Chapter 147: Never Admit Defeat
Diana remained oblivious and hung up the phone to find someone to do it. Over the past four years, Caroline’s deliberate acts of kindness had misled Diana, who didn’t think of her that way. In Diana’s eyes, Caroline had always been a poor girl with a gambling father, an unreliable mother, and essentially a lost sister. With Anna’s life-saving grace, Diana naturally leaned toward Caroline, preferring her over Claire.
Caroline was aware of this. Given that Diana had always been pampered, she was naive to the darker sides of human nature.
Meanwhile, Claire focused on her own plans, unaware of Caroline and Diana’s schemes. She was still seeking a chance to ask Frederick to help clear her criminal record. Her concerns grew when she saw the trending hashtag, “[People who can get to the top know how to have fun].” The hot search featured photos of Frederick and her, accompanied by a flood of biased comments reminiscent of the previous scandal.
[It’s possible that there was nothing. He’s just stayed out for a night occasionally.] [Child, you are so naive. Go home and find your mother.] [Those in the know know that those who can reach this level are very good at playing tricks.] [There’s nothing that others can’t exploit, only things beyond our imagination.] [A minor action can uncover a wealth of information. Investigating this small lead might reveal a shocking secret.]
The implications of this trending topic, while not as severe as the last scandal, could still significantly impact Frederick’s presidential campaign.
As expected, Frederick soon called. Claire raised her eyebrows at the opportunity. “I saw the hot search,” she stated directly upon answering. “So you know what to do,” Frederick replied tersely. “I do, but I have one condition,” Claire countered.
“You think you can negotiate conditions with me?” he frowned, surprised by her boldness. “I’m not qualified, but that won’t stop me from speaking my mind,” she retorted.
She had accepted her fate, but it didn’t mean giving in, nor did it mean she had to obey everything. She knew that she couldn’t beat Frederick, and she didn’t want to make herself suffer anymore. If a bit of negotiation could yield benefits, she was willing to try. “This isn’t a condition. It’s a mutual benefit,” she clarified. “Given our public relationship and the recent video, we’re both in a precarious position. My criminal record could become a liability for you, especially now during your campaign, so it would be wise to clear it before it escalates.” Claire laid out her reasoning clearly.
“Claire, this is your idea. Do you think I will agree?” Frederick scoffed, not expecting her to approach him this way. Although he recognized the logic in her argument, he was wary of her motives. If she cleared her record, she could seek employment and potentially distance herself from him. When he thought of this, the first thought that popped into Frederick’s mind was that Claire would try every possible means to escape him. “I’m just stating the facts. Whether you agree is up to you,” she continued. “Given your current power, I can’t force you to make your choices. If you agree, I’ll be better off. If you don’t agree, there’s nothing I can do.”
Claire was neither humble nor arrogant. She knew very well that at this moment, it would be useless even if she knelt down and begged Frederick. If it was useful, she wouldn’t have been sent to prison four years ago.
“I can agree, but only if you please me and satisfy my demands,” Frederick reluctantly replied, setting conditions that made Claire clench her fists in frustration.