Suddenly There Are Three (Bailey and Artemis)

Chapter 50

“Yes. Someone had spiked my drink. After that, I somehow ended up inside this room where I ran into

Ms. Rhonda. But I did not touch her, I swear.”

Narrowing his eyes, Artemis turned to regard Ken. “Get some people over to the scene and look into

the beverages to see whether there are any issues with them.”

“Understood.”

Felicity walked in from the outside, and a frown appeared between her brows when her sights fell upon

Rhonda. “What's up with you? How did you end up here?”

Rhonda's emotions became gradually settled through Beatrice's pacifying. Wrapping her arms tightly

around herself, the former then started choking up, “I've been set up. Mom sent me back here to pick

up some clothes, and when I was passing through the side passage, someone knocked me out and

forced some drug down my throat.”

With that, she lifted her head to regard Felicity with teary eyes. Then, she continued in a hoarse voice,

“Laurence is Max's granduncle and my future uncle so how could I possibly... You have to be the judge

of this, Mrs. Luther. I've been set up by some wicked people.”

Looking up at her son, Felicity asked solemnly, “How do you intend to handle this?”

While Artemis' gaze fell upon Laurence., his eyes betrayed nothing about his thoughts.

Considering how the two matters were intertwined, he reckoned that Luther Group's reputation would

surely suffer if he should choose to do nothing about it.

Certainly, none of that really mattered to him, for his primary concern was with his son. What would

others think about the boy should word of this spread?

Even if they would not say anything nasty to his face, what would they say behind his back?

He was positive that his son would be turned into a laughing stock.

As a father, he saw it as his responsibility to provide a conducive environment for his child to grow.

“Have the family doctor come over. If they had both been drugged, this matter must have been

perpetrated by a third party.”

With that, he scrutinized the reporters all around him. His keen eyes conveyed an implicit look of

deterrence and caution. “If they were set up, then they too could be considered victims. I trust that

every one of you here is a reasonable person who would not seek to compound upon their misery.”

The masses exchanged knowing looks with each other.

Artemis' message to them was obvious. He was indirectly using his tone to hint that they were to

surrender the photos that they had just taken.

“What are you suggesting, Mr. Luther? Are you forcing us to leave our film behind?”

Artemis' lips curled up while he turned his attention to the reporter with brows perked up. “If you do not

wish to leave your film, you can always leave your camera behind instead. Rest assured that you will

not stand to lose, for I am offering to acquire your equipment at three times its value. Of course, you

also have the option of calling up your boss to get him to make a trip down to Luther Group's

headquarters, as I'd be happy to have a chat with him in my office over his company's financing

matters.”

That was as overt a threat as any and had that reporter so spooked that he shuffled back a couple of

steps.

Scanning through the faces in the crowd, Artemis let out a subtle smile. “Luther Group has wielded

influence in Hallsbay for many years, and I believe that all of you may yet continue to benefit from our

presence here in the days to come. If we could all be discreet about the events that took place here

tonight, I have no doubt that there would be more opportunities to collaborate abound. However, should

anyone here cause a leak that affects my son's reputation, then do not blame me for being merciless.”

The crowd collectively shuddered.

How could they have forgotten about Maxton?

If word about the night's incident were to get out, the first person to be implicated would be the young

princeling of the Luther family. As his father, there was no way Artemis would allow his own son to

become embroiled in such a fiasco.

Clack!

Someone had already opened up and retrieved a roll of film from his camera which he handed over to

a bodyguard at the side.

“I'm with Metropolitan News, Mr. Luther. Every shot I've taken tonight is in that roll of film that had been

handed over to your bodyguard. I swear that I'll not breathe a word about anything that I've seen here.”

That yielded a smile from Artemis. “In the coming six months, you will be given access to Luther Group

for your coverage of finance-related news. Send your company's representative to Luther Group to

discuss the relevant details of this collaboration tomorrow.”

The man responded with delight, for exclusive rights to cover financial news concerning Luther Group

would be enough to make his company a real windfall.

“This is Beau Monde's film, Mr. Luther...” Belonging © NôvelDram/a.Org.

“This is ours from The Lowdown Global...”

Seeing the perks the reporter from Metropolitan News received prompted the rest to produce their own

rolls of film from their cameras which they passed along to the bodyguards.

When Artemis cast a glance in the way of his subordinates, they got the hint and approached the

masses to conduct a body search.

Returning from the front courtyard, Ken had in hand a goblet with wine stains left on it.

“I've ascertained that there are indeed traces of a drug inside of this wine glass, Mr. Luther, but I am

unable to determine its source for the time being as it is way too chaotic out there.”

The family doctors from the two families hustled in just as his voice trailed off.

As though she had grabbed onto a lifeline, Beatrice immediately spoke up, “Quick, Dr. Zelinski. Come

over here and have a look at Rhonda to see whether she had been drugged.”

I can't look dejected, and I have to stay calm. There will be a way to turn this around.

She was convinced that so long as they were adamant that someone was out to get Rhonda, there

would be no way the Luther family would be able to blame it on her daughter.

On top of it, Laurence's involvement means that the Luther family would likewise be bound to secrecy if

they wanted to preserve their own reputation.

There was a palpable shift in Bradley's expression after he had examined Rhonda. “This is

tremendously powerful stuff. Who was it who wanted to set up Ms. Rhonda? It's simply abominable.”

Immediately, Beatrice signaled to her daughter with her eyes, and in the next second, Rhonda bawled

aloud. “I told you that someone wanted to set me up. Would you believe me now, in light of the

evidence?”

Two alerting beeps accompanied the arrival of a message on Artemis' phone.

Pulling it out to check, he found that it was from Maxton.

Come over quickly, Daddy. We're at the boulevard outside of the Jefferson residence. Bailey has been

drugged, and she's not in a good condition.

The color drained from Artemis' face.

For a moment, he thought that the woman had managed to get away unscathed, but it was not the

case.

“Stay where you are. I'll be right there.”

After sending the message out, he looked up at Ken. “Send Laurence back to the Luther residence. I'll

sort him out after I return,” he said staidly.

With that, he turned to regard Felicity. “Max has run into a bit of a problem on his end, so I have to go

over to him. Please oversee things here. I'd have to make a move first.”

Upon learning that her grandson was in trouble, Felicity had to take her attention off consoling Rhonda.

“Then go to him at once,” she said anxiously.

“Yeah.”

On the boulevard outside the mansion where they were, the agitated Maxton and Zayron were pacing

back and forth.

“Didn't Bay say that the drug wasn't strong? How did she completely lose herself then?”

Sweeping his loose bangs away from his forehead, Zayron seethed, “Why the heck are you asking me

that for? Isn't your mother the one who did the drugging? Why don't you go and ask her that instead?”

Uh...