Chapter 3

I hadn't done anything like that. The authorities would clear my name eventually, I was sure of it.

But while I cooperated with the investigation, every asset I had stayed frozen.

That delay was going to cost Dad his life.

And worse still, the internet had already broken the story that I'd been laundering money.

Laura stood in front of the cameras, her eyes rimmed red.

"He's very controlling, and he's done a lot of terrible things to me and to Leo. But he really did help the two of us once, a long time ago."

"I never imagined Mr. Chappell was this kind of person." Leo's eyes turned red. "Is it because Laura and I fell for each other that he lost control and did something like this? If I'd never fallen for her in the first place, would none of this be happening?"

Laura gripped his hand tight.

"No. None of this is your fault."

Photos of Leo's dramatic teary eyes went viral across the whole internet.

A picture of Laura holding Leo's hand shot to the top of the trending list.

And I became the vicious ex who'd tried to tear two lovers apart.

[You two had better stay happy forever and shove it in that mongrel Will Chappell's face!]

[I'm literally crying happy tears for these two. They finally got their happy ever after!]

I clenched my fist.

I had two choices. Either I kept cooperating with the investigation and let it cost Dad his chance at a better hospital.

Or... I could actually launder money.

…

In the end, I gave up on that idea.

I scrambled to arrange emergency financing instead.

But the lending platforms that used to approve me instantly turned down every application I sent in.

I refused to give up.

I figured it was just a temporary block because of the money-laundering allegations.

So I borrowed a friend's identity and tried again.

The result was exactly the same.

Just as I was completely stumped, someone in the industry who usually got along with me quietly let something slip.

"Will, don't bother. Laura has put out word in the industry that nobody's allowed to fund you. Whoever's backing her is someone we don't dare cross."

He hung up and blocked me before I could even respond.

I never expected Laura could be this ruthless. She'd already used me as a stepping stone to launch Leo. And she still wasn't done sealing off every road I had left.

There was nothing else to do. I turned my attention to the bank card Laura had given me.

I'd once told her, with contempt, that I'd never touch her spare change. But now I had no choice but to swallow my pride.

Before the truth came out, I needed that twenty thousand dollars to save Dad's life.

I ran the card.

The balance came back at zero.

"Mr. Chappell, once Ms. Dawson heard about the money-laundering allegations, she contacted the bank right away and pulled that twenty thousand back."

I nearly lost my footing.

One of my men caught me just in time.

My fist trembled.

First, she'd reported me for money laundering. Then she'd snatched back the twenty thousand before I could even use it.

The two of them had used the time I spent cooperating with the investigation to farm even more public sympathy in front of the cameras.

Watching Leo's popularity climb higher and higher, I finally understood what Laura was really after.

Was she really in that much of a hurry to build Leo's career on top of my grave?

I called her.

She was quiet for a moment, then sighed.

"It's just like how you couldn't help yourself when it came to helping him. I couldn't stand to watch him stay a nobody in this industry either. Will, the day you brought him home, I knew there was no future for us."

I nearly crushed the phone in my hand.

Her tone stayed perfectly even.

"I'll admit it. I used you for this. I'll cover your dad's transfer to a better hospital, though."