After Prison I Rushed into Marriage with a Comatose Tycoon-Chapter 147: Alright, I’ve Been Bought Off

「The Gymnasium」

The Lockwood Group had scheduled the press conference here.

Eliza Sutton arrived early in the morning.

She was just recovering from a serious illness, and her face was still pale.

Crystal Harrison was the first to greet her, her eyes filled with worry. "Eliza, it’s blown up into such a mess. What are we going to do?"

"What are we going to do? We’ll do what needs to be done, of course," Pearl Lockwood said as she walked in with Brenda Preston.

Dressed head-to-toe in luxury brands, she held her chin high, as arrogant as a princess.

Pearl Lockwood was eleven years younger than Shane Lockwood and had always been closely protected by him. She enjoyed the best of everything in the world and was, indeed, like a princess.

Pearl Lockwood looked haughtily at Eliza Sutton and said, "Eliza Sutton, today your crime of plagiarism will be confirmed in public. Then, not only will you have to get out of the Lockwood Group and the design world, but you’ll also win yourself a nice pair of silver bracelets. Isn’t that a happy thought?"

Brenda Preston added, "Our Head Designer must be very happy. How could she not be, getting a chance to revisit her old home? Head Designer, am I right?"

Brenda Preston’s face was full of derision, and she looked at Eliza Sutton as if she were a pitiful creature in its death throes.

Eliza Sutton looked at Brenda Preston. "It’s not over yet. Aren’t you afraid all this gloating will come back to bite you?"

Brenda Preston dropped her pretense, her face dripping with mockery. "Eliza Sutton, sometimes I really have to admire you. Even at a time like this, you’re still worried about me being proven wrong. Do you really think you have a chance to turn the tables? Or do you think these lawyers are just for show?"

As Brenda Preston finished speaking, the lawyer who had come in with her took a step forward.

The lawyer adjusted his glasses and said, "Miss Sutton, I came to see you before but was unable to meet with you. I hope that after the press conference, we’ll have time to discuss how your plagiarism has damaged Miss Lockwood’s reputation, as well as the reputation of the Lockwood Group."

"Of course. And at that time, I’d like to talk to you about others damaging my reputation through malicious slander and defamation."

Pearl Lockwood sneered, "Stubborn to the bitter end."

Eliza Sutton ignored her.

Just then, Dulcie Vaughn came in. "The press conference is starting. President Lockwood asks for you."

"I’ll be right there." Eliza Sutton looked at Crystal Harrison’s worried expression and gave her a small smile. "It’s nothing. I’ll be back soon."

The press conference was about to begin, and the live stream had already started.

Emmett Lockwood sat in front of the television, his little face etched with worry.

Eva Monroe was so anxious she couldn’t sit still.

Eva Monroe said, "What do we do? What do we do? Isla Sutton’s reputation is going to be ruined this time!" She looked at Emmett Lockwood. "You little thing, your aunt is really ruthless. Just what I’d expect from the Lockwood family."

Emmett Lockwood’s little face was tense, but he couldn’t refute her. He just said, "I’ll protect Mom. If I can’t, I still have Dad. If my dad refuses, I’ll threaten to jump off a building. You know my dad... he can’t have any more kids. I’m the only child he’ll ever have. If I threaten him like that, he’ll definitely be scared. That way, Mom will be safe."

The corner of Eva Monroe’s mouth twitched. To so casually say his own father couldn’t have more children... he was truly his father’s son.

Eva Monroe said, "Even if you can protect Isla Sutton, her reputation will be destroyed. Isla Sutton is incredibly proud; she’ll be heartbroken."

Emmett Lockwood pressed his lips together and said, "You’re right. My mom’s reputation can’t be ruined."

"Then what are you going to do?"

"Auntie Eva, I remember you modeled for Innis. Do you have Saul Reynolds’s phone number?"

"Yes."

"Give it to me. I need to call Saul Reynolds."

「The Gymnasium」

Saul Reynolds was on the phone with Emmett Lockwood. "...No problem, I agree. Consider me bought... Seriously. Truer than gold. If you don’t believe me, just you wait and see."

Saul Reynolds hung up the phone and couldn’t help but chuckle when he saw Eliza Sutton walking over.

Eliza Sutton glanced at him sideways. "What’s so funny?"

"I’m happy for you. Boss, you have no idea. Young Master Lockwood just called to bribe me, asking me to persuade Innis to deny the plagiarism accusation."

Eliza Sutton froze for a moment, then the stern expression on her face melted away like spring snow. That child was always so thoughtful.

Seeing Eliza Sutton whispering with Saul Reynolds, Brenda Preston sneered, "Eliza Sutton, if you think bribing General Manager Reynolds now is going to help, you’re a fool!"

Eliza Sutton glanced at Brenda Preston. "You never know. Maybe I already have?"

Saul Reynolds chuckled beside them. "Miss Sutton is just giving it a try. After all, there’s no harm in trying, right?"

Brenda Preston watched Saul Reynolds and Eliza Sutton walk in together, grinding her teeth in hatred. ’Go on, be smug. I’d like to see how long you can keep that up!’

「Inside the Conference Room」

The reporters had arrived long ago. An arsenal of cameras and equipment was set up, and they were whispering amongst themselves in the audience. When they saw Eliza Sutton enter, they immediately started pointing and murmuring.

"So that’s Eliza Sutton. She’s good-looking, but she’s got some nerve. How dare she plagiarize Innis’s work? That’s unbelievably audacious."

"Beating other designers with a stolen masterpiece from a famous artist... that’s just shameless."

"What’s even more shameless is that she planned to use this plagiarized piece as Miss Lockwood’s coming-of-age ceremony dress. If it hadn’t been discovered in time, and Miss Lockwood had actually worn a plagiarized work for her ceremony, she would have been utterly humiliated. But the worst-hit is the Lockwood Design Department. As a leader in the design industry, they let a plagiarist run rampant. They’ve completely lost face this time."

"The Lockwood Group has to get its reputation back somehow. This time, Eliza Sutton is probably going to be locked up for a very long time. But then again, she was a criminal to begin with, so she’s just going back to her old stomping grounds. In that sense, she should be thanking Manager Preston. Manager Preston is sending her home."

"Later, after Eliza Sutton admits her guilt, we have to make her thank Manager Preston. Even kindergarteners know to say ’thank you’ these days. Surely Eliza Sutton isn’t worse than a child."

"It doesn’t matter if she refuses to admit it. The lawyer Miss Lockwood personally hired won’t let her off the hook. This Eliza Sutton is finished."

As Eliza Sutton walked in, this kind of talk was incessant.

Everyone who looked at her had an expression that said they were enjoying the show.

Saul Reynolds gloated, whispering very quietly, "Boss, what do they call this? Public enemy number one?"

Eliza Sutton replied, "Something like that." She stroked her chin. "I wonder if the Lockwood PR department prepared any popcorn."

’It’d be nice if I could just eat some popcorn while I watch them all get worked up.’

’If you ignore the fact that they’re all cursing me out, this whole thing is actually pretty entertaining.’

Brenda Preston also heard the comments. She was thrilled, her eyes gleaming with schadenfreude. "Eliza Sutton, do you see that? You’re completely finished. Don’t blame me; you brought this on yourself. You just didn’t know what’s good for you!"