Chapter 143 He Won't Take a Dumb Loss
"Dad, you've got it all wrong. If saying sorry would fix everything, I'd do it in a heartbeat. But what if I apologize and Emily still doesn't hand over the evidence?" Bianca tried to shift the blame onto Emily.
Eli shared her concerns, but there weren't many options left.
"We have to give it a shot. If she goes back on her word, we can call her out again. We could record the conversation, and if we pin it on her, it might lessen the damage and clear your and Chase's names."
The more Eli thought about it, the more it seemed like a plan, boosting his confidence.
Bianca's face tightened, but she kept her cool. After a moment, she said, "Dad, have you thought about how an apology would drag Chase, me, and Emily into it, making everyone question our family's integrity?"
Eli's expression darkened. "If this won't work and that won't work, what do you suggest? We have to try something."
Bianca had been waiting for this moment. She smiled, her hand instinctively moving to her stomach. "Dad, remember, I'm carrying James's baby. We're about to get engaged, which ties us to the Smiths. Why not announce our engagement with the Smith Group? Once it's public, anyone targeting us or Chase will think twice."
Eli hesitated.
"It's one way to do it. But... you are not officially engaged yet. If we announce it and the Smiths aren't on board, won't it backfire?"
Eli's concern was valid, and Bianca knew it. Ever since James found out she didn't want to apologize, he'd been distant, and the engagement plans had stalled. This was as much about protecting Chase and the Johnson Group as it was about giving James a push.
"Dad, you're forgetting I'm carrying James's baby. They won't turn against us because of that, right?"
Mentioning the baby boosted Bianca's confidence, and Eli's eyes lit up. He nodded. "You're right. Let's go with your plan!"
Eli immediately started making arrangements for the PR department to announce Bianca and James's engagement and the union of the two families. But Bianca stopped him.
"Dad, don't rush. We'll look desperate. Do it like this..."
Bianca whispered her plan to Eli, who nodded in agreement, his gaze softening.
"Alright, we'll do it your way. I'll handle the arrangements."
Eli felt that if Bianca weren't in poor health, she could have led the Johnson Group to new heights.
After talking to Eli, Bianca called James. "James, I'm not feeling well. Can you come with me to the hospital for a check-up?"
Even though James wasn't thrilled about the engagement, the baby was still his. "Okay."
James didn't refuse and drove Bianca to the hospital for a check-up. Unbeknownst to them, someone secretly snapped photos of them at the obstetrics and gynecology department.
Following Eli's instructions, the photos were edited and posted online. In less than half a day, the internet was buzzing with news about the attractive couple, Bianca and James, and the impending union of the Johnson Group and Ascend Global Group.
The headlines were dominated by the news, causing those who had planned to sever ties with Chase to reconsider.
As Eli and Chase basked in their perceived victory, the Smith family also caught wind of the news.
Kade frowned and summoned James. "Look at this mess. The Johnson Group knows how to cling on, huh? So, what's your plan to handle this and push the engagement forward?"
Kade valued his family's legacy and felt cornered into accepting the situation. Compared to Emily, who was adopted, Bianca had a better reputation and was more capable. He had initially accepted Emily to tie the Johnson Group to their family.
James stared at the photos of him and Bianca at the hospital, his face tense and his eyes cold. Bianca had played her cards well. She had taken advantage of his softened stance.
Aware of Emily's demand for an apology from Bianca, James realized the depth of Bianca's scheming, shattering his belief that she was a simple, kind girl. The Johnson family expected him to accept this quietly, but he wasn't willing.
"The Johnson family is banking on you to agree. But I won't let them manipulate us, or they'll have us under their thumb in the future."
"What do you suggest?"
"I'll take care of it. Even if we don't follow the Johnson family's plan, they won't dare to cross us."
James saw through the Johnson family's intentions and started to think that Emily might have been misunderstood.
"Alright, you handle it," Kade agreed, seeing it as a chance for James to step up.
James left the study and called his assistant with two orders. "First, scrub all the news about my engagement with Bianca. Second, dig into every conflict between Bianca and Emily thoroughly."
The assistant, who had always harbored doubts about Bianca, was relieved that James was finally taking action. "Got it. I'll get right on it."
Meanwhile, Emily saw the news about the Johnson Group's connection to Ascend Global Group. A cold smile formed on her face, and she felt even colder deep in her heart. The Johnson family really gave their all to Bianca. They even preferred announcing a union over having Bianca apologize to her. The news had already improved the Johnson Group's standing. It had made the situation even better than before—there were even new partners who approached them.
But just as Emily thought the Johnson family was celebrating, the news pages suddenly became inaccessible. When she checked the trending topics, the engagement news had vanished, replaced by a statement from Ascend Global Group.