CHAPTER 706 FLED
It was hard for Christina not to notice Preston, who stood out in the crowd.
“Don’t be scared. He doesn’t know that you’re with me,” Christina comforted Victoria before looking toward the driver seat and saying to Lyle, “Drive to the underground parking.”
“Understood.” Lyle stepped on the accelerator and sped into Hadley Corporation’s underground parking.
When Preston looked up, he vaguely noticed a familiar face pass by him. With the reporters following him, his mood, which was already bad enough, plummeted further.
“Mr. Lesley, given that Lesley Group and Hadley Corporation are currently not collaborating on any projects, what’s the reason for your sudden visit to Hadley Corporation? Are you intending to talk to Mr. Hadley’s assistant about his relationship with Ms. Lesley?”
“Did Ms. Lesley break off her engagement because she was in love with someone else?”
“Mr. Lesley, is it true that Ms. Lesley and Mr. Taggart are currently dating?”
Preston halted his steps and cast a cold gaze at the reporters before arching his brows and replying, “Those are all rumors. My sister is not dating anyone at the moment. Anyway, she’s free to date whoever she wants. It’s none of anyone else’s business.”
Preston would never allow his sister, the daughter of the prestigious Lesley family, to marry a CEO’s assistant who was a nobody.
He planned to settle the matter privately, as he did not want to air his family’s dirty laundry in public.
It was true that he had gone to Hadley Corporation to seek an explanation from Sebastian. However, Nathaniel kept deflecting his questions. As such, two hours and countless cups of coffee later, he still
had not gotten to meet Sebastian.
Obviously, Nathaniel was intentionally preventing him from meeting Sebastian!
Preston was aware that it would not be wise to fall out with Nathaniel over a mere assistant After all, his family’s interests should come before his sister’s relationship issues.
Just then, a bold reporter shoved the microphone in front of Preston and asked him a tricky question.
“Mr. Lesley, you deny the rumors that your sister is currently in a relationship, but someone posted a photo online that showed Mr. Taggart proposing to Ms. Lesley on the cruise ship during the international business conference a few days ago.”
After saying that, the reporter showed the photo on his phone to everyone present. At that instant, everyone turned their focus to the reporter, and the camera lights started flashing.
“How do you explain this photo then?”
With a darkened expression, Preston gazed at the reporter sharply and replied, “You seem to have come prepared. This makes me question your true intentions.”
With Preston’s words, the reporter instantly became the center of discussion.
After being taught a lesson, the reporter grew hesitant and gradually lost all confidence.
Avoiding Preston’s intimidating gaze, he replied, “I… I… I chanced upon it online.”
He started to retreat as he spoke. As soon as he spotted a small opening among the crowd, he turned around and dashed toward a taxi that was passing by.
Everyone was stunned by the dramatic scene that had just unfolded before them.
Did he just flee?
The other reporters were expecting their colleague to trick Preston into sharing some juicy information.
After what happened earlier, even though the remaining reporters were curious to know the truth, they did not want to risk provoking Preston.
Under the escort of his assistant and bodyguard, Preston finally managed to break away from the crowd and got into his luxury car, which was parked by the roadside.
“Find that nettlesome reporter and destroy those pictures as well as any other information he has,” Preston ordered coldly.
How dare he try to set me up! That guy must be sick of living!
After escaping the scene, the male reporter got out of the taxi and headed into a dark alley owns all content.
He paced around nervously while waiting for the person he was supposed to meet to arrive.
Tap, tap, tap
A while later, footsteps could be heard coming from the entrance of the alley. The next moment, a tall, muscular man wearing a black coat appeared in front of the reporter.
As the man was standing with his back facing the light shining into the alley, his face was almost completely hidden in the shadows.
“You’re late!” the impatient reporter complained in an annoyed tone before taking out a phone and a thick envelope from his bag. Handing the items over to the man, he said, “Here, I’m returning these to you. I’m cancelling our deal. If you were there just now, you would have seen how scary Preston Lesley
was. I could feel him exuding murderous aura when I was asking him the question according to your instructions earlier!”
Staying alive was much more important than having money. The money would be useless if one were dead.
The reporter regretted not realizing that earlier.
Fiddling with the envelope in his hand, the man remained silent. Seeing that, the reporter started to panic and said, “What do you want now? I didn’t touch the money in the envelope at all. If you don’t believe me, you can count the money.”
“Since I was willing to pay the high fees you quoted, it means money is not an issue for me.” With a sinister look in his eyes, the man continued, “Not only did you fail to do what I asked, but you have also created more trouble for me. This is really frustrating.”
Upon hearing that, alarm bells sounded in the reporter’s head. Feeling angry and scared at the same time, he stared at the man and asked, “What do you mean by that? Are you thinking about extorting me? Why don’t you go find out about my reputation as a gossip reporter in the entertainment industry before doing that?”
The tall man let out a disdainful chuckle.
One second later, the reporter collapsed to the ground with a bloody hole in his forehead. Blood was oozing out continuously from his wound, and his eyes were bulging. He was staring lifelessly at the sky as he met a gruesome end.
“What a foolish pest. How dare he treat himself as someone important just because I paid him to do something.” The man tossed the items in his hand to his subordinate behind him and said expressionlessly, “Clean up the mess. Don’t let Preston Lesley suspect us.”
With that, he turned and walked out of the alley. Without looking back, he opened the door and got into the car. After lighting a cigarette impatiently, he shot a side glance at the woman sitting next to him and said, “The so-called best paparazzo you hired online is such a coward I ended up having to clean up your mess again. Emilia, can you please think carefully before you act?”
“How would I have known that he was a professional scammer? Anyway, I’ve sort of achieved my objective. You did a good job killing him. At least, I won’t have to worry about him giving me trouble.
“Do you really think that solves all your problems?” Yerek took a puff on his cigarette before uttering with a hostile expression, “Preston is no fool. Sooner or later, he’ll start suspecting you.”
Emilia’s actions had offended a few big shots at the same time. If she could use her abilities in other areas, perhaps, the Steele family would not have been in such dire straits.
Even though Emilia was panicking internally, she kept a poker face and said nonchalantly, “Yerek, if you think about it, I’m actually doing you a favor. Nathaniel wouldn’t have the time after you if he’s busy dealing with Sebastian’s relationship problem.”