Abigail closed the email, stunned by the severity of Halden Group’s punishment for Daniella.

Just then, Leon approached and whispered, “I asked Mr. Newman if he pushed for the industry blacklist. He said it was Mr. Robinson’s call.”

Abigail frowned, “But this is Halden Group’s internal affairs. Why did he get involved?”

Leon shrugged. “Who knows? Maybe he is protecting his investment in this joint project.”

Whatever Sebastian’s motives, Abigail was grateful. With that blacklist, no company would dare hire Daniella.

Not long after receiving the email, Abigail’s phone rang. It was Gabriel. She didn’t answer. But soon, the calls started pouring in. Bianca and Stephen also kept calling her.

Facing relentless calls, Abigail finally answered.

“Come home after work,” Gabriel threatened. “If you don’t, you’ll regret it.” With that, he hung up.

Abigail stared at her phone, lips curling into a mocking smirk.

Abigail waited until after dinner before returning to Gibson Villa. The moment she stepped inside, the oppressive silence hit her like a physical blow.

It reminded her of years ago, when Daniella had killed someone with her car, and the house had felt exactly like this. Back then, this kind of tension had terrified Abigail for months in prison.

“Abigail,” Gabriel’s voice cut through the stillness. He stormed over the second he heard her footsteps, shouting without even hearing her side. “I never thought you could be so vicious!”

Right after he finished, Abigail heard Daniella wailing loudly from the living room. “Abby, if you resented me for taking your place as the Gibson family’s heiress, you could’ve just said so.

“But why did you team up with Halden Group’s R&D staff to smear me and ruin my career?”

Abigail studied Daniella’s tear-streaked face with detached amusement. “Has anyone ever told you that your true talent isn’t in design but in acting?”

“How can you make such sarcastic remarks? Dani is suffering like this.” Gabriel grabbed Abigail by the collar, dragging her forward. “You must clear her name with Halden Group! Tell them she had nothing to do with those rumors. Or else…”

“Or else what?” Abigail met his glare. “You’ll ban me from seeing my grandpa or beat me to death right here?”

She was done holding back. The Gibson family was engaged in business. They knew an industry blacklist from a giant like Halden Group meant irrefutable evidence. Yet here they were, still defending Daniella like brainwashed people.

“Abby, please,” Bianca interjected, trying to mediate. “Don’t provoke your father. Can’t we just talk this through?”

Stephen, usually Daniella’s fiercest defender, remained unusually silent today.

Gabriel glared at Abigail. His face turned livid with rage, his words failing him. Daniella, his meticulously cultivated heiress, now faced an industry-wide blacklist. That meant everyone in high society would know what she had done.

With her reputation in tatters, the Fletcher family would definitely no longer consider a marriage alliance with the Gibson family. What was worse, other families would shun the Gibson family like plague carriers.

Gabriel wanted to beat Abigail up. Because of her, his proudest daughter had become a blacklisted name in the industry, and his dream partnership with Halden Group lay in ashes.

Chapter 82

Abigail said coldly, “That blacklist order came directly from Sebastian, Halden Group’s partner. Daniella could accuse me of conspiring with R&D, even company execs, but could I possibly manipulate Sebastian into framing her?”

A mocking smile curled at the corner of her lips as she shoved Gabriel back with surprising force. “I’d have come back tonight even without your call. I knew even with irrefutable proof, you’d still blame me for her downfall.”

Gabriel staggered, nearly falling. His rage boiled over. He raised his hand, ready to slap Abigail.

“Enough!” Bianca caught his wrist. “Can you be reasonable? Hitting her won’t fix what’s happened to Dani.”

Stephen finally spoke, “That’s right, Dad. If you want Abby’s help, shouldn’t we talk this through?”

Daniella’s eyes darted between them. Her voice was trembling. “You’re… taking her side after what she did to me? Don’t you even care about me? I never made those fake photos. I’m innocent!”

“Dani, I believe you are innocent.” Bianca rushed to embrace the weeping Daniella, stroking her hair. “But hurting Abigail won’t fix this.”