Chapter 246

The air in the dining room turned icy.

Richard Lowell set down his chopsticks, his sharp gaze sweeping over his son and daughter.

"What are you doing?"

Victoria Lowell noticed their intertwined hands, her brows knitting together involuntarily.

"William, let go of Emily first."

William Lowell snapped out of his daze and quickly released Emily's hand.

He composed himself, his tone calm. "Someone is spreading rumors about Emily online. I've sent people to handle it."

Richard scoffed. He didn’t need to guess who was behind it.

"Go ahead."

William grabbed his phone and hurried upstairs, his retreating figure betraying a hint of haste.

Emily immediately put down her bowl and chopsticks.

"Mom, Dad, I’ll go check on the situation."

With her father’s silent approval, she practically fled the room.

Victoria stared at the staircase, hesitating.

"Richard, don’t you think—"

"Think what?" Richard cut her off impatiently.

"Their relationship... isn’t it too intimate?"

Richard slammed his teacdown.

"Is it wrong for siblings to be close? Should they be at each other’s throats like Sophia to be considered normal?"

Victoria fell silent but filed the thought away.

Under the pretense of clearing the table, she quietly followed them upstairs.

Emily pushed open William’s door without knocking.

"Big brother..."

Her voice carried its usual fragility.

William stared at his computer screen, his expression dark.

Only when she entered did his features soften slightly.

"Why did you come up?"

"Those photos..." Emily's eyes welled with tears.

"I’ve already taken care of it." William rubbed his temples.

Seeing his sister’s distress, he instinctively opened his arms.

Emily threw herself into his embrace.

"Don’t be afraid. We’ve done nothing wrong."

Though the intimate moments captured between Emily and their brothers had surprised him, he quickly rationalized it.

Siblings raised together since childhood were bound to be close.

Emily relaxed into the familiar warmth of his arms, exhaling quietly in relief.

She had always been careful, reserving such closeness for private moments.

She never expected to be caught on camera.

Sophia!

Her teeth clenched, venom flashing in her eyes.

It didn’t matter.

She still held the trump card.

That video of Sophia fooling around with gangsters at the hotel would ruin her completely.

When the time came, everyone would see Sophia for what she truly was.

Then, let’s see how the Valdemars would still accept that bitch.

She had deliberately kept this video when destroying evidence.

Now, it would become her deadliest weapon.