Chapter 84 Leila's Family Is Expelled from Majestic City
Mandy quickly transferred eight million dollars to Leila's account.
With Leila's promise, she became much calmer at the company and even took time to shower in the break room and reorganize her appearance.
When she appeared in public again, she had returned to her usual cold, superior beauty.
Mandy went to the general manager's assistant's office upstairs. As soon as she entered, she saw Billy frantically organizing materials.
She frowned, looking down on him somewhat. "At a time like this, why are you still bothering with those things? Even if the higher-ups want to deal with us, they'll definitely go after the accounting records. Who's going to make a big fuss investigating those old project documents?"
Billy slumped dejectedly into his chair. "What choice do I have? The company's accounting records have all been taken away. Even if I wanted to distance myself, I don't have the chance! Besides cleaning up traces from those old projects, what else can I do?"
Mandy smiled, walked over to him, bent down to hook her arm around his neck, and said softly, "I found connections who can help us get out of this."
Billy didn't believe her and sneered, loosening his tie. "Don't let those scammers fool you. There are plenty of people out there claiming to do this kind of thing. In the end, nothing gets done and the money's wasted!"
Mandy kissed his cheek and giggled. "Billy, you're still as timid as ever. If I hadn't pulled you along all these years, would you be where you are today?"
Billy was both annoyed and frightened now. He pushed her away impatiently. "At a time like this, why bring that up? Why don't you say that if it weren't for you, I wouldn't have fallen to this state?"
The biggest regret of his life was being seduced by Mandy five years ago. He'd originally had a wife and daughter and a happy life, but this bitch Mandy had seduced him. In the end, his wife divorced him and took their daughter, and he'd been completely tied to Mandy's camp.
These past few years, he'd lived in constant fear every day. He'd wanted to turn back, but how easy was that?
Mandy was stunned at first, then released him and slowly stood up, sneering. "Billy, oh Billy. After five years, you're finally telling the truth! Now you want to blame me, but when you were enjoying the benefits, why didn't you say this?"
Billy was physically and mentally exhausted. "Forget it. What's the point of arguing about this now? Let's think about how to explain things after we get locked up. With the amounts we're involved in, we probably won't get out of prison in this lifetime."
Mandy continued to sneer at him. "You're the one who won't get out. I've already made arrangements—someone will bail me out. As for you, since you find me so distasteful, I don't need to help you either. Billy, you're on your own!"
She turned and walked out mercilessly.
He was just a lackey she'd kept around for entertainment—she wouldn't take him to heart.
After Mandy left, Billy smiled bitterly, feeling that his current fate was self-inflicted. But he still didn't believe Mandy could pull strings to get out of this—she was probably being scammed.
He sat there in a daze, suddenly missing his daughter. Since the divorce, his ex-wife had refused to let him visit their daughter. She should be eight years old now—he wondered if she still remembered him.
If only he could see his daughter one more time.
On the third day of the headquarters investigation, the entire company's management was completely taken over by a new team. Mandy and Billy were officially removed from their positions and placed under investigation. Even the general manager was implicated and resigned in disgrace.
The day Mandy was taken away, she went crazy in her office, making a huge scene, demanding that Leila give her an explanation and shouting that she had people backing her, warning them to treat her with respect.
But no one paid attention to her. Leila hadn't come to the company for two or three days, and Mandy had to accept the fact that Leila had deceived her!
Leila had taken her money but hadn't helped her. Maybe her claim about being able to save her was also made up by Leila just to scam her money!
Now Leila couldn't be found and the money couldn't be recovered. Mandy was going crazy.
The investigation team didn't care whether she was crazy or not—they forcibly dragged her away.
She and Billy were temporarily held in the same detention cell. Billy sat there dejected, completely lifeless, as if he'd accepted his fate and given up struggling.
Mandy looked at him with disheveled hair. Earlier, she'd thought Leila could help, so she hadn't had time to clean up many things properly, but Billy had cleaned up all the loopholes in those projects.
For those matters, Billy could shift responsibility away, but she couldn't.
Things had come to this point—she had to think for herself.
Mandy's eyes were bloodshot like a demon from hell as she slowly spoke in a hoarse voice. "Billy, for certain matters, you should know what to do."
She'd done too many evil things, and Billy had participated in every one. She was afraid Billy would reveal all her secrets to gain merit.
