Chapter 468


    Having picked out several branded essories while skipping over the discounted ones, Bonnie had


    fun trying on several nice-looking pairs of sandals.


    Due to Nicole''s simr height, stature, and shoe size to hers, the clothing and footwear were, in a way,


    tailored to her specifications. Bonnie could barely suppress her glee.


    “What would you like for me to do, Nickie? Tell me, and I promise toplete the mission to


    perfection,” she asked as she excitedly browsed the selection.


    Nicole said, “It displeases me that Cayden warned the media not to write anything unttering about


    Avery despite her rejecting his proposal. I need you to bribe the media and websites, including Twitter,


    Google, Steam, Netflix, and WhatsApp. We will nder Avery into oblivion and make her more


    despicable than a street rat. There will be nowhere in Ackleton for her to hide. I will finance this. You


    just need to meet the necessary people to make it happen. Prioritize those influencers with millions of


    followers. Though they are personal ounts of individuals, their sway cannot be underestimated. With


    the right price, anybody can be bought. Also, take into consideration the smaller publishing presses.


    Large corporations may fear Cayden''s retribution, but smallerpanies do not. Those small


    publishing presses are on the verge of bankruptcy, anyway. They would do anything for some shocking


    news to drag them out of bankruptcy.”


    Nicole was a crafty one.


    As society progressed, publishers had been experiencing a steep decline as their readership dwindled,


    exacerbating the decreasing efficacy of their reach. With the loss of freedom of speech, many media


    tforms had overhauled their operations and orientated them toward the digital future.


    Many no longer read the newspaper as it was known. Instead, they perused, from their smartphones, a


    selection of channels curated by the media, such as WhatsApp, Washington Post, and Reddit. Most


    Inte users would get their news firsthand, a subscriber''s privilege.


    Bonnie was about to nod when she recalled Cayden''s cold gaze, devoid of warmth, at the engagement


    party and shuddered.


    Abandoning her act of rifling through clothes, Bonnie began tentatively, “You should know that Cayden


    holds absolute dominion over Ackleton, Nickie. He even controls the media. I don''t think anybody


    would dare—”


    Nicole interrupted Bonnie before she could finish, “What are you afraid of? You''ll never amount to


    anything if you never take risks! I will bear all responsibility. Lest you forget, my father is the state


    secretary who dotes on me. Nobody would do a thing to you while I have your back. Haven''t you


    always wanted to break into the entertainment industry, Bonnie? When this is over, I''ll be your way in.


    As long as you have my backing, you will always seed.”


    Upon hearing Nicole''s promise, Bonnie gazed longingly at the extravagant dress and purse before her.


    She allowed a moment''s indulgence in the fantasy of carving her legacy in the entertainment industry


    and basking in the adoration of millions of fans. Then, she hardened her heart and nodded firmly. “All


    right, Nickie. We''ll do as you say.”


    Thunderclouds hung over the Moore residence.


    The heavy oppression in the air seemed to exert an ominous presence.


    In his fury with Cayden, Jeffrey mmed his cane into the ground. “Imbecile! What the h*ll happened at


    the engagement party? That idiot disappeared without a word and left me to clean up his mess.


    Godd*mn it! That little sh*t has shamed us all!”


    Worried that his grandfather would overexert himself, Kendrick soothed the old man by stroking his


    chest. “Cayden is too careful to leave mistakes in his wake. Furthermore, that was his engagement


    party. Something must have gone wrong; you can ask him about it when he returns. Calm yourself.”


    ke sighed. Once more, he apologized solemnly to the Moores. “We''re terribly sorry. Having raised


    Ery, I know she''s a good girl, and there must be a reason for what happened. I also noticed her looking


    quite pale during the party, which might have been a symptom of a fever. She must have been in


    delirium.”


    Alina agreed with her father. “My niece is a good girl and definitely not one to hold grudges. Cayden


    also exined that it had been due to her fever. I hope you can forgive her.”


    ke and Alina were trying their best to devise an excuse for Avery turning down the proposal and


    gaining the Moore family''s understanding.


    They believed Avery would not reject him on such an asion without cause.


    Lily sipped her tea elegantly, with a nk expression as if to say whatever happened at the wedding


    was not her concern.


    Allie, on the other hand, was incensed. She jabbed a finger at ke and Alina. “Bullsh*t! How dare you


    mention that shameless thing! It runs in the family, I see! All of you Rumpleys are rotten to the core.


    How dare she humiliate my son during their engagement party? Let me make this clear—as long as I


    am a Moore, Avery will never be one!”


    The Rumpleys turned pale.


    ke was an honest man who had never endured such humiliating admonishment.


    He was so angry that he spluttered, “You...”


    It runs in the family? She''s insulting all of us!


    ke had always known Cayden as a decent man born to a wicked woman. This other facet of her


    identity was a nasty surprise.


    ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .


    I thought this rich woman was hot-tempered, arrogant, uptight, and disdainful of poverty, perhaps even


    stern with her new daughter-inw. As long as Avery remained careful and respectful, on top of the


    prospect of a great-grandchild... People are emphatic creatures, and Allie would have epted my


    granddaughter of humble origins.


    However, ke did not expect Cayden''s mother to be cruel and unreasonable to have cursed his


    granddaughter and insulted him and his daughter.


    I have never met such an unreasonable woman who would nder us so. How could I feel safe to


    marry my dear, sweet granddaughter off to the Moores?


    Despite ke already trembling in anger, Allie did not cease her barrage but continued her onught.


    “What about me? Let me be clear—I don''t ever want Avery to be my daughter-inw. That shameless


    woman has gotten pregnant before marriage. She seduced my son to live with her and now refuses to


    leave the Moore residence. Isn''t she ashamed of herself? She should be grateful to my son for


    lowering himself to marry her. How dare she humiliate Cayden in public like that? Do you Rumpleys not


    teach your young manners? Or are all of you of the same ilk? A rotten apple never falls far from the


    tree.”