Chapter 106 Worse than her
Laura's POV:
"You can't just make me sit here," I yelled at the cop who walked past me for the fourth time, and this time too he ignored me. " I'm wearing a fifty-thousand-dollar silk gown, this will get ruined if I sit out here for a long time. "
I groaned, wondering what time it was. I knew that by now my perfect makeup must have been smudged beyond recognition.
Everything had fallen apart. How could this turn this way? The police had me on kidnapping, unlawful imprisonment, coercion, and about a dozen other charges.
My lawyers were saying I could face actual prison time if the Ashford family testifies against me.
One silver lining was that the recordings Veronica had made were already circulating online. I heard that most of them were trolling Veronica more than supporting her. Atleast that bitch got what she deserved. After all, she was the reason for my unhappiness.
When the guard finally came to tell me someone had posted bail, I felt a surge of relief. My family. They'd come through finally.
But it wasn't my family who walked through the door.
It was Senior Ashford.
He stood there in his suit, looking at me with an expression of disgust that made me anxious. I shouldn't let this happen. He must always be on my side.
"Mr. Ashford," I said, standing quickly and trying to smooth down my ruined dress. "Thank you so much for coming. I knew you'd understand that this was all just a misunderstanding..."
"Seriously?" He raised his brows. "I mean, seriously? You actually abducted Veronica Whitmore and forced her to make a false confession on social media? Are you aware of what you did?"
I opened my mouth to explain, to justify that I was doing the right thing and that she actually deserved it... but he continued before I could speak.
"How is what you did any different from Veronica going up on that stage on my behalf?" he demanded. "She interrupted an engagement announcement to save my son from a trap. You imprisoned her and coerced her into ruining her own reputation. And you think these are equivalent?"
"But she..."
"I thought you were smart," Senior Ashford continued, looking down at me in disappointment. "I assumed you were well-mannered. From a respectable family. But you're just as scandalous as that Whitmore heiress. Possibly worse, since you actually committed felonies."
Oh no! He is actually mad at me. He shouldn't be. I should somehow convince him that I'm innocent and marry Theodore Ashford this time. Not Maximilian as he just hit me, he is aggressive. While Theodore seems soft and sweet.
"Mr. Ashford, please... let me explain what really happened. " It was Veronica! She locked me in room and faked all of it."
I thought he would buy it, but he did. He just shook his head and glared down at me. God, did I really lose my deal with Mr. Ashford?!
"Just forget our families ever made a deal with each other," he said flatly. "The engagement arrangement is void. Any business partnerships between Ashford Industries and Bellamy Holdings are terminated as of this morning. My lawyers are already drawing up the paperwork."
He turned to leave, and I felt something crack inside me.
"Well, good luck to Maximilian Ashford," I spat, my composure finally shattering completely. "He's probably really going to marry that slut Veronica now. I hope they're very happy together."
Senior Ashford turned back slowly, and the look on his face was genuinely frightening.
"Even if he does," he said, sounding dangerous, "it's none of your business. Don't interfere in my family's business again, Miss Bellamy. If you do, I'll make sure you regret it in ways that go far beyond criminal charges."
Then he was gone, leaving me standing there in my ruined dress, smudged makeup in a police holding cell, with nothing but rage and humiliation burning through my veins.
I'd lost everything. My reputation. My engagement prospects. My family's business relationship with the Ashfords.
All because of Veronica fucking Whitmore.
But I wasn't done. Not yet.
I grabbed my phone... finally returned to me after processing... and called my assistant. She answered on the first ring.
"Miss Bellamy, are you..."
"We're not sparing the Ashfords either," I interrupted, shaking with fury. "They betrayed me too. Senior Ashford just humiliated me, terminated all our business deals. I want you to dig up everything... every dirty file, every skeleton in their closets, every illegal business practice. I don't care what it costs or how long it takes. Find it all."
"Are you sure that's wise?" my assistant asked carefully. "Given the current legal situation..."
"Do it," I snarled. "The Ashfords think they can just throw me away like garbage? I'll show them what happens when you cross a Bellamy. I'll show all of them."
I hung up and stared at my reflection in the small mirror mounted on the cell wall. My face was a mess. My life was a mess. But I'd rebuild. I'd come back from this.
And when I did, I'd make sure every single person who'd wronged me paid for it.
Veronica Whitmore. The Ashford brothers. Even Chase, who'd started this whole nightmare.
All of them would regret the day they'd decided Laura Bellamy wasn't worth their respect.
Veronica's POV:
"Trust me, this will make you forget everything," Max was saying as he drove, his hand occasionally reaching over to squeeze mine reassuringly.
I looked out the window, watching the city fade behind us as we headed... somewhere.
Max had been purposely vague about our destination, just insisting I needed to get away from my home, from the press, from everything.
I smiled. Not because I felt happy, but because it seemed like the appropriate response.
Max had been so attentive since last night. So determined to take care of me, to fix everything, to be the perfect fiancé. And I was grateful... genuinely grateful... for his protection, his devotion, his willingness to stand between me and the chaos.
But I couldn't stop thinking about Theo. About the way he'd joined our hands last night and walked away. About the look on his face during the press conference, watching from the sidelines as Max claimed me as his.
I was so much lost in my thoughts.
Then suddenly, the car stopped in a jolt in the middle of the road, forcing me back to the present.
"What did you stop?" I asked Max.
" You are quiet," he said. "Tell me what is bothering you."