CHAPTER 40: CHAPTER 40: BATHED IN MOONLIGHT, HER BEAUTY DOES NOT BELONG TO HIM

Vera Hansen first frowned and carefully read it through, then she checked online platforms and laughed.

"It’s nothing."

She continued choosing clothes, saying nonchalantly, "You just don’t understand."

"They’re testing me."

The caretaker didn’t understand.

For once, Vera Hansen patiently explained, "If they really wanted to hold me accountable, they should have publicly issued this lawyer’s letter, not just sent it to my email."

"I still don’t understand," the caretaker said, puzzled.

"They want to see how I handle it," Vera Hansen said, "If I panic and fear like you, then they can make outrageous demands."

The caretaker was still confused, "So how should it be handled?"

"Just bait them, don’t pay any attention," Vera Hansen laughed, picking out a dress from the many gowns.

She said, "Because Jasper Ford wouldn’t dare to do anything to me, after all, I’m not just Julian Lawson’s person now, but also a... pitiable person about to die."

As she spoke, Vera Hansen struck that classic expression of a beautiful and tragic figure.

"If Jasper Ford doesn’t want to be killed by his two brothers, he’d better not trigger any public opinion issues."

After saying this, Vera Hansen tossed her things to the caretaker, instructed them to iron the clothes, and went to sleep.

...

Time flew by quickly.

The next evening soon arrived.

Early in the morning, Jasper Ford came to pick up Serena Sterling.

Bianca Lynch was unhappy, saying Serena still needed to rest.

Ethan Lynch was the one who persuaded Bianca Lynch.

Watching them leave, Bianca Lynch looked helplessly at her brother.

"Brother, you just let Jasper Ford take her away like that?"

Ethan Lynch nodded, "Yeah."

"But she..."

"Joy, don’t talk about these things recently. Some matters, if overdone, could backfire," Ethan Lynch said.

Bianca Lynch wanted to say something but ended up just nodding.

She also knew that for many years, the person Serena had liked had always been Julian Lawson and that she didn’t have any romantic feelings for her brother.

Ethan Lynch didn’t want to say more, so he changed the topic, "By the way, did you get the things you went for yesterday?"

"Yes, I got them, but there are some issues," Bianca Lynch said.

Later, it was Sasha who secretly went to get it, using a newly bought phone to swap the phone case, and took the old phone out before signing the confidentiality agreement.

This way, even if a confidentiality agreement is signed later, any leaks would have occurred before the contract was signed.

Bianca Lynch initially found it surprising how they could change the phones so easily after collecting them.

Because those phones were just placed in a desk drawer in an office, with people coming in and out occasionally.

Later, she discovered they weren’t worried about taking them because all the phones had been formatted.

In this era, there are experts in data recovery; it’s just unclear how advanced the methods of the company are for erasing data and whether the data recovery specialists she finds later can recover it.

Bianca Lynch asked Sasha for the phone.

Sasha didn’t even concern herself about it, because, after a live broadcast, there were so many staff and audience.

Not allowing phones, could they really not secretly keep one?

Besides, it wasn’t forbidden to leak information; they hadn’t signed the confidentiality agreement yet.

Sasha knew nothing about it.

"By the way, brother, do you know any data recovery experts? Can you recommend one for me?" In the hospital, Bianca Lynch asked.

"I’ll make some calls," Ethan Lynch replied.

Bianca Lynch nodded.

All these days, she felt very guilty.

Even though it wasn’t intentional, the loss of Serena’s child was caused by her fight with Vera Hansen.

Even though Serena never blamed her for it.

Serena didn’t even mention wanting to keep the child and comforted her that it was going to be lost anyway, and it wasn’t her fault.

She knew Serena did it on purpose to make her feel less guilty.

Just like many years ago when Serena took her to get scars turned into sister tattoos.

...

Night fell.

Outside a certain Hillside Villa in Aeston, luxury cars of all sorts were in constant parade.

Countless people gathered here.

From the foot of the mountain, a multitude of reporters and paparazzi were lurking.

Very few journalists had the official entry pass, but today, many influential figures from Aeston were present, and the paparazzi wouldn’t want to miss this spectacle.

If they captured something sensational, it could sell for a lot of money!

Thus, from the foot of the mountain to the large parking lot at the Hillside Villa, there were people everywhere.

As one luxury car after another passed by, flashlights were endless, turning the night into day.

Serena Sterling and Jasper Ford were seated together in a Ferrari, the car slowly climbing the hill.

The charity banquet tonight was for sick children, so the dress shouldn’t be too extravagant.

Serena wore a simple silver satin gown that hugged her slender figure beautifully.

She still wore a mask, different from the one during the live broadcast, to match her gown; it was a silver and white half-face mask with an opening around her mouth for wine tasting.

Serena sat in the passenger seat next to Jasper Ford, and as the car slowly ascended the hill, the bright moonlight shone on her, making her seem bathed in moonlight.

This charity banquet was hosted by the Ford Group, essentially a Ford Family affair.

Thus, as soon as Jasper Ford’s car stopped at the parking lot in front of the Hillside Villa, it immediately drew everyone’s attention.

Especially when they noticed the masked woman in the passenger seat.

"Irene?"

"Is that Irene, the woman wearing the mask?"

"Third Master, may I ask what your relationship with Irene is?"

"Third Master, are you making a public announcement by bringing Irene to this event?"

...

Reporters and paparazzi swarmed around, thrusting countless microphones toward them.

Fortunately, the security measures here were excellent; seeing the commotion, the bodyguards immediately came to clear the crowd.

Jasper Ford didn’t answer immediately but got out and went to the passenger seat, opened the door, and helped Serena out.

This action made the reporters and paparazzi even more desperate to take pictures.

As countless people continued to ask questions, Jasper Ford glanced at Serena.

Serena nodded slightly.

Only then did Jasper Ford speak, "Indeed, this is our Ford Entertainment’s artist Irene by my side. She is accompanying me today, just attending normally, nothing else. Please don’t over-speculate."

Since she is an artist under them, and taking her out during the promotional period of "Heavenly Sound" to boost her popularity is normal.

After all, there will be an online voting segment for "Heavenly Sound," and online marketing support is crucial.

But how could reporters and paparazzi be satisfied with such news? It had to be explosive, at least confirming Irene as Jasper Ford’s girlfriend.

So, each of them tried to push forward.

Just as Jasper Ford was getting unhappy, suddenly, a cry of surprise came—

"My god, what am I seeing, isn’t that Julian Lawson’s car? The Julian Lawson who has only attended three banquets in seven years actually came?!"