Chapter 266

The moment the word "auntie" left Iris's lips, Wendy West's face turned ashen.

Iris's voice rang clear and firm.

"Clarification?" Wendy's voice rose to a shrill pitch. "That's hilarious. Was it to clear Evelyn's name or just adding more accusations against her?"

"Wendy, you seem to have quite the opinion about me."

Evelyn's voice cut through the tension like ice water on boiling oil.

She had been handling documents in her office, tuning out the commotion outside. Only when Martha and Iris rushed in did she set aside her work and step out.

Wendy had been hiding in the crowd, fanning the flames to prove her loyalty by attacking Evelyn. She never expected things to escalate to a direct confrontation.

"Evelyn, I'm just stating facts." Wendy forced a stiff smile. "Don't take it personally. It's not just me saying these things."

Since the facade had crumbled, she decided to go all out. After all, Evelyn's termination was practically a done deal.

"Those who follow the crowd are either morally bankrupt or intellectually deficient." Evelyn's tone remained calm. "I believe you fall into the latter category."

Wendy's face flushed, then paled.

Evelyn never resorted to vulgar language, yet every word struck deep. Wendy scrambled for a retort but found her mind blank, unable to conjure a suitable response.

Flustered, she pulled out her phone, shifting the attack to Iris. "You said Kingsley Group would clarify? Where's the proof? I don't see it!"

Her fingers flew across the screen, but her voice grew smaller. "Where is it? I can't find it. Where...?"

The last word died in her throat.

Iris smirked. "Cat got your tongue? Oh dear, this is bad!"

Wendy's stunned silence piqued everyone's curiosity. Phones were hastily pulled out.

"What's bad?" Martha leaned in. "Isn't this Kingsley Group's statement? Wait—it's not from them. Oh no!"

The office fell dead silent, as if everyone had been frozen in place.

Hugo Lee resisted checking his phone, barking instead, "Iris, what nonsense are you spouting?"

Iris feigned deference. "Martha and I rushed here to deliver the news, but someone else beat us to it. Isn't that bad?"

"What news?" Hugo's gut twisted with dread.

Martha sighed. "It wasn't Kingsley Group who clarified for Evelyn. It was Alexander Kingsley himself!"

"Nonsense!" Hugo nearly snatched Wendy's phone. "What the hell is going on?"

Wendy trembled too much to speak. A legal staffer bravely explained, "Mr. Lee, Alexander denied any relationship with Isabella Winslow. That marriage certificate might be fake..."

"Might?" Hugo's eyebrows nearly singed off.

Wendy shakily handed over her phone. "He provided photo evidence. The headshots on the certificate were cropped from this picture..."

If even the photos were fake, how could the certificate be real?

Alexander's statement was crystal clear.

"This..." Hugo tossed the phone back. "What does this have to do with Evelyn? He only clarified things with Isabella!"

"Keep scrolling!" Iris boldly took the phone and swiped down.

Hugo tried to look away but found himself glued to the screen.

Before his clarification, Alexander had reposted the viral photos—the ones exposing Evelyn and the "fake Alexander" at the hotel.

His caption was simple:

[I don't mind being the man in those photos.]

The internet exploded.

Two meanings:

First, denying the man in the photos was him.

Second, declaring he'd gladly be the one standing beside Evelyn.

The scandal had never been about Evelyn being with Alexander at a hotel. What stung was that she'd allegedly settled for an impostor.

Had she truly been with Alexander, who would dare slander her so brazenly?

The office was now so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

"Weren't we firing Evelyn?" Martha broke the silence. "Weren't we making her publicly apologize?"

Iris muttered, "Good thing we didn't. That would've been humiliating. Forcing an innocent person to confess—how would Horizon Media ever recover?"

Hugo's face darkened like scorched iron.

He'd heard Evelyn had cut ties with the Kingsleys, but forgot one crucial detail—the Sinclairs had once saved Alexander's life.