Chapter 408

The footage of Isabella and her daughter causing a scene at the funeral spread like wildfire across the internet within hours!

Whether it was Nathaniel pulling strings behind the scenes or the media's collective disgust toward Isabella, the cameras focused solely on Evelyn standing up to her and Erica’s grandmother dumping soup on her. Alexander and Arabella were barely visible, shielded from the spotlight.

Initially, the most explosive revelation was about Arabella being Alexander’s ex-wife.

But with both President Sinclair and Alexander applying pressure, no journalist dared to publish this bombshell, fearing career suicide.

Though rumors of their secret marriage swirled online, the storm surrounding Isabella was so massive that the whispers barely made a ripple.

Netizens turned Isabella’s soup-drenched humiliation into endless memes and savage comments. The Vanderbilt Group’s PR team couldn’t keep up with deleting the posts.

[Long live Isabella! We need her scandals to keep life interesting!]

[Snakes like her, who trample on others’ dignity, belong behind bars for life!]

[The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree! Her daughters are just as rotten!]

[Isabella’s eldest is a spoiled brat, but the younger one’s never been in the spotlight. Maybe she’s the decent one?]

[A viper like Isabella only breeds more vipers!]

Isabella’s reputation was utterly destroyed.

Vanessa, with her own dark past, got dragged back into the limelight thanks to her mother’s theatrics.

But this wasn’t enough. What Arabella and Alexander wanted wasn’t just social annihilation—they wanted total destruction.

After handling business matters and Alexander’s affairs, Daniel was ready to head home to bid farewell to his beloved wife.

Seated in his car, he furiously scrolled through social media comments, using a fake account to obliterate anyone daring to slander Evelyn.

The proud heir of the Fairhaven family, usually arrogant and untouchable, was now cursing like a sailor, waging an online war to defend his fragile wife!

His driver was drenched in sweat, hands steady only from muscle memory as his body trembled.

"Olivia!" Daniel suddenly barked.

The driver paled, stammering, "M-Mr. Fairhaven, you asked Olivia to stay at the villa to care for Mrs. Fairhaven."

"Damn it, I forgot." He rubbed his temples, exhaling sharply.

Currently, everyone around Daniel had been ordered to address Evelyn as "Mrs. Fairhaven."

In truth, he’d also considered transferring half his shares and all his assets to her name.

He’d been mulling it over for a while. The only reason he hadn’t acted yet was because he wanted to wait until the storm passed before formally asking the Sinclair family for Evelyn’s hand.

But first, he had to help Alexander and Arabella crush Isabella—not just out of loyalty, but for his own sake.

Who’d want such a viper for a mother-in-law? It’d be like planting a time bomb in their peaceful lives!

Daniel couldn’t wait any longer and called Olivia directly. "Olivia, monitor the comments. If any media outlet dares to trash my wife, track down the journalist—I’ll personally beat them until their own mother won’t recognize them! For every troll, sue them into oblivion!"

"I’ve already started deleting negative comments about Mrs. Fairhaven. Like you, I won’t let this chaos touch her," Olivia replied, knowing him well after years by his side.

"Good! You’ll get a fat bonus!" Daniel nodded, satisfied.

"But there’s a bigger problem."

Olivia sighed guiltily. "This morning, news of Erica’s funeral reached Mrs. Fairhaven while she was watching TV."

Daniel’s heart clenched—his worst fear realized.

"My fault. I underestimated how fast the news would leak, especially after the blackout. No excuses. Punish me instead of the bonus."

"Not your fault, Olivia. You’ve been juggling Evelyn’s care and my work."

Daniel’s voice was thick with worry. "How is she?"

"Not well. She hasn’t stopped crying. You should come home."

"I’m on my way."

Hanging up, imagining his wife sobbing alone, Daniel’s blood pressure spiked. He kicked the driver’s seat. "Faster! You want your salary or not?!"

"Yes, sir!" The driver floored it, feeling his hemorrhoids protest.

Daniel stormed home, barely shedding his suit before bolting upstairs.

"Mr. Fairhaven." Olivia waited outside the door, bowing.

"Is she inside?" His heart pounded.

"Yes. She hasn’t eaten or drunk anything. Won’t come out."

Olivia bit her lip. "I didn’t dare enter. She needs you right now."

Daniel pushed the door open gently.

Despite daylight, the room was pitch-black, curtains drawn, lights off—oppressively dark.

"Sweetheart? Sweetheart?"

He checked the study, bedroom, closet, bathroom—no sign of her.

Panic set in. His shoulders trembled under his tailored suit, palms slick with sweat.

"Evelyn? Evelyn?!"

His shouts brought Olivia rushing in.

"She’s gone!" Daniel was frantic.

"Impossible! I’ve been guarding the door!"

Olivia’s words struck like lightning. Daniel’s face drained of color, heart hammering.

