Chapter 146: Doubts About Her
Vivian Lowell sat upright in her chair.
She took a longer look at the reporter who had just asked her a question, feeling a little strange.
...
’There’s something off about the way this person is looking at me.’
Vivian Lowell felt the look was familiar, but she couldn’t quite place it.
A thought flashed through her mind, and after a moment, she finally remembered. It was the same look the sweetly naive young receptionist at her company had given her when she found out about her good relationship with Julian Faulkner.
’What was it the receptionist had said?’
’Her favorite ship was sailing.’
"..." Vivian Lowell nearly choked on her own thoughts, her cheeks flushing red in spite of herself.
’No way.’
’At such a serious press conference, there’s actually a reporter here to ship us?’
As Vivian Lowell was lost in thought,
someone finally noticed another, more "critical" issue.
Wait!
Why was Vivian Lowell sitting in the seat reserved for "Miss Nox"?
After one reporter noticed, he hesitated. He thought it would be even more awkward if Miss Nox arrived later and saw this.
’It would be better to give Vivian Lowell a heads-up now.’
"Miss Lowell, Miss Lowell. I think... you’re in the wrong seat!"
the reporter said in a low voice.
Unfortunately,
everyone was still absorbed in Vivian Lowell’s previous exchange with that other "gossip reporter." It was too noisy, and his voice was too quiet for Vivian Lowell to hear.
Actually, Vivian Lowell had heard him.
It just wasn’t the right time to explain.
The press conference officially began.
Vivian Lowell brought the microphone a little closer and began to outline her history with the Lowell Family.
"After the Lowell Family discovered I wasn’t their biological daughter, they continued to exploit me. They psychologically manipulated me, and when I expressed my willingness to renounce the Lowell Family’s assets and leave..."
"...they brought up the ’debt’ I owed them for raising me, demanding I teach Shelly Lowell everything I knew and even give my then-fiancé, Mason Grant, to her."
"I agreed to it all. But later, certain things came to light. I discovered that Sharon Galahad was evading taxes and embezzling company funds. I told her to pay the back taxes and return the money to the company, but she refused."
"I was furious and so I proposed to leave the Lowell Family. But they demanded that I finish the design drafts for the ’Swan Series’ before I left. I agreed to that as well."
"However, when the drafts were half-finished, the Lowell Family went too far. On the day of Shelly Lowell’s homecoming banquet, where she was officially welcomed back to the family, she trapped President Faulkner and me in an elevator."
"I don’t know what Shelly Lowell was trying to do, but thanks to President Faulkner, I was saved."
After speaking, Vivian Lowell turned on the large screen behind her and played a video.
The video showed an argument between Shelly Lowell and Mason Grant, after which Shelly discovered Vivian Lowell in the elevator and, in a fit of rage, stopped it.
She was even heard threatening to make the elevator fall and kill Vivian Lowell.
When the video finished, Vivian Lowell took the microphone again and said, "After that incident, I left the Lowell Family for good and stopped working on the ’Swan’ design drafts."
With the whole story exposed, a commotion erupted among the audience.
They knew the history and the entanglements between Vivian Lowell and the Lowell Family, but they had no idea Shelly Lowell had actually attempted murder!
"Miss Lowell, have you sued Shelly Lowell for attempted murder? She seems to have disappeared from Aethelburg, and no one knows where she is."
a reporter asked, followed by a flurry of camera shutters.
The news revealed at this press conference was too explosive!
"I have already instructed my lawyer to file a lawsuit. However... after the Lowell Family’s troubles began, Robert Lowell and Sharon Galahad took all the blame, allowing Shelly Lowell to go abroad."
"For now, I haven’t been able to locate Shelly Lowell. But I will keep looking for her. For what she did, I will make sure she pays the price she deserves!"
"The law is not a game. No one is above it!"
Applause rose from the audience.
Vivian Lowell smiled faintly, pursing her lips. Just as she was about to continue speaking, she saw Julian Faulkner walking slowly in through the banquet hall entrance. Flanked by several Faulkner Group security guards, he made his way steadily toward her.
"President Faulkner!"
The reporters went absolutely wild.
’President Faulkner really did show up!’
’My god, it seems the scoop that gossip reporter dug up was right! President Faulkner really does dote on his wife!’
They had heard President Faulkner was extremely busy.
And recently...
with such a major crisis in the Faulkner Family, for President Faulkner to take time out of his packed schedule to support his wife’s press conference—this was a true testament to his love!
The reporters snapped photos frantically, determined to capture a few "loving" shots of Vivian Lowell and Julian Faulkner together in the same frame!
"Julian Faulkner? What are you doing here?"
Julian Faulkner sat down next to Vivian Lowell.
Eleanor Rhodes had deliberately stood up to give her seat to Julian Faulkner.
Eleanor was only attending tonight’s press conference as Vivian Lowell’s friend and as an "insider" to all these events.
Her role was to help add information at critical moments.
But now Julian Faulkner was here.
Eleanor was genuinely happy to see her best friend with such a wonderful husband, one who was willing to protect her anytime, anywhere.
So, of course, she willingly "yielded her seat"!
Julian Faulkner sat down beside Vivian Lowell.
He smiled gently and said, "It’s your press conference. It’s only natural that I come and see."
The truth was, he had been afraid she might not be able to handle certain situations well.
After all, these reporters were all seasoned veterans. Sometimes their questions could be quite pointed, and Julian Faulkner had been worried.
But as it turned out,
Vivian Lowell was brilliant—even more brilliant than he had imagined.
"Mm..."
Vivian Lowell smiled back at Julian Faulkner, then turned back to the media. "That is the basic summary of the matter between myself and the Lowell Family."
"I have already filed lawsuits against them for attempted murder, defamation of character, and copyright infringement."
"Now, I just need to wait for the court’s verdict. I am confident that I will receive a fair judgment."
More applause came from the audience.
But it was mostly drowned out by the sound of cameras.
The small interactions between Vivian Lowell and Julian Faulkner were simply too many to count, especially the look in Vivian’s eyes when she glanced at Julian after finishing her statement.
So clear, it was simply...
’I’m dying from the cuteness!’
the gossip reporter thought to himself, snapping away. He decided he would pick out the sweetest shots, Photoshop them perfectly, and publish them in tomorrow’s gossip headlines!
After a minute or two of commotion,
Vance Wyatt, who was moderating the event, restored order, and the crowd gradually quieted down.
At the same time,
Vance Wyatt turned to a man who could barely contain himself any longer. "You, sir. You’ve raised your hand several times wanting to ask something. What is your question?"
"You may speak now."
The moment Vance Wyatt gave him the floor,
the man shot to his feet, extremely agitated.
His agitation wasn’t one of excitement, but of long-suppressed anger finally finding an outlet.
Vivian Lowell looked at the man and recognized him at once.
’Oh.’
’Isn’t that Designer Jacobs!’