Chapter 265 This Time, She Is the One Who Was Abandoned
"Yeah, Chase, be more generous. Now's not the time to dwell on the past. What we need to do is work together. If you have any good ideas, feel free to share them!"
Eli also looked at Chase disapprovingly.
Ever since the plagiarism incident, they had initially chosen to side with Bianca, and after that, Chase seemed to have grown distant from everyone.
Aiden could understand Chase though. When something like that happens in your own career, it's impossible to not have any opinions about it.
Even for him now, artificial intelligence was a field he was interested in, his own career. If someone dared to mess with it, he would definitely have something to say about it too.
Just as Aiden was about to help Chase out, Chase spoke up again.
"Compared to how much you guys have dealt with Emily, I think I understand her a bit better than you do. She's not a cold-hearted person, but she's probably really hurt, which is why she's choosing to ignore us."
Bianca pouted and muttered, "Well, that's obvious. You're not saying anything useful."
Chase pretended not to hear Bianca's muttering and looked at Eli.
Eli thought for a moment. "So you're saying you have some suggestion?"
Chase nodded. "I do have a humble opinion. Since you asked to hear it, I'll share. Actually, Emily has a soft heart. The reason she hasn't responded this whole time is probably because she feels we haven't shown enough sincerity. So, if we want her forgiveness, we need to show real sincerity!"
"What sincerity? We already apologized online, and the Johnson Group has been affected too. What, should we give her shares? Don't forget, Hayden's supposed to give her twenty percent of his shares!
We all saw the official announcement the other day - the Zephyria situation has been resolved. That mysterious person might be connected to Emily. I bet she has Hayden, and she's hiding him. Maybe she's planning to blackmail us, and twenty percent shares won't be enough for her!"
At the mention of shares, Eli's expression darkened.
The atmosphere in the room immediately became tense and oppressive.
Bianca naturally noticed this. She knew Chase was speaking up for Emily, but why should Emily get Chase's protection now? She deliberately wanted to make Eli resent Emily, using the shares issue to provoke him.
Chase saw right through Bianca's little scheme.
Chase found Bianca's malice laughable.
He looked at Bianca and said, "I didn't say anything about shares. Emily wouldn't use tactics like that. What I'm saying is, Bianca, from beginning to end, we misunderstood Emily because of Bianca. I think what bothers Emily most is still Bianca. Now she hasn't received any punishment at all - doesn't that seem wrong?"
"Chase! Don't go too far!"
Bianca never expected that Chase's target all along had been her.
Chase's smile didn't reach his eyes. "I'm going too far? What about everything you did to Emily back then - wasn't that going too far?"
"Chase, what did I do? Wasn't it all because you guys wanted to make me happy and didn't believe Emily? If there's fault, yours isn't small either!"
Bianca wasn't willing to bear all the blame alone.
Indeed, all along, she had been hiding behind her family members, stirring up trouble.
"Enough!"
Eli frowned and scolded them both for arguing.
He then looked at Aiden. "Aiden, what do you think about this?"
Aiden ignored Bianca's hopeful gaze, thought for a moment, and said, "Chase has a point. This time it really was Bianca who did wrong. She hasn't truly been punished, so Emily probably finds it hard to believe our sincerity. How about we have Bianca go to the country where James is first, then have someone notify Emily that this is our sincerity."
"Aiden..."
Bianca felt betrayed. Even Aiden, who had always protected her, wasn't protecting her anymore?
Aiden was the future heir of the Johnson family and the person she most needed to rely on. Now that Aiden wasn't helping her, Bianca's eyes reddened.
Aiden looked at Bianca and sighed softly. "Bianca, you should grow up too. This time, just follow our arrangement. Don't worry, once Emily isn't angry anymore, we'll bring you back home!"
Eli always listened to Aiden most, and deep down, for the Johnson Group's interests, he was thinking the same thing, so the matter was decided.
Seeing there was no room for negotiation, the clever Bianca didn't act foolish now.
She might as well obediently comply and please Eli and Aiden.
"Aiden, Dad, for you and the Johnson Group, I'm willing to go abroad."
Bianca's "understanding" words made Eli nod with satisfaction.
However, what she was secretly thinking was that she hoped Emily was truly disappointed in everyone from the Johnson family and didn't want to forgive them at all.
So she suggested, "Then how about having Chase notify Emily about my going abroad? Chase should have the best relationship with Emily now. What do you all think?"
"Indeed! I'm her father - how can a father bow his head to his daughter? As for Aiden, he's the future leader of the Johnson Group, representing the Group's dignity. To be safe, it's best he doesn't show his face - that way we have another option. Chase really is the best choice."
Eli also agreed.
Even though Chase knew Bianca definitely had ulterior motives, he had no chance to refuse. Besides, he also wanted to see Emily and apologize to her properly.
So Chase agreed.
Thus, on the day Bianca was sent abroad, he went to the villa to see Emily.
The doorbell rang for a long time before the door opened.
But when he saw who opened the door, Chase froze, even uncertainly checking the house number again.
It was this house number.
He hadn't come to the wrong place!
"Who are you looking for?"
The one who opened the door was Bird.
During the days Emily was away, Bird had been staying at the villa. When she saw this person, she also found him somewhat familiar.
But also unfamiliar.
Bird didn't really follow entertainment news. The reason she found him familiar was because Chase and Emily looked somewhat alike.
Especially those eyes - they looked most like Emily's. Because of those eyes, he had attracted countless fans.
"Who are you? Why are you in this villa? Where's the owner of this villa? Where are Violette, Atticus, and Sofia?"
Even if Emily wasn't here, the one opening the door should be Violette or Atticus and Sofia.
He had never seen this person before.
Chase had never even considered that Emily might have made new friends.
His memory was still stuck in the past, when all of Emily's focus revolved around the Johnson family, leaving no time or opportunity to make new friends.
"You're the funny one. You come knocking on my door, but ask who I am? Get lost, or I'll call security!"
Bird had a straightforward personality and said whatever was on her mind.
This was the first time Chase had been treated this way, and his expression darkened.
Having been through online harassment, his temper had mellowed somewhat, so he managed to hold back.
Suppressing his temper, he said, "I think you've misunderstood. I'm here to see Emily. Emily is my sister."
Although Bird didn't know the specifics of Emily's family situation, Emily had left without telling her family. Plus, that Hayden who was rescued last time - his attitude toward Emily didn't seem like a brother's toward a sister. Bird's attitude toward this Chase wasn't friendly either.