Chapter 191 Exposing Anna Live (2)
The girl in the baseball cap was Amelia.
Vaughn still held a sliver of restraint toward Anna. In his mind, he figured it would be better to let Amelia pose the question to the entire room at the press conference. If Anna showed even the faintest hesitation, guilt, or regret, Vaughn might still believe there was something left to salvage in his granddaughter — and he would give her one last chance.
But Anna's reaction was nothing like what he had expected.
There was no trace of guilt in her eyes. Instead, she locked her gaze on Amelia with a piercing, furious glare.
"Ma'am, I have no idea which media outlet you represent, but I can't understand the motive behind such a question!
"My grandfather boarded that cruise alone. This was clearly an accidental fall into the ocean. How could it possibly be murder?
"If it were murder, it would have to be the work of an enemy. But my grandfather lived a life of integrity, generosity, and kindness. Who would ever target a man like that?
"You're asking this here to inflame public opinion, to fuel conspiracy theories, to tarnish his name!"
Her anger made other reporters shift uncomfortably. The question did not sit well with them either.
In River City, Vaughn's reputation was unmatched. His life had been spotless, his legacy that of a respected philanthropic businessman. And now, before his body had even been found, someone was implying he might have been murdered. It was no wonder Anna was livid.
Her grandfather had lived clean, and now, in death, strangers speculated about enemies and foul play. Anyone would be outraged.
The room filled with murmurs, but Amelia, under the brim of her cap, remained composed. She asked again.
"Ms. Williams, are you certain?"
"Vaughn boarded the cruise alone. No one saw him fall. Have you truly never considered that someone might have wanted him dead? Or is there something we don't know that makes you so sure it's impossible?"
"Shut up!" Anna finally snapped.
Her fists clenched, her glare locked on the woman in the crowd.
She was clearly losing her temper, but the reporter refused to back off.
Until now, no one had seriously entertained the idea of murder. But after Amelia's second push, the expressions in the room began to shift. People started to wonder — could the old man's death really be more than a simple accident?
No. She couldn't let this stranger, this provocateur, keep steering the conversation.
Anna raised her voice. "Security! Remove this troublemaking reporter from the room!"
"I will not allow anyone to smear my grandfather. From now on, any media connected to The Williams Group will never get an interview from me again!"
Her words had barely left her mouth when the security team moved in.
Amelia only glanced at Anna, her expression unreadable, and stayed still as the guards surrounded her.
"Ma'am, please leave the hall," the head of security said, his voice edged with warning. "If you don't go willingly, we'll have to remove you by force."
Still, Amelia didn't move.
Just as the guards were about to act, the doors to the conference hall burst open.
A deep, commanding voice cut through the air. "I'd like to see who dares lay a hand on her."
The room froze.
That voice... it sounded like Vaughn.
Reporters, photographers, even Anna on stage turned instinctively toward the doorway.
The doors stood wide open. A man in a black suit, radiating authority, pushed a wheelchair into the room. His sharp features left no doubt — Michael, the elusive power behind the Johnson Group, the man whose first public appearance had set the internet ablaze.
And in the wheelchair sat Vaughn himself — missing for almost four days, declared dead by Anna only moments ago.
His face was pale but alive, very much present.
Impossible.
The crowd's disbelief was almost physical. The livestream exploded. Comments poured into the feed, and the most repeated word, without question, was "Fuck".
Anna's mind went blank. She shot to her feet. "Grandpa...? You're not dead?"
She was stunned.
How? He had drowned, hadn't he? How could he suddenly appear at the press conference? And Michael — Michael was supposed to announce their engagement after she handled the reporter's questions. Why was he here, pushing her grandfather?
Vaughn's eyes found Anna on stage. Her panic was obvious.
He turned his cold gaze on the guards around Amelia. His voice was sharp as a blade.
"Stand down. I'm here. Let's see who dares throw Amelia out."
...Amelia?
Anna's pupils tightened. The realization hit her hard. She looked at the girl in the baseball cap in shock.
Vaughn was alive. He was the true power behind The Williams Group. The guards, though startled, obeyed at once.
Under the weight of every eye in the room, Amelia walked calmly to Vaughn's side.
She removed her cap and mask, revealing a face of cool, delicate beauty.
Gasps swept through the room.
It was Amelia from the Martinez family — the illegitimate daughter whispered about in society circles. What was she doing here?
So the "reporter" had been her all along?
The press conference had been running on script until now. In an instant, everything was turned upside down.
One moment, Anna had announced Vaughn's death and read his will. The next, Vaughn himself had walked in. And with him, Michael of the Johnson Group. Why was he here with Vaughn? And what did Amelia of the Martinez family have to do with any of this?
Reporters surged toward Vaughn, microphones thrust forward.
Questions flew in rapid fire, demanding to know what had happened.
Vaughn's gaze returned to Anna. His voice was ice.
"Anna, why don't you tell everyone exactly what's going on."