johnson Group, Wesley would send cease and desist letters, and Emily had not only given birth to Charles's children but also had two powerful allies supporting her.
All her previous schemes and pride had become a joke in this moment.
The cold marble floor hurt Clara's knees, but she didn't even have the strength to stand up. She could only watch helplessly as Emily was protected by Wesley, with both children clinging closely to Emily's coat.
The gazes around her were mocking, contemptuous, and pitying, but none held the familiar "fawning" she once knew.
Clara suddenly covered her face with her hands, broken sobs escaping through her fingers. Her carefully styled curls fell across her shoulders, dampened with tears and dishevelment, no longer maintaining their former elegance.
Emily looked at her pitiful state, feeling no satisfaction in her eyes, only calm indifference.
"Clara, everything you're experiencing today is exactly what you deserve."
Clara couldn't remember how she left the school.
It wasn't until the car stopped in front of the Johnson Villa that she seemed to suddenly come back to herself, stumbling inside.
In the living room, Simon was sitting on the sofa reading a financial newspaper while Celeste sat beside him peeling oranges, the atmosphere relatively peaceful.
But seeing Clara's disheveled hair and tear-stained face, Simon's brow immediately furrowed. He threw the newspaper onto the coffee table. "What happened to you? You look like you've lost your soul! Did the school partnership fall through?"
Clara had no energy to answer. She just swayed over to the sofa and collapsed to her knees on the floor, choking out, "Dad, Charles... he's going to destroy the Johnson family."
"What did you say?" Simon shot to his feet. "What have you done?"
Celeste panicked, too, quickly moving forward to help Clara up. "Clara, get up and tell us properly. Is there some misunderstanding? Why would Mr. Windsor suddenly..."
Clara lay prostrate on the floor, her tears soaking a patch of the carpet. "Charles found out about what happened six years ago. He knows the woman that night wasn't me, and he also knows... he knows I've been lying to him for six years."
Simon's face turned grim with rage. He raised his hand to slap Clara, but was firmly restrained by Celeste. "Simon, don't be impulsive! This isn't the time to hit Clara; we need to figure out how to solve this problem!"
"Solve it? How?" Simon shook off Celeste's hand, pointing at Clara, his voice full of disappointment. "I've raised you all these years, spent so much effort getting you close to Charles, hoping you could bring benefits to the Johnson family. And what do you do? You're more trouble than you're worth! You can't even handle such a simple matter! Let me tell you, after I retire, the Johnson family business will absolutely not be handed over to you!"
Those words pierced Clara's heart like a knife.
"Dad, you can't treat me like this!"
Simon had completely stopped listening to Clara. He began calculating Emily's potential value.
"Those two children you mentioned before who look so much like Mr. Windsor—are they really Emily's?"
"Yes, Emily gave birth to two children for Charles—a boy named Ethan and a girl named Emma!"
Upon receiving this news, both Simon and Celeste froze simultaneously, their faces filled with shock.
Simon's eyes immediately lit up. He walked around the sofa twice, his fingers unconsciously tapping the coffee table. "Two children? Emily actually hid such a huge secret."
He suddenly stopped, a calculating gleam flashing in his eyes. "If Charles knew these two children were his, he would definitely treat Emily differently. As long as we can get control of these children, or properly cultivate Emily and have her put in a good word for the Johnson family with Charles, we could not only keep the Windsor Group's support, but maybe even help the Johnson family develop further!"
Celeste immediately shattered his hopes. "Simon, stop dreaming! Have you forgotten how we treated Emily before? We sent her to that old man, threw her out of the house, and later helped Clara suppress her! Emily hates us more than anything. How could she possibly help the Johnson family? She has Charles backing her now and doesn't need to depend on us at all. If we try to cultivate her now, we'll only humiliate ourselves!"
Simon's expression darkened. "Then what do you suggest? Just watch as Charles destroys the Johnson family?"