Chapter 92 Showtime
"Blood relations don't matter, genetics don't matter—they only like smart people because smart people have value."
"Idiots only cause trouble and don't deserve to be family."
"Amelia burst into laughter, thinking of how Emily always came over to provoke them, looking utterly foolish each time. No wonder Andrew and John couldn't stand Emily, while they kept wanting Sophia to come back and be their sister.
Andrew had access to the nation's top legal team, and with John's follow-up moves, Emily was in deep trouble.
Soon, she'd be abandoned by Jane and George.
Sophia wasn't disappointed. The day before they were set to transfer to Silverlight City, John arrived in style, driving his flashy Apollo supercar.
He carved tire tracks across the facility's lawn like a landing strip.
"Emily, you're in serious trouble. Mom and Dad want you back home immediately."
John leaned against the hood, his casual demeanor showing no urgency, his face carrying a mocking smile.
From a distance, Sophia could smell his obnoxious cologne and quietly stepped back a few paces, positioning herself behind the crowd.
Hearing John's words, Emily stepped forward in confusion. "John, I've been studying at the company this whole time. What trouble could I have caused?"
By now, John was too lazy to maintain any pretense of family warmth and spoke bluntly: "You posted secretly taken photos of Sophia on Silver Fir Academy's forum, violating her image and privacy rights, and intentionally defaming her, causing damage to her reputation. You're being sued."
"What? What?" Emily was stunned. She'd only taken one insignificant photo—how could she be sued for it?
She turned around, immediately spotting Sophia standing at the back of the crowd, her eyes instantly turning red with fury as she screamed: "Sophia, you bitch! You deliberately set me up, didn't you?"
The crowd gradually parted, clearing a path for Sophia.
Sophia remained where she stood, looking calmly at Emily. "Secret photography is illegal in itself. What's wrong with me legally protecting my rights? Besides, I'm not the one suing you—Vertex Innovations Ltd. and Green Group are. As CEO and President of Vertex Innovations Ltd., your malicious defamation of my reputation has damaged the company's reputation and affected our partnership with Green Group and our economic interests. This isn't a personal grudge."
Emily's eyes flickered, and her whole body swayed. How had Green Group gotten involved in this?
John shot Sophia a proud look, as if seeking credit, only to receive an eye roll in return.
"Enough wasting time. Mom and Dad are waiting for you at home." John opened the passenger door, his gaze coldly threatening Emily.
Emily didn't dare resist and obediently got in the car.
Watching the supercar disappear, leaving only trails of white smoke, Sophia finally relaxed and stretched lazily. Finally, the annoying Emily was gone.
"John personally driving to Phoenix City to pick someone up—I get the feeling he did this on purpose," Amelia muttered as she walked over to Sophia's side.
Sophia curved her lips into a smile. Emily would finally get to experience the superior driving skills of a professional racer.
...
In her eighteen years of life, this was Emily's first time experiencing something so thrilling. Her heart pounded rapidly, blood rushing upward throughout her body, making her face flush and her breathing labored.
A dance between life and death, where victory or defeat hung on a single thought.
Could someone please explain why John wasn't taking the highway back to Emerald City, but instead brought her onto this serpentine mountain road?
Drifting on narrow mountain paths with cliffs and precipices right beside them—several times she felt like she'd flown off the edge only to be yanked back, the motion so violent she nearly threw up her lunch!
Half an hour later, the sports car stopped on a flat area at the mountain peak. Emily immediately pushed open the door and stumbled out, doubled over and vomiting violently.
Her pupils were still trembling, her face deathly pale.
John got out of the car and leaned casually against the door, lighting a cigarette.
He exhaled a thick cloud of white smoke, glancing over with disgust.
Really couldn't handle a scare. Good thing she didn't vomit in his car, or he would have thrown her out halfway up the mountain.
By the time John finished his cigarette, Emily had stopped vomiting, though she still hadn't recovered, looking dazed and disoriented.
With no outsiders around, John dropped his usual carefree playboy act and spoke coldly: "When you get back, apologize to Mom and Dad honestly. They'll send you abroad. If you dare make a scene or say things you shouldn't, don't expect to have any peaceful days ahead."
This wasn't advice—it was a blatant threat.
For Emily's sake as the Smith family's biological daughter, George and Jane would arrange a villa and servants for her even when sending her abroad, ensuring she wouldn't suffer.
Andrew and John couldn't be bothered to interfere—out of sight, out of mind, as long as Emily didn't hover around under their noses.
But if Emily dared to make trouble and refuse to comply with the arrangement, John and Andrew had plenty of ways to grant Emily's wish to stay in Emerald City.
However, what awaited her would be a living hell.
Emily was weak from vomiting, crouched on the ground like a wounded animal. Hearing John's words, she looked up with venomous hatred. "Are you doing this for that bitch Sophia?"
John's eyes darkened, flashing with sinister intent, his voice dropping dangerously low: "What did you call her?"
Emily's pupils trembled, frightened by John's expression. She quickly averted her gaze. Though unwilling, she didn't dare provoke John in this desolate wilderness.
"I'll apologize to Mom and Dad," she yielded.
Only then did John's expression soften. "Remember what you said. Get in the car."
After the car descended the mountain and entered the city, getting onto the highway, Emily finally dared to breathe a sigh of relief, having feared being abandoned in the wilderness.
John had a Bluetooth earpiece in his left ear and received a call from Andrew.
"Hello, what's up?"
"Where are you?"
"Just got on the highway. About three hours out."
Andrew sat in his office chair with his legs crossed, his sharp eyes behind his glasses focused on the tablet in his lap.
Holding the phone to his ear, he considered for a moment before saying, "I've discovered something more interesting. You should find it very intriguing."
John raised an eyebrow. "From your tone, you're waiting for me to put on a performance?"
"Isn't that what you do best?"
"You're such a bastard!"
Always making him do the thankless, despicable tasks while Andrew cleaned up the mess and garnered the good reputation.
Andrew should have been a screenwriter.
Andrew remained composed, saying calmly, "It's from Sophia."
John choked. Since it was from Sophia, there was no helping it. If he didn't put on a perfect performance, he'd be letting down the stage Sophia had worked so hard to set up.
His right foot pressed deeper on the accelerator, the car's speed suddenly surging, terrifying Emily into gripping her seatbelt tightly.
John said to the phone, "I'll be there in two hours."