Chapter 127: Chapter 127

Camille felt like she was about to lose her mind.

She got up and decided to go to the station. Maybe there was something she could do to help him. There had to be some kind of mistake!

Grady was a loyal personal assistant. He would never betray Michael like that!

There had to be something else going on. She refused to believe that it was all true.

After all, she knew better than to trust online news. It was best to confirm it from the sources themselves.

“…And just where do you think you’re going?” Christian Callahan’s voice rang in her ears, making her freeze instantly in place.

‘Crap.’

She slowly turned around. “I have to take care of something personal,” she said in as calm a voice as she could manage.

“Like what?” A knowing smile curved his lips. “Like Michael McGregor’s recent arrest?”

She stiffened.

Then again, she should have known he would be aware of the news. He always seemed to be more up-to-date than she was.

It was starting to feel a little creepy. Wasn’t he supposed to be very busy today? How did he have time to watch the news?

He didn’t even like watching TV or spending too much time on his phone.

Frankly, it was uncanny, but not too surprising. After all, he was always such a know-it-all.

“There must be some kind of mistake,” she told him firmly, meeting his gaze with a blazing determination. Right now, she had the courage to face him, only because she had a goal in her heart that she needed to achieve as soon as possible.

Christian shook his head. “It doesn’t matter what you personally think. His assistant already admitted it. There’s evidence that the car was tampered beforehand.”

“How sure are they that Grady had something to do with it? And how do you know so much about this?” she demanded.

A smile played on his lips. “I have my connections, Miss Parker. Wouldn’t it make sense for me to know the current situation of my rival?”

Camille bit her lower lip.

Seeing that she wasn’t going to argue with him, Christian continued, “Yesterday, an anonymous eyewitness spotted Grady Thompson talking with a suspicious man. Apparently, Joanna McGregor had asked him to take her somewhere, and while she was gone, he spoke with an unknown man and had the stranger enter the car for a brief period of time. Isn’t that suspicious?”

Camille bit her lower lip, feeling disbelief cloud her mind. “No, no. That’s not the Grady I know. He’s not someone who would—”

“And yet he admitted it to the police and let it slip to the reporters. What else does that tell you?” He shook his head with pity. “Being naive this late in the industry won’t help you, Miss Parker.”

Camille felt like it was getting harder to breathe. “Fine. Something must have happened, but I don’t think Michael had anything to do with it,” she insisted.

There was something going on here. She wasn’t biased, damn it!

“Well, apparently, he and his sister aren’t on good terms. They hate each other so much, don’t they?”

“That’s not reason enough to resort to murder! It doesn’t make any sense. Why would he want her dead?”

“Miss Parker,” Christian said in a calm voice, “how much do you really know about Michael McGregor? Do you truly understand his character? Do you even know how far his hatred for his sister goes?”

“I know for a fact that he is a kind person and would never do something like this,” Camille said firmly. “I don’t believe it, and I never will. Unless he tells me himself with the utmost sincerity, looking me straight in the eye, I will never believe such a claim. Grady must have been coerced somehow!”

“Oh, naive, naive Hailey,” Christian laughed. “I thought for sure that you were a practical and honest woman. But when it comes to love, you are a fool like no other. You expect too much from a man like Michael McGregor.”

“No. You will not manipulate me into thinking otherwise. I know what kind of person Michael is, and no one will ever convince me otherwise!”

With that, Camille stormed off, leaving Christian staring at her retreating figure with an unreadable expression on his face.

***

John McGregor was furious.

“What the hell were you thinking?!” he bellowed as he approached Michael. “This is an outrage! Arrested like a common criminal? Do you have any idea how much I had to pay to get you out? This won’t last. They’ll investigate you and our family and dig up everything!”

Michael opened his mouth, but John barreled on. “Your idiocy has jeopardized everything! I had my own people look into this supposed evidence against you, and guess what? There’s just enough to make it look plausible. It’s only a matter of time before the police take you back, and I won’t be able to do anything about it anymore!”

The realization dawned on Diana’s face. “John, surely you don’t believe—”

“Of course I do!” John turned to his wife. “Think about it. For months, Joanna has been making great strides in the business. I bet this bastard was getting jealous and feeling threatened for his position.”

Will rose from his seat, his eyes flashing. “Father, this is ridiculous! You’re letting your temper cloud your judgment. Michael would never do such a thing!”

But John wasn’t listening. He turned his anger back on Michael. “No wonder you seemed apathetic when we got the news of Joanna’s accident. Did you take some kind of sick pleasure in it? If not, then tell me now. Is it true? Did you order a hit on your own sister out of petty jealousy?”

The room fell deadly silent.

Michael met his father’s gaze calmly. “No, I did not. I would never do anything to hurt Joanna or this family,” he replied.

John scoffed. “That better be true. Unfortunately, the evidence says otherwise.”

“John, please!” Diana rose and stepped between them, pleading. “Can’t we at least hear Michael out? Have some faith in your own son! Please stop being so angry!”

“Even your own assistant has turned against you, for god’s sake! I never took Grady Thompson for that kind of person!” John began pacing the room angrily. “Our family is ruined! After all my hard work keeping everything clean… What are you going to do now? What proof do you have to contradict his claim?”

Michael’s eyes remained steady. “I don’t need proof. I know the truth, and that is enough for me.”

Will stepped forward, his voice calm but firm. “Dad, I believe Michael. He wouldn’t do something so terrible. We need to support him, not accuse him.”

“So I need to have faith in a situation like this? He doesn’t even care about us anymore.” John stopped and turned to Michael. “You said during dinner that you didn’t want to be our ‘puppets.’ We mean so little to you, don’t we?”

Michael’s face was unreadable. There was barely any emotion on his features anymore, almost as if he were restraining himself completely.

In the end, he turned to leave, but not without saying his piece.

“I don’t need to explain myself any further. I know the truth, and it will come out eventually. But I have never once tried to harm Joanna. If you want to believe otherwise, that’s your choice.”

John opened his mouth, but Michael left without another word.

An uneasy and tense atmosphere fell over the room, and no one uttered another word.