Billy suddenly looked up at her, his face pale as if remembering something.
But he said nothing.
Seeing his silence, Mandy's expression darkened. "What do you mean by not speaking? Do you think telling everything will get you out? Stop dreaming. We're bound together—we rise together and fall together!"
Seeing Billy still silent, Mandy became anxious and softened her tone. "Billy, you know I arranged for your ex-wife and daughter. I can make them live well, and I can also make them suffer. As long as you keep your mouth shut, I guarantee they'll be worry-free for the rest of their lives."
At the mention of his ex-wife and daughter, Billy's expression finally changed. After a long while, he nodded and said hoarsely, "Don't worry, I won't say anything."
He'd indeed planned to use Mandy's crimes to gain merit for himself. Having been intimately involved with Mandy for five years, no one knew her better than he did. The crimes on her record weren't limited to what was currently being investigated.
That thing she and her brother did for money three years ago—if revealed, she'd have no way out.
But she was threatening him with his ex-wife and daughter, so he had to compromise.
He didn't have a house in Majestic City. After the divorce, his daughter's education was arranged by Mandy, and his ex-wife had also successfully bought a house and settled in Majestic City through Mandy's operations.
With one word, Mandy could turn his ex-wife and daughter's stable life upside down—something he didn't want to see.
After getting Billy's assurance, Mandy breathed a sigh of relief. But she also felt resentful—five years after the divorce, this bastard still only thought about his ex-wife and daughter!
She'd schemed so hard to steal Billy away, and her sincere feelings had been wasted!
Thinking again about how Leila had taken her eight million dollars and then disappeared, Mandy cursed viciously in her heart. That little bitch—if she ever got the chance to turn things around, she'd definitely kill her!
At this moment, the Leila being cursed by Mandy wasn't feeling comfortable either.
She knelt in the Reeves Villa, pleading humbly, "Mr. Reeves, please don't fire my father. Our family needs this job. I know I was wrong. I'll never do such things again. Please forgive me this once!"
Her father, Rick Bowen, the Reeves family's driver, was an honest man standing beside her, at a loss. "Leila, don't do this. I can find another job... Mr. Reeves, I didn't educate my child properly. If you want to blame someone, blame me..."
Gloria's father, Marcus Reeves, looked coldly at Leila and scolded harshly, "Leila, since your father came to the Reeves family, I believe I've treated him well. Yet you do such things! You actually dared to encourage Gloria to interfere in such dangerous matters and secretly take money—extorting eight million dollars! I really couldn't see you were this kind of person!"
Leila's eyes were red with indignation, but her throat seemed blocked—she couldn't say anything.
She hated the unfairness of fate that made her born into a driver's family. Was it wrong for her to plan for her future? She worked so hard, step by step toward her goals. Why should Gloria, that fool, effortlessly possess everything she wanted?
How could she have known this matter would be so dangerous beforehand? Who would know that an ordinary company had mysterious family power behind it? It was clearly Gloria who told her to make trouble for Arabella, which led her to get involved with Mandy. Now Marcus was blaming everything on her—why?
She pleaded with red eyes, "Mr. Reeves, I know I was wrong. Please be lenient since no serious consequences resulted this time? I really didn't do anything. Besides falsely claiming I could pull strings and taking eight million dollars, I didn't do anything!"
Gloria had just told Marcus about protecting Mandy when Marcus shut down the entire plan. They hadn't even had time to do anything.
Leila didn't understand why Marcus insisted on driving her and her father to ruin.
Marcus looked angry, clasping his hands behind his back as he looked at Leila. "Do you think taking that eight million dollars is just about money? When that woman is investigated, won't the police check her recent financial transactions? When they discover she had large financial dealings with you right after getting in trouble, do you think you can stay out of it?"
Then he looked at Rick. "Rick, your daughter isn't thinking clearly, but you should understand—I'm doing this for the entire Reeves family. The Reeves family can't be implicated in such matters."
Rick quickly nodded. "Mr. Reeves, I understand, I understand."
Leila looked at him resentfully—useless! Only knowing how to grovel! Not even daring to say a word of opposition in front of Marcus!
Marcus felt somewhat guilty toward Rick. "I'll give you the compensation you deserve according to termination standards."
Rick quickly thanked him.
Marcus waved his hand. "Alright, you can go."
Leila stood up numbly and followed Rick outside.
Today she'd truly witnessed what it meant when people leave, tea grows cold. She swore that someday she'd repay today's humiliation a hundredfold!
Gloria had been sitting on a sofa not far away, listlessly scrolling through her phone. She'd been scolded by her father earlier, but that was all. This incident was like breaking a plate while eating dinner to her—perfectly ordinary.
She didn't care that a father and daughter had lost their jobs and been completely driven out of Majestic City. The only regret was not being able to use this opportunity to make trouble for Arabella.
Arabella knew nothing about these behind-the-scenes events. These past few days, her life had returned to peace, and the commission owed to her had been paid out, making her suddenly wealthy.
She didn't dare touch this money, just left it in her bank account, planning to use it when her father needed money in the future.
After work today, she was in a good mood and bought some ingredients, planning to cook at home.
She actually enjoyed cooking, but she'd been so busy lately that she hadn't cooked for herself in a long time.
Her cooking skills were quite good, so she'd told Alexander early on not to buy dinner tonight—she'd cook.
Normally Alexander came home at eight, but today he entered at six.
Arabella was deveining shrimp and said somewhat surprised, "You're early today?"
Alexander couldn't tell her that upon receiving her message, he'd rushed home eagerly, afraid of missing this good opportunity to cook with her.
He'd inquired before—when pursuing a girl, one of the most important steps was cooking together in the kitchen.
When his grandmother Chloe had visited and he'd seen her and Chloe chatting and laughing while preparing dinner in the kitchen, how envious he'd been. He'd even unfilially thought Chloe was in the way.
Now it was finally his turn.
Collecting his thoughts instantly, he smiled slightly, restrained and polite. "I happened to finish with a client today and saw it was about time, so I came back."
Arabella said "oh" and continued, "Perfect timing. Help me tie this apron—these shrimp keep jumping and splashing water on me."
Alexander agreed and calmly picked up the nearby apron, walking behind her. He reached his arms around her, his voice imperceptibly tense. "Raise your arms."
Arabella obediently raised her arms through the apron sleeves.
Alexander helped her tie the strings.
His fingers were less than half an inch from her. She was wearing a light pink sweater today with fine fuzz that touched his hands when she moved, making his heart itch and his palms sweat.
He wanted to touch more, wanted to embrace her, wanted to pull her into his arms...
Alexander quickly stopped his wild thoughts, cleared his throat, and said, "All tied. What can I help you with?"
Arabella pointed to the vegetables nearby. "Wash the broccoli and cut up the carrots."
Her spare ribs were already simmering in the pot—she'd add the carrots later and then it would be ready.
Alexander smiled. "Alright."
Just then, his phone rang. He pulled it out and saw a text from Roy.
"Leila Bowen and her family have left Majestic City."
Alexander's lips curved upward as he replied, "Well done."
Anyone who dared target his person naturally had to pay a price.
After replying, he casually put his phone away and followed Arabella's instructions, washing the broccoli and cutting the carrots into pieces.
Arabella knew he could cook but had never seen him do it. She hadn't expected his knife skills to be so skillful—the carrot pieces he cut looked beautiful.
She was somewhat amazed. "Did you study this?"
Alexander chuckled softly without denying it. "Yes, I specially learned for someone I liked."
Arabella looked at him deeply. "That person was quite unlucky."
She remembered him mentioning before that he'd learned to enjoy peeling shrimp for someone he liked, guessing it was the same person.
What kind of scumbag deserved someone as good as him?
Alexander was silent for a few seconds. "Quite unlucky indeed. I was even planning to become a chef for her, but she ran away."
Arabella immediately understood—he still hadn't gotten over his past relationship!
She was experienced with this and comforted him expertly. "It's okay, time heals everything."
At the same time, she wondered if the person he was talking about was Blake.
If it were Blake, they wouldn't get along so harmoniously. Former lovers could never just be friends.
So Blake was the later one who came from behind?
Thinking about how he'd practiced his skills for Blake, taking over her case and bearing hundreds of thousands in compensation just to give Blake the work, she couldn't help but feel wistful.
Having been hurt by a scumbag once, yet still being so romance-brained—Alexander was really too kind and innocent.
Such a sincere person—she hoped Blake would never hurt him again.