Chapter 298 Burned Alive
The next morning.
Sunlight filtered through the backyard trees and dappled the ground.
Elizabeth held duck feed, gently scattering it on the ground.
The ducklings, heads held high and tails up, excitedly rushed over to eat.
Carefree and happy.
Timothy walked into the backyard, holding Elizabeth's phone. "You have a call."
Elizabeth took the phone while Timothy took the duck feed from her hand and continued feeding the ducklings.
Elizabeth looked at the caller ID—it was Robbie. "Robbie, what's up?"
Robbie's urgent voice came through the phone. "Ms. Penrose, there's been a fire at 45 Birchwood Lane. Three people died, and videos are being posted on social media platforms suggesting the fire might be related to our products."
Elizabeth's face instantly darkened. She took a deep breath and said calmly, "Send someone immediately to find out what happened. Have PR work on protecting the company's image and minimize the negative impact."
She hung up, anger rising inside her.
She suspected this was Maddox and his people's doing.
"What happened?" Timothy turned to look at Elizabeth, his eyes calm.
"There was a fire at 45 Birchwood Lane. Three people died, and online people are saying it might be related to our products," Elizabeth frowned. Bad news first thing in the morning.
She stood up. "I'm going to the office."
Timothy put down the feed and dusted off his hands. He walked Elizabeth out the door to her car.
He glanced at Jacob, who was opening the car door for Elizabeth, and nodded in greeting. After the car drove away, he turned and went back inside.
Elizabeth had just entered the chairman's office at Seraphina Enterprises.
Robbie immediately reported, "We've sent people to investigate the situation, but public opinion online is already building. Many people are questioning whether our products have serious quality issues."
Just then, Robbie took a phone call. After listening and hanging up, he said with a frown, "Chairwoman Penrose, the victims' families are here causing trouble. They're downstairs at the company."
Downstairs, the victims' families held a white banner.
Written on it: "Heartless merchants, deceiving consumers."
Elizabeth walked to the window and saw a crowd gathered below.
"Arrange for people to go down and calm them immediately. We must control the situation and not let things get worse," Elizabeth instructed calmly. "Also, contact the police to maintain order at the scene."
"Yes, Chairwoman Penrose."
Robbie responded and quickly arranged for staff to handle it.
That morning, Maddox watched Seraphina Enterprises' stock price fall and smiled with satisfaction.
Elizabeth wanted to fight him? She was too naive.
Her appetite was too big—she should be careful not to choke.
Maddox sat on the sofa at home, leisurely drinking tea.
He felt very satisfied with everything he had arranged.
The falling stock price, the public pressure—everything was going according to his plan.
Willow saw that Maddox seemed happy today. She leaned against him and said softly, "Honey, I'm going out to chat with my friends."
Maddox nodded. "Go ahead."
Willow got up, grabbed her purse, and walked out elegantly in her high heels.
Naturally, Willow had seen the news about Seraphina Enterprises that morning.
If Elizabeth hadn't appeared out of nowhere, the company should have been under Maddox's control by now.
Willow met up with her friends at a beauty salon and unexpectedly ran into Freya and Juniper.
In the beauty salon, a light fragrance filled the air, and soft music played in the elegant environment.
Willow walked over with a smile and greeted Freya elegantly. "Mrs. Nightingale, what a coincidence running into you here."
Freya nodded slightly and responded politely, "You're Maddox's wife?"
Willow's smile stiffened slightly. She smiled. "Yes."
She casually mentioned, "Mrs. Nightingale, you must have heard about what happened at Seraphina Enterprises."
When Freya heard Willow bringing up Elizabeth, her expression changed and she looked displeased. "Just say what you want to say."
Willow wasn't bothered by Freya's attitude. She said gently, "Freya, Seraphina Enterprises' products caused deaths."
Hearing this, Freya frowned. "Is that so? Juniper, let's go."
Juniper was secretly pleased to hear that Seraphina Enterprises was in trouble. She'd look up what bad luck had befallen Elizabeth when she got home.
Juniper had always seen Elizabeth as a threat.
Juniper took Freya's arm. "Mrs. Nightingale, let's go."
Seeing that Freya didn't want to talk more, Willow didn't say anything else. She just smiled and nodded. "I spoke out of turn. Take care of yourself, Mrs. Nightingale."
Willow walked off with her friends, chatting and laughing as they went for their beauty treatments.
Freya sat in the car with a cold expression.
Meanwhile.
Elizabeth decided to go downstairs herself. Jacob and Robbie were worried but could only follow closely beside her.
She left the office and took the elevator down to the ground floor.
The moment she walked out of the building, she felt the tense atmosphere of the families confronting the security guards outside.
The families' eyes all fixed on her, full of anger and grief.
"Everyone, please calm down." Elizabeth stood before the families, her tone gentle. "I deeply sympathize with what you've been through, and I understand your anger. Please believe that our company will thoroughly investigate this matter and give everyone an explanation."
An emotional family member stepped forward and demanded, "An explanation? Can my wife and daughter come back to life? What kind of terrible products is your company selling!"
Elizabeth looked directly into his eyes. "We don't yet know the real cause of the fire. If there is indeed a problem with the product, I explained the reason at yesterday's press conference. Please wait for the police investigation."
The families remained agitated.
Elmer's eyes shifted. He threw the water bottle in his hand at Elizabeth and cursed, "My father was burned alive in the fire!"