Chapter 253 The Truth Behind the Slander
Candice's eyes curved into crescents as she smiled, naturally having no objections.
Back with her parents, she was more than happy to be the pampered daughter.
And so, Gabriel left with Yasmin, leaving Candice and Ainsley to chat at home and watch one of Ulysses's shows together.
However, Candice was unaware that the moment Gabriel arrived at the research institute, he had his personal assistant, Felix Adams, summon Holden.
The Gabriel who now occupied the office was a far cry from the gentle, benevolent man he appeared to be in front of his family.
When he was silent, an invisible pressure radiated from him, an aura of authority that was astonishingly intimidating.
The moment Holden saw him, his heart couldn't help but tremble.
"Mr. Mortimer, you asked for me?" Holden's voice was filled with reverence, his gaze not daring to meet Gabriel's.
Gabriel's voice was devoid of any ripple of emotion as he spoke. "You know why I've called you here, don't you?"
Under the crushing weight of Gabriel's presence, a faint sheen of cold sweat broke out on Holden's forehead. He said, "I do. I failed to protect Ms. Elikin. I am prepared to accept my punishment."
"It's more than that," Gabriel stated with authority. "Since arriving in Seaside City, you've helped her conceal quite a few things, haven't you? I'm giving you one chance. Tell me everything that has happened since Candice came to Seaside City, and explain the full context of how she re-established contact with the Elikin family."
Gabriel's private questioning of Holden wasn't a sign of disrespect for Candice's privacy.
If it were just minor squabbles, he wouldn't have pried. But this time, the situation had escalated to a point where Candice's safety was threatened. He could not stand by and do nothing.
Holden's heart was a tempest of unease. He didn't answer directly, hesitating instead. "Mr. Gabriel Mortimer and Mr. Caspian Mortimer instructed me to only take orders from Ms. Elikin. I was only…"
"Holden." Gabriel cut him off coldly. "Don't forget who trained you."
A shiver ran down Holden's spine. He had been trained by Caspian, yes.
But Gabriel was the head of the Mortimer family. The ultimate authority.
An order from Caspian versus an order from Gabriel—the latter naturally took precedence.
Left with no other choice, Holden steeled himself and replied, "Alright, I'll tell you everything."
Quickly, Holden recounted the history of animosity between Candice and the Elikin family, focusing on the key events.
This included the details of her work in the city, but because of Candice's frequent interactions with Brandon, it was impossible not to mention him.
Yet, Holden knew the connection between Candice and Brandon was a delicate matter. He didn't dare expose it fully and merely glossed over it.
But Gabriel was far too sharp. Even with Holden's deliberate omissions regarding Brandon, Gabriel's expression turned deeply displeased.
"So, the Elikin family has been repeatedly causing trouble for Candice all because of that Obelon boy?"
Holden nodded. "Yes."
Gabriel slammed a hand on the table. "Absolutely ridiculous! That so-called 'true heiress' of the Elikin family can't compare to my Candice in any way, and her heart is vicious! Isn't it perfectly normal that the Obelon kid isn't interested in her?"
Holden didn't know how to respond, only thinking to himself with a hint of dark humor, 'I never thought I'd see the day Gabriel would praise Brandon.'
The thought had barely settled before he heard Gabriel curse, "Then again, that Obelon kid has terrible judgment to begin with! My Candice is so exceptional, and he can't even see it. Is there something wrong with his eyes?"
Holden was struck speechless. He thought, 'You're brilliant, sir. You've actually hit the nail on the head. And it was Candice who fixed Brandon's eyes.'
Gabriel didn't notice Holden's lapse in attention. The thought of his daughter being bullied like this in Seaside City for months made his expression turn glacial.
"The Elikin family has gone too far! Framing Candice back then was bad enough, but now they're relentlessly hounding her. It never ends! It seems being too tolerant will only lead to Candice suffering more. The Elikin family's current standing is still far too high."
With that, he shot a meaningful look at Felix, who was standing beside him.
Felix immediately understood. "I'll go inform Mr. Caspian Mortimer at once. He'll be sure to 'take good care' of the Elikin family."
Meanwhile, at the Obelon Group headquarters, Brandon had just finished a meeting when Knox came in to report some good news.
"Mr. Obelon! We've found the mother and daughter who used to work as maids for the Elikin family!"
Upon hearing this, Brandon immediately said, "Arrange a meeting. I want to see them."
"Right away! I'll set it up immediately!" Knox knew how important this was for Candice, and for the two of them, so he didn't dare delay.
Soon, the mother and daughter were brought before Brandon.
The pair, accustomed to working in the homes of the wealthy, had never seen a place like the Obelon Group's headquarters. From the moment they stepped into the building, they were on edge, not daring to let their eyes wander. They were finally led into a spacious and luxurious office where Brandon sat on a sofa, his refined demeanor radiating a noble authority that made it impossible to meet his gaze.
"Mr. Obelon, I've brought them," Knox announced.
Brandon set down the magazine in his hands, crossing his long legs as he looked at the mother and daughter with a formidable air. The two stood there, trembling, not daring to utter a sound.
Brandon didn't waste any time. "You are Echo Smith and Uma Johnson, correct?" He asked, getting straight to the point.
"Yes," the older woman, Echo, replied nervously.
"There's no need to be so tense," Brandon said coolly. "I've asked you here because I have some questions for you. Years ago, you abruptly resigned after working for the Elikin family. Why? I expect you to answer honestly."
The mother and daughter seemed startled by the question. "What do you mean by that?" Echo asked, feigning composure. "We don't know anything, and we didn't see anything."
Brandon's eyes narrowed. "Is that so? When did I ask if you saw anything?"
His words landed, and Echo instantly realized that in her nervousness, she had let something slip. She trembled, her expression filled with fear.
Her daughter, Uma, however, was less tense than her mother. She even dared to look up at Brandon and ask, "What is it you hope we'll say?"
Brandon's tone was flat. "Naturally, I want you to talk about why you quit your jobs at the Elikin family's home and left Seaside City. If you confess honestly, I can provide you with a generous reward and a good job that will allow you to live comfortably. But I'm not a patient man. If you dare lie to me…"
He left the rest of his sentence unsaid, but the threat hanging in the air was palpable.
Both Uma and Echo couldn't stop their bodies from trembling.
Echo, at a complete loss, could only clutch at Uma's clothes.
Uma's expression was one of deep hesitation, as if she were weighing her options.
Sensing their indecision, Knox applied pressure. "We already know you were acting under Gemma's orders. But you should think carefully. The Elikin family is on the verge of collapse. The man before you is the CEO of the Obelon Group. If it's your own interests you're concerned with, you should be able to distinguish who is the better ally, shouldn't you?"
Hearing this, Uma's pupils contracted sharply. She hadn't expected the man in front of them to be the CEO of the Obelon Group.
The Elikin family was, of course, no match for the Obelons. In Seaside City, everyone knew the power of the Obelon family—a force so great that a single stomp of their foot could make the entire city tremble.
Moreover, she had heard of this Brandon, even if she had never seen him. He was the true power player of the Obelon family, someone even the Elikins scrambled to curry favor with.
"I hope Mr. Obelon is a man of his word."
With no further hesitation, Uma spoke immediately. "Back then, my mother and I witnessed the argument between Ms. Candice Elikin and Ms. Vesper Elikin. Ms. Vesper fell into the water on her own; Ms. Candice did not push her. It was Ms. Vesper who approached Ms. Candice to speak with her. Ms. Vesper was full of jealousy toward Ms. Candice, and her words were all meant to provoke."