Female Novel
Chapter 752
Chapter 752
When Cody was declared not guilty and released in court, the entire room erupted in cheers.
Not only were there official media reporters present, including Sylvia and her group, but also some of
Cody's friends and former colleagues who had come early due to their concern for him.
Outside the courtroom, a crowd of reporters who couldn't get inside swarmed towards Cody and
Franklin.
"Mr. Wright, how do you feel about being released in court?"
"Going from a high-ranking figure to a defendant, what does that feel like?"
"Your future as the head of Larro is probably in jeopardy. How do you feel about becoming an ordinary
person?"
"How do your family and friends view you now?"
The reporters fired off questions at Cody like rapid gunfire.
Franklin frowned, exuding an aura of coldness.
His powerful presence felt like an army of thousands. He stared at the reporters, his eyes filled with a
chilling gaze. In a cold, unemotional tone, he said, "Please make way. My client will not be taking any
interviews."
The reporters were momentarily stunned by the lack of warmth.
So icy...
So frigid...
It was only at this point that they instinctively turned to Franklin, whose face was cold as ice, as if he
were covered in a layer of frost. Just one look from him sent shivers down their spines, making them
feel uneasy.
For a moment, no one dared to utter another word.
"Cody!"
Just then, Mrs. Wright suddenly pushed through the crowd.
She was dressed in a deep blue velvet suit, wearing low-heeled shoes.
Her face had a light layer of makeup, and although she seemed carefully dressed, it couldn't hide the
exhaustion and thinness on her face.
It seemed she had been going through a tough time lately.
Her flight had been delayed, and she hurriedly made her way here, waiting outside since her arrival.
She was growing anxious.
Now, seeing Cody coming out unharmed alongside Franklin, her anxious heart finally found some
relief.
With tearful eyes, she held Cody's hands. "Cody, you've suffered."
"It's nothing, as long as our family is back together," Cody replied with a soft smile, looking at Mrs.
Wright. "You've lost weight. Why did you lose so much weight?"
"It's because I've been worrying about you. I couldn't