In the hotel lobby, Dennis sat on the couch, Winona dutifully at his side. They watched Liam exit the elevator, but neither moved. Dennis held his head high, his arrogant expression betraying his dismissive attitude toward Liam. Liam, having worked with Howard for years, had seen his share of people. He noticed Dennis hadn't even acknowledged him. Liam simply sneered inwardly.

Slowing his pace, Liam approached Dennis and Winona, stopping before them. Only then did Dennis lift his head slightly, offering a cursory glance without any intention of conversation. In Dennis's view, a mere secretary wasn't worthy of his attention.

Winona stood, speaking softly, "Mr. Davidson, Grandpa and I are prepared. May we proceed to meet Mr. Yates now?"

Liam smiled politely, replying, "I apologize, but Mr. Yates is currently unavailable. It seems unlikely you'll be able to meet him today."

Winona recoiled, her face paling, her demeanor disoriented. Unsure what to do, she looked to Dennis. Even he was momentarily stunned, his disbelief evident in his expression. His hand, gripping his cane, trembled with anger. He'd assumed the Smith family's influence in Seacrity guaranteed a meeting with Howard. Howard's refusal, Liam realized, signaled his support for the Chambers family.

Dennis's expression hardened, his aged eyes gleaming menacingly as he fixed his gaze on Liam. Liam maintained his polite smile, seemingly oblivious to Dennis's hostile demeanor. Internally, however, Liam felt nothing but disdain. He mused, 'Intimidating me? Consider who I've worked for, who I've encountered. Years alongside Mr. Yates exposed me to individuals far more ruthless than Dennis. The truly terrifying ones, like Ms. Zeller, exert pressure and instill fear with a single glance, wielding power without anger.'

Given the unfolding drama, whispers about Winona and Dennis spread through the hotel. People pointed and whispered; Winona heard some remarks but dared not react, lowering her head and clenching her hands. Dennis, annoyed, glanced at her, tapped his cane, and walked out. Winona followed timidly, silent.

After they left, Liam dropped his pretense of politeness and departed.

News of the Smith family's alleged tax evasion spread rapidly across major websites overnight. Across Seacrity, the news dominated phone screens. The Smith family had avoided paying over three billion dollars in taxes. A decades-long bribery scheme involving the family and Seacrity officials had been exposed, implicating Daniel, recently embroiled in scandal, as a recipient of bribes. The Smith family had paid him $160 million for land two years prior. Furthermore, they'd used substandard materials, causing elevated formaldehyde levels that led to leukemia in children from over ten families. They'd violently intimidated the parents of the sick children, silencing complaints and driving two parents to suicide by jumping from buildings. These revelations transformed the matter from an economic issue into a criminal one, potentially resulting in severe legal consequences.

The scandal caused a massive uproar. Wyatt was awakened by a midnight call from his secretary. Checking his phone, he was instantly alert. A second list exposing more officials bribed by the Smiths left him shocked. With a possible transfer to Betrico looming, he knew this issue, mishandled, could end his career. He swiftly held a late-night meeting with uninvolved officials, detaining those implicated and cutting off their external communication. He held four consecutive meetings throughout the night. The situation threatened to explode at daybreak. Without a swift resolution, public anger could become uncontrollable.

As predicted, Seacrity's official Twitter account was flooded with comments early in the morning. Hundreds of thousands of retweets and comments poured in within ten minutes, the numbers escalating rapidly. Netizens commented: “[Is this accurate? The Smith family is truly evil. Shocking enough that they evaded taxes, but they were also in cahoots with criminals!]” “[The Smith family can go to hell. Despite massive profits, they used substandard materials. The suffering of those families is heartbreaking.]” “[Those were children! Innocent! Their parents committed suicide. They must be punished severely! I suggest the Smith family pay with their lives.]” “[Agreed. They deserve to die a thousand times over.]” “[Agreed. I wish we could see the Smith family torn to shreds.]” “[I’ve always believed the Smith family is rotten to the core. Remember yesterday’s press conference? The head of the Chambers family revealed Nellie’s children aren’t his. I’ve heard Winona is a liar, using fake work to deceive people. The Smith family is awful!]” “[The authorities should investigate thoroughly.]”

Public outrage exploded online. Newspapers rapidly revised their content, replacing original articles with urgent reports on the Smith family's tax evasion, bribery, and criminal connections.

Nellie slept soundly. The next morning, she found the living room empty, unlike the usual breakfast preparations. She suspected laziness, stormed around, and discovered the servants in the garden, engrossed in their phones. She angrily scolded them, "What are you doing? Are you being paid by the Smith family to loiter and gossip? This is disrespectful! I can fire you all! Prepare my breakfast!"

The servants, fed up with the Smiths, dropped their brooms. "Mrs. Chambers, no need to fire us. We no longer wish to work for the Smiths. Check your phone!" The others agreed loudly. They were ordinary people, angered by the Smith family's actions. One cursed, "Nellie, the Smith family is ruthless! They're going to hell!" Another echoed, "Yes, God is watching."

Nellie stared in disbelief at their audacity. Before she could retort, they turned and left resolutely. Seeing their determination and recalling their words, a bad feeling washed over Nellie. She rushed inside for her phone. At the door, she met a flustered Zeke. He exclaimed, "Mom, terrible news…"