Chapter 45
Chapter 45:
Upon hearing Phillip’s words, Emalee inhaled sharply and promptly pulled out her phone to call the company’s finance department.
Seizing the moment, Phillip and Tristan yelled, “Over here! There’s a thief among us! Look over there—there’s a thief p>
Those who had just left the concert venue heard the shouts and, driven by curiosity, gathered around to see what was going on.
As the crowd formed, Phillip, feeling a burst of pride, amplified his voice further. He began to loudly accuse, “Everyone, take a look! This man, Ashton Baldwin, could seem respectable, but he’s nothing but a fraud p>
During the charity event, Ashton had been a figure of considerable attention. Now, hearing Phillip’s accusations, the crowd murmured in shock and confusion.
Phillip didn’t let up and shouted, “Two years ago, he wed into the James family and has been nothing but a leech ever since, loafing around and mooching off them! Emalee had enough and filed for divorce. In revenge, this man deceitfully drained a vast amount of money from the James family’s company! Even caught in the act today, he still has the nerve to deny it. What a despicable man p>
Tristan, feigning devastation, chimed in, “Ashton, how could you! Grandpa treated you like his own, and now you betray our family like this? Don’t you have a shred of decency p>
The crowd, oblivious to the actual events, was deceived by Phillip and Tristan’s act, leading them to question Ashton’s integrity.
Just then, Emalee looked up from her phone with a grave expression. She announced, “The finance department has just revealed a significant discrepancy in the company’s accounts, believed to have been caused by an unauthorized transfer p>
At her words, a flicker of unease crossed Tristan’s face. In truth, he had quietly used that money to splurge with his friends. The fear of being caught had been weighing on him as he scrambled for a way to obscure his misdeeds.
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Conveniently, blaming Ashton meant he didn’t have to think about returning the money anymore. Buoyed by this thought, Tristan’s voice grew louder.
The crowd, mostly made up of calm and logical attendees from the event, awaited the findings of the investigation before jumping to conclusions. However, Emalee’s statement shifted the mood dramatically.
The consensus turned against Ashton, with nearly everyone there chastising him.
Ashton remained unfazed by the accusations. This was not his first encounter with Phillip’s deceit. He retorted, “If the James family has lost money, why not involve the police? What does this have to do with me? I’m no longer associated with the James family. The money I used at the auction was my own earnings. If there’s nothing else, please move aside and let me pass p>
Phillip, narrowing his eyes, scoffed, “Really? Everyone, listen to this—he claims he’s self-sufficient! Earning money on your own? Who do you think you’re deceiving? If you were truly capable, would you have spent the last two years living off the James family, playing the role of a househusband p>
As Ashton tried to leave, the crowd closed in around him. A few of the more fiery individuals appeared ready to detain Ashton and turn him over to the authorities.
Just then, at this critical juncture, Rosalie, having completed her errands and in search of Ashton, appeared. She overheard Phillip’s mocking words and saw the crowd cornering Ashton. Furious, Rosalie forced her way through to Ashton’s side and exclaimed, “Who says it’s not possible? Ashton earned that money from me p>
Her words stunned the previously aggressive crowd into silence.