Chapter 474


    Nathan spent a lot of money to pay off those who filed thewsuits against Crystal; as a result, all


    lawsuits were withdrawn. Even the old man who tried to ckmail Crystal eventually withdrew his case


    after epting one million as a pay-off from Nathan.


    Needless to say, Crystal would not be put into prison now that allwsuits had been withdrawn, and


    she would be released within 24 hours. However, Natalie couldn’t bear the thought of Crystal spending


    another minute in jail, so she came and pester me about this matter.


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    I roared as I couldn’t take it anymore, “Has she ever treated me as her cousin? I don’t think so. Why


    should I help you guys when you did nothing but bully me? Don’t take me for a fool.”


    Natalie stopped pestering me after that. Then, I picked up a newspaper that was sitting on the shelf


    and flipped through it. There was news coverage on economic development and some other news in


    Avenport. Then suddenly, I noticed a piece of news in a small section of the newspaper.


    Darius was re-elected and appointed as mayor. On the other hand, more than a dozen officials filed a


    joint report to use the Walker family of embezzlement and siphoning funds. As a result, the Walker


    family failed to run for the position of mayor.


    I was a little stunned and read it a few times again. In Avenport, there was none other than the Walker


    family who was a huge threat to the Lane family. The Walker and the Lane families had a long history


    ofpeting with each other, and this oue was rather surprising.


    It was rumored that the Martins were rted to the Walkers. Thest time I met Monica, I perceived her


    as someone dangerous. One night, when I woke up in the middle of the night, I overheard Christopher


    on the phone with someone, and Monica’s name was mentioned.


    I walked over quietly and leaned against the door.


    Christopher said in a whisper, “Monica, together with Benson and Crystal, are working together with the


    Walker family to go up against us. Thanks to Crystal, we can’t depend on the Smiths and the Tanners


    anymore. You have to be careful, Darius. Mitchell is a shrewd person, don’t be careless, and you’d


    better watch your back.”


    Upon hearing that, I realized that Monica coborated with the Walker family to go up against the Lane


    family. That’s utterly ridiculous. Monica had always talked about how much she loved Christopher, but


    yet she kept doing things that anger him. Does that approach count as loving someone?


    The whole charade by Monica and Crystal was just to go up against the Lane family. They probably


    couldn’t stand seeing me together with Christopher and tried to break us apart.


    Many times, I had asked Christopher about this privately. But he would always tell me to ignore those


    petty matters and just focus on my paintings. But how could I ignore those so-called petty matters?


    Unfortunately, even if I knew what was going on, I wouldn’t be able toe up with a solution.


    I’m so useless.


    Thank goodness that the ploys by Monica and the Walkers didn’t work. I was relieved that their


    conniving ways did not affect the Lane family and Christopher.


    When I went to pick up Crystal, I saw her squatting in the corner behind bars. Her sunken eyes were


    downcast, and she looked so forlorn. She was no longer high-spirited as before.


    Her bed was upied by another woman whom she shared in the cell.


    “Crystal, someone is here to pick you up,” the guard shouted as she opened the door.


    A look of surprise shed in Crystal’s eyes before she jumped up and shouted at the fat woman in her


    cell, “I’m telling you, don’t be too happy. My mom is here to pick me up. And I have told you before,


    once I’m out of here, I will screw you over. Just wait and see.”