Chapter 355

Ethan Caldwell stood with his usual commanding presence, his voice firm as he declared, "The Blackwood Group's legal team will work closely with Ivory Phoenix Productions. I'll personally coordinate with several marshals to expedite the investigation."

Cassandra Blake's face turned ashen. Her knees threatened to buckle as visions of prison bars and cold metal handcuffs flashed through her mind, shattering her earlier bravado. What she'd dismissed as an empty threat—a momentary lapse in judgment—now loomed as a terrifying reality. The tremors running through her body betrayed her crumbling composure.

The assistant's crisp voice sliced through her mounting panic. "Apologies for the delay, Mr. Blackwood, Ms. Hartley. I'll be escorting her back to headquarters to finalize the termination agreement. The breach of contract penalty stands at eight million." His gaze deliberately lingered on Cassandra as he delivered the staggering figure.

"Eight million?" Cassandra's voice cracked, rising to an unnatural pitch. "How am I supposed to come up with eight million?"

Her desperate shriek echoed through the room, a futile attempt to regain control of the spiraling situation.

Adrian Blackwood reclined in his seat, nodding absently. "She's naive," he agreed, though Cassandra's features had already blurred from his memory.

Ethan closed the car door with a muted click and settled into the driver's seat. Through the rearview mirror, his tense eyes met Vivian's. "The hospital reported Natasha's disappearance."

Vivian's fingers stilled on her knee. She hadn't anticipated Adrian monitoring her family so closely—this newfound vigilance contrasted sharply with his usual reactive nature. The man who once waited for problems to land at his feet now seemed to anticipate them.

"Her injuries were nearly healed," Vivian offered with a casual shrug. "Perhaps she simply checked herself out early?"

With her live-streaming privileges revoked after the scandal, Natasha's capacity for mischief had diminished. But Ethan shook his head. "No discharge paperwork was filed. Daphne arrived with lunch to find her room vacant. Her phone's offline, and security footage only shows her leaving after receiving a call."

"Double the surveillance," Adrian interjected, his casual tone belying the steel beneath. He wouldn't risk another threat to Vivian's safety.

Yet in his determination to shield her, Adrian couldn't foresee the storm gathering on the horizon.

After discussing the Dawson family affairs, Vivian hesitated before suggesting, "Let's dine out tonight. It's been ages since we visited Emerald Pizzeria."

Feeling suddenly self-conscious, she quickly added, "Consider it my thank you for appearing as our guest today."

Adrian's lips curved into a faint smile, pride flickering in his eyes. "I hadn't planned to attend. Dominic reached out—mentioned your friend canceled last minute."

"Dominic?" Vivian's stomach tightened, recalling Audrey's earlier unease. "Is he with Audrey now? Perhaps we should postpone and check on her instead."

Adrian's expression darkened instantly. "Is this your idea of gratitude?"