Chapter 271 The Only True Love in This Life
Tristan took two steps forward and forcibly turned Harriet around by her shoulders. "You not only knew that Quinlan was pregnant with my child, but you also knew how she got pregnant, yet you didn't say a word to me!"
"You didn't give me any chance at all. You went straight for divorce and tried to make me forget everything. Harriet, do you know how cruel you are!"
"Can't you imagine why I wanted a divorce?" Harriet looked up at him, her eyes full of bitterness. "Every day I saw you, I kept thinking about my godmother's death, thinking about your child with Quinlan! Besides running away, what other choice did I have?"
"Harriet, you asked for a divorce because you found out Quinlan was pregnant with my child, right?"
"Yes." Harriet admitted frankly.
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"What good would telling you do?" Harriet smiled bitterly. "Quinlan was already pregnant. If I told you, would you go make her abort the baby?"
"I know you're capable of that, but Tristan, Quinlan's situation made me realize how helpless our situation was, how hard the road ahead would be."
"Everyone around us was scheming against us. No matter how careful we were, we still got schemed against. Even your own mother was scheming against us. I really didn't want to keep living surrounded by schemes."
"Not to mention, there's a death between us. I can't forget how my godmother died."
"The moment Quinlan told me she was pregnant, I felt so tired, so exhausted. I just couldn't convince myself to face it. I could only run, the farther the better."
Tristan's heart felt like it was being cut by knives.
He had been curious why Harriet suddenly asked for a divorce.
Even after what happened with Ondine, she had been in a conflicted state.
So it turned out that Quinlan's pregnancy was the last straw that broke Harriet.
If Quinlan's situation hadn't happened, maybe they wouldn't have divorced so quickly, and Harriet wouldn't have been in so much pain that she needed to forget everything to escape it all.
The pain he had endured for three years was actually caused by that cousin of his!
Tristan let go of Harriet's shoulders and strode toward the door.
Harriet quickly grabbed him. "Where are you going!"
"Our divorce was caused by Quinlan. Of course I'm going to settle the score with her!" Tristan said word by word. "Originally, considering she worked for me for years and we're relatives, I wasn't planning to take her life."
"But now, she must die..."
"She's being watched by everyone online right now. If you kill her, you'll bring trouble on yourself!" Harriet said rationally. "Tristan, don't be impulsive."
"She hurt us, made me suffer for three years, made me miss Della's birth and growing up, caused Della to be so badly injured. Any one of these reasons means she deserves to die!"
"I know you can make her die quietly, but now is really not the time." Harriet walked in front of him. "Tristan, if she dies now, you and I will be the main suspects. It'll only create more problems."
"So no matter how angry you are, you have to hold it in. Do it for Della's sake. I don't want her living in the eye of the storm."
Tristan closed his eyes in pain. "Harriet, I can listen to you. I'll listen to you about everything from now on. Can you give me another chance?"
Harriet froze slightly.
She slowly let go of Tristan's hand. "Della said she wants to eat dessert when she wakes up. I should go make it for her."
"Harriet!"
As soon as Harriet turned around, Tristan hugged her tightly from behind.
"Honey, don't leave me." Tristan's voice was bitter and humble. "Do you remember what I told you that day? Without you, I'll die. I'm begging you, don't abandon me, okay?"
Harriet bit her lower lip hard. In her clear eyes, some emotion was slowly cracking open.
She suddenly regretted coming to Emberfall. If she hadn't come, none of this would have happened.
She and Della could be living comfortably in Luminara City right now.
In a hospital room at another hospital, Quinlan was going crazy with anger.
The swelling on her face had gone down quite a bit, but she still looked terrible.
"That bitch Harriet actually secretly recorded me!"
"Quinlan, what do we do now?" Brielle was extremely anxious. "We sacrificed our own reputation to create a pitiful victim image for you, then used public opinion to pressure Tristan."
"Now Tristan is already pushing our family to the edge. If we don't succeed this time, the Stewart family will not only go bankrupt and become poor, but our reputation will be completely ruined. We'll never be able to turn things around in this lifetime!"
"Mom, don't panic." Quinlan said calmly. "It's just a recording. If I don't admit it, it's fake!"
"That's true. We can totally say the recording is forged, but I'm still worried that public opinion will favor Harriet!"
A vicious light flashed in Quinlan's eyes. "I naturally have a way to prove her words aren't credible."
"FindingMyHaven" quickly responded, claiming the audio content was fake and that she had contacted a lawyer to sue "SleeplessHarriet" for defamation.
Quinlan found a woman who was Harriet's former cellmate, now released from prison.
Quinlan gave her a sum of money to have her come forward and testify that Harriet had indeed been in prison.
This was practically solid proof. Even with a hundred mouths, Harriet couldn't clear her name.
Quinlan also spent a lot of money hiring internet users to post comments, using Harriet's prison record and Lark's death as ammunition.
She attacked Harriet for having a criminal record on one hand, while guiding netizens to believe Harriet was a murderer on the other.
At the same time, someone exposed footage of Harriet entering and leaving the Johnson Mansion, claiming Harriet had an affair during her marriage and was living with Nolan!
In just a few days, Harriet had been portrayed as a murderer with a criminal record who cheated during her marriage!
For a time, the entire internet was cyberbullying Harriet!
Niamh watched Harriet closely, not letting her get her phone.
Cyberbullying was terrifying. Those abusive comments online could definitely drive anyone without strong mental fortitude to depression, jumping off a building, and suicide!
Harriet was bittersweet. "I'm mentally prepared. Give me back my phone."
"No!" Niamh said seriously. "Harriet, cyberbullying is no small matter. I can't let you go through this!"
"If you don't give me my phone, how can I solve this?"
"You've thought of a way to solve it?"
"If it's fake, I'll clarify. If it's true, I'll admit it." Harriet said calmly. "Give me the phone. Don't worry, it won't affect my mood."
Niamh was skeptical but still returned the phone to her.
Harriet took the phone and went to the lounge.
The next day, Emberfall's prosecution office issued a statement.
The statement mentioned that Harriet's previous case was a wrongful conviction, had been retried, and Harriet had received appropriate compensation.
Then, Apex Global Group's official account suddenly posted a statement:
[Regarding the content posted by internet user "FindingMyHaven", namely Apex Global Group's former Vice President Quinlan Stewart, we hereby respond.
1. Our CEO Mr. Lancaster and his wife married first and fell in love later. They are deeply in love and have a daughter together. Their relationship is strong, and there is no marital infidelity or falling in love with Ms. Stewart. If Ms. Stewart can provide any evidence of ambiguity between Mr. Lancaster and herself, she may make it public.
2. Ms. Stewart gave birth to a son without Mr. Lancaster's knowledge through theft, which constitutes a crime.
3. Ms. Stewart repeatedly embezzled funds using her position during her tenure, leading to her dismissal.
Regarding points 2 and 3, we will engage lawyers to formally file a lawsuit against Ms. Stewart.
4. Regarding Ms. Stewart being beaten and seriously injured, since she is unwilling to report it to the police, we are willing to report it on her behalf to find out the truth and uphold justice.
5. Mrs. Lancaster is Mr. Lancaster's first love and his only true love in this life. Marriage shall not be violated by others. Please be advised!]