Chapter 271: Official Announcement
Three hours later, the Hensley Group held an emergency press conference.
The venue was packed, every seat taken.
Almost all the reporters in Harmony City had shown up.
When Amelia appeared on stage alone, wearing a sharp black suit, the flash of cameras instantly lit up the room like daylight.
"It's Amelia! She actually dared to show up!"
"What does she think she's doing? Speaking on Stefan's behalf?"
"Let's see how she handles this. The Hensley Group is in complete chaos right now."
The reporters below buzzed with discussion, each one armed with their sharpest, most cutting questions, ready to tear Amelia to pieces.
Cecilia walked to the podium, her gaze calmly sweeping across every excited and curious face below.
She didn't look at any notes, just spoke slowly into the microphone.
"Good afternoon, everyone from the media. I'm Amelia, and I'm also Stefan's legal wife."
That first sentence instantly silenced the entire venue.
Legal wife?
Were they registered as married?
This news was even more explosive than Stefan being accused of murder.
Before the reporters could recover from their shock, Amelia continued:
"I know everyone has many questions right now. Regarding the case my husband Stefan is allegedly involved in, since it's still under investigation, I can't reveal too many details. But I can assure you that my husband is innocent. He's been framed, and we believe the law will clear his name."
"Until he returns, I will temporarily assume the position of Chairman of the Hensley Group and fulfill all relevant responsibilities."
"I know many people will question my abilities. What right does a designer have to manage the Hensley Group?"
She gave a small self-deprecating smile, but her expression held a powerful confidence.
"But I want to tell you, I'm not just a designer. I'm also the founder of the Martinez's Diner restaurant brand. Some of you here may have visited our flagship store and know that on our opening day, we created the miracle of a million dollars in sales."
"When it comes to running a business, I may not have as much experience as my husband, but I have the confidence and the ability to lead the Hensley Group through this most difficult period."
"The Hensley Group will not fall. Not only will it not fall, but we will also become even stronger."
"Starting today, the Hensley Group will activate the highest level of crisis response. All projects with our partners will proceed as normal. We promise that this incident will not affect the interests of any of our partners."
"As for malicious short-selling and media attacks, our legal and PR departments will be on standby 24/7 to fight back with full force."
"Finally, I want to say something to everyone who cares about the Hensley Group and my husband: please believe in us."
Her voice, transmitted through countless microphones and cameras, spread across the entire internet.
"I will be here, waiting for my husband to clear his name and return safely."
Her speech was calm and firm, clear and logical, full of strength. That composure and determination made everyone who had been ready to mock her shut their mouths.
For the first time, they realized that this usually low-key woman possessed such powerful energy.
She wasn't a vine clinging to a wealthy family.
She could stand tall on her own.
After the press conference, public opinion online began to shift.
[Oh my god, they were already registered as married! This love is so beautiful! I'm crying!]
[Mrs. Hensley is so cool! That presence, that capability — who dares say she's not worthy of Mr. Hensley?]
[I used to think she was just arm candy, but now I know she's a true queen.]
[The Hensley Group's stock price seems to be rising again...]
Amelia's speech not only successfully stabilized morale but also won recognition and support from many people.
She showed everyone that she wasn't just a designer, but someone who could stand shoulder to shoulder with Stefan — the true hostess of the Hensley family.
After the press conference, she returned to her office and collapsed, exhausted, on the sofa.
Garth brought in a glass of water, looking at her pale face with eyes full of admiration and concern.
"Mrs. Hensley, you were... amazing today."
Amelia gave a bitter smile and said nothing.
Whenever she thought of Stefan, her heart twisted into a knot.
"Garth," she sat up, her eyes sharp again, "has there been any movement from Rufus?"
Garth shook his head. "It's strange. He hasn't made any moves all day. His company has been quiet too, no sign of attacking us at all."
"Something this unusual is never a good sign." Amelia's brow furrowed tightly. "He can't just let this go... He must be planning something worse."
She knew Rufus too well.
That madman — getting Stefan locked up was just the first step.
His ultimate target was her.
"Send people to watch Rufus's every move, 24/7," Amelia ordered coldly. "And all his assets, all his connections — investigate everything. I want to know who he meets every day, what he says, what he eats."
"Yes!" Garth immediately nodded.
Over the next few days, Amelia practically lived at the company.
During the day, she had to handle mountains of paperwork, deal with all kinds of meetings, and reassure anxious partners.
At night, she went over the case details again and again with the legal team, searching for a breakthrough.
But all the evidence was extremely unfavorable to Stefan.
The only witness and victim was already dead.
The apartment was an enclosed space, and surveillance showed only Stefan entering.
The door was locked from the outside, and the key was in Stefan's possession.
Most damning of all, before Anna died, she had told the police herself that Stefan was trying to kill her.
It was a perfectly airtight case, an almost unsolvable dead end.
Every time she thought about this, Amelia's heart sank to the bottom.
She could only sleep three or four hours a day, and her whole body was visibly losing weight.
That evening, after finishing the last document, it was already eleven at night.
She dragged herself out of the company building; the driver was already waiting at the door.
"Mrs. Hensley, are we going back to the Hensley Mansion or to your apartment?" the driver asked respectfully.
"The apartment." Amelia rubbed her temples.
At the Hensley Mansion, Dione was probably already asleep. She hadn't been sleeping well lately, and going back now would probably disturb her.
The car pulled into the underground parking garage.
Amelia had just gotten out of the car and hadn't taken more than a few steps when a strong sense of danger suddenly rose in the pit of her stomach.
Too quiet.
The parking garage was always quiet late at night with few people around, but tonight it felt unnaturally still.
She instinctively stopped and looked around warily.
Just then, the door of a van nearby was quickly pulled open.
Two men wearing masks and baseball caps jumped out and rushed toward her from both sides.