"Oh, Dad, it looks like your long journey to win Mom over just got even longer." Charlie shook his head. "I thought Mom had softened, but she's only gotten harsher. A woman's heart really is like a needle hidden beneath the sea."
Watching Charlie shake his head, Sophia couldn't help but smile.
"Well, if your mother knew you said that, she'd be furious with you. Say goodbye to your father, then head upstairs with your grandparents." Sophia's thoughts drifted, but she kept them to herself.
"Alright." Charlie wrapped his arms around Liam's waist, ready to climb up. Liam immediately lifted him. Once Charlie was secure, he leaned in and pressed a kiss to Liam's cheek. "Goodbye, Dad."
The word "Dad" warmed Liam's heart. He smiled and replied, "Goodbye, Charlie."
After saying goodbye to Liam, Charlie was led upstairs by James and Sophia.
Liam watched the three of them walk away, catching snippets of their conversation.
"Grandma, Grandpa, did you miss me?" Charlie spoke like a little adult.
James and Sophia smiled and answered, "Of course we did."
"Well... After all, Charlie is so adorable, but... it must be Charlie who missed you more."
Their voices faded into the distance as Liam drove off to the company.
As soon as he arrived, he spotted a newspaper in an employee's hand.
Catching a glimpse of the headline, Liam frowned and asked the employee to hand it over.
"The New Chairman of New York Fashion Magazine Insults Top Model Isabella Miller. The Truth Is..."
Staring at the massive headline, Liam's heart tightened. He grabbed the newspaper and strode away.
By the time Emma and Daniel arrived at the company, everyone was holding a copy of the newspaper. The place was in an uproar.
After reading the article, Emma ordered the employees to return to work immediately and stop gossiping. Then she called several senior executives to discuss the matter.
The newspaper clearly stated that Isabella, due to her contract with New York Fashion Magazine, had come to the office for a photoshoot. However, she was insulted by the new chairman and even had security escort her out.
For some reason, there were photos of the confrontation between Emma and Isabella, as well as security escorting Isabella away.
The article didn't mention that Isabella had tried to drive Emma out first. Instead, it placed all the blame on Emma.
Although the newspaper didn't explicitly name Emma as the new chairman, her identity would inevitably be exposed. It wouldn't be long before the story spread through all social circles. The impact on New York Fashion Magazine was easy to imagine.
The magazine had already been struggling since Chu Xialin's incident. Now this happened, leaving Emma completely at a loss. She felt a throbbing headache.
In the office, several people sat around the table, exchanging helpless glances. No one knew how to handle this.
After all, issuing a clarification at this point would be useless.
Besides Isabella, only people from New York Fashion Magazine knew what had really happened that day.
The other side had photos as evidence, and they had already set the narrative.
No matter what they said now, it would be a futile struggle.
As the magazine's situation worsened, the senior executives watched Emma work tirelessly to turn things around. They had thought there was hope for recovery, but now this had happened.
It seemed the magazine was doomed.
"Why is that child so vicious? First, she stole the boyfriend our Xiaowei had been with for seven years, and Xiaowei forgave her. Why is she doing this now? No, I have to go ask her in person. What kind of deep hatred does she have with our Xiaowei? I won't believe Xiaowei would be angry with her for no reason."
At the Johnson residence, Emma's mother stared angrily at the newspaper in her hands. Her hands trembled with rage, her face pale. Emma's father's expression was as heavy as ice, clearly furious. But he grabbed his wife's hand, stopping her from rushing out.
"If we go, I'm afraid that child will do something even worse. I can see now that she doesn't consider our daughter her sister at all. Let's wait until Xiaowei comes back tonight and ask what happened."
Emma's mother thought for a moment and realized her husband was right. She sighed deeply and sat back on the sofa, fuming.
The elderly couple didn't notice Charlie closing his bedroom door again. They thought he was still napping.
Back in his room, Charlie turned on the computer and browsed the news. Seeing Isabella's cold expression, he realized this was the model his mother had been flying to see. No wonder she had been so indifferent back then. So that was it.
The afternoon sun streamed in, making the delicate little figure sitting in front of the computer look like an angel. But if you looked closely, you'd notice that his big, clear eyes now shimmered with a chilling light.
"Isabella, you're so bold. How dare you set up my mother."
A pair of chubby little hands flew across the keyboard. A cold smirk curled at the corner of his mouth.
"You said you retrieved the footage?"
Liam had just gotten into his car when he received a call from his good friend Ethan.
"It's been retrieved. The images of those two are quite clear. Come take a look sometime."
"I'll be there now."
Liam hesitated, glancing at the newspaper in his hand. He decided to deal with the two thugs first. As for Isabella, that easily crushed grasshopper could wait. Emma's safety was the priority.
After making his decision, he changed his destination and headed to Ethan's place.
Under the dazzling neon lights and on the fashionable runway, cameras flashed from every angle. Wearing high heels sprinkled with gold and a new spring dress, Isabella walked magnificently and elegantly. Her expression was arrogant and cool, like a noble peacock. She was like a magnet, drawing photographers to capture her every move.
A smile played on Isabella's lips, though it was barely visible under the lights. She remained the icy beauty of the supermodel world, the media's darling.
Even her airport outfits made headlines. How could they miss her runway photos?