He yanked open the curtains and window, terrifying images flashing through his mind.

Gritting his teeth, sweat-drenched, he looked down—nothing.

Relief washed over him, his suit soaked through.

Olivia knew his fear. She shared it.

With Evelyn’s fragile mental state, they couldn’t risk her doing something drastic.

"Find her!"

Daniel slammed the windowsill, eyes blazing. "Tear this place apart if you have to!"

"Yes! I’ll search immediately!"

Olivia dashed off.

The room fell silent again. Daniel’s tension eased slightly.

Then—soft sobs.

His heart clenched.

"Evelyn!"

Overjoyed, he followed the sound to the bedroom closet. The sobs grew clearer, each one a knife to his heart.

He opened the closet door—and his breath caught.

Evelyn’s frail body was curled up like a lost kitten, trembling in the dark.

Her arms hugged her knees, sweat-matted bangs clinging to her forehead. Her pale face was flushed from lack of air.

"Daniel."

Seeing him, she burst into tears. "Is Erica really gone?"

Each word shredded his already aching heart.

He scooped her up, her skin burning hot from hiding so long.

Tears welled in his eyes. "I’m sorry, Evelyn. I’m so sorry."

He didn’t know what else to say.

"Is Erica really gone?" She kept asking, relentless.

"She’s just in a better place now," he repeated patiently.

Exhausted, oxygen-deprived, and grief-stricken, she finally passed out.

Daniel called their private doctor. The diagnosis: extreme sorrow and low blood sugar. Rest and IV fluids would help.

Kneeling by the bed, he pressed her hand to his lips, anxiety gnawing at him.

"Mr. Fairhaven, the car’s ready. It’s time to leave."

Olivia hesitated. "If you can’t bear to leave her, don’t. I’ll go to Country T for you. Hunting criminals is dangerous—you have someone to live for now."

"No. I’m going."

Daniel squeezed Evelyn’s hand, resolve hardening. "I promised Alexander. He’s my only brother. Besides, if it weren’t for that bastard who killed Erica, would my wife be like this? When I catch him, he’ll wish he was dead!"

With the Fairhaven family’s methods, the culprit wouldn’t leave Country T alive. But Alexander insisted on bringing him back for Arabella to deal with—making the mission trickier. Daniel had to help.

"Then wear the bulletproof vest I prepared for you and Mr. Sinclair."

"Fine! Olivia, you’re worse than my mom! I picked you because you’re quiet. Why so chatty now?"

Olivia pressed her lips together, stepping back.

Over the years, women had come and gone, but Olivia remained—secretary, bodyguard, confidante, even fake lover when needed.

She was used to being indispensable to Daniel. She’d never had another man.

They weren’t lovers, but sometimes closer than lovers. She didn’t know if it was love—only that it could never be. Especially now that Daniel had found his soulmate.

"Olivia, the next few days will be tough."

After kissing Evelyn’s lips, Daniel stood. "Stay with her 24/7. Move into her room. Lock everything at night. No mistakes."

"Yes, Mr. Fairhaven."

Olivia’s gaze sharpened like a hawk’s. "I’ll protect her with my life. She’ll be safe when you return."

Meanwhile, at Sinclair Holdings, chaos reigned as they scrambled to contain the fallout from Isabella’s scandals.

But in truth, William wasn’t cleaning up after Isabella—he was salvaging the company’s image from another PR disaster!

The higher the tree, the harder the wind blows. Since Alexander took over, his bold reforms had propelled Sinclair Holdings to rapid expansion across Elmsworth and beyond. But such growth bred enemies—competitors watched like vultures.

Now, with a crucial collaboration with a top financial group at stake, any scandal threatening their reputation or stock price could derail everything.

"William! How long will you protect that witch?!"

Outside the chairman’s office, executives flinched at the shouting within.

Inside, the room was a warzone.

Reginald Sinclair, seated in his wheelchair, had hurled everything on the desk at William. A pen holder struck his forehead, swelling instantly, but William stood frozen.

Throwing tantrums seemed to be a Sinclair family tradition.

"Our stocks are in freefall! Have you seen what the media’s saying about us?!"

Reginald’s voice shook with rage. "They’re calling us devils, cutthroats, vipers! The Sinclair name is mud because of that ungrateful woman!"

William clenched his fists, fury boiling inside. He’d warned Isabella repeatedly to lay low, but she’d ignored him, pushing her luck until it ran out.

She’d grown bold because he’d spoiled her. Now he regretted it—but wouldn’t admit his mistake to his father.

"Isabella’s confined to Windermere Estate, reflecting on her actions. She won’t leave without my permission."

William took a deep breath. "Father, I believe she went to the funeral to salvage our reputation. If things had gone as planned, there’d be no issue. This mess is partly your precious granddaughter-in-law’s fault—Ms. Sinclair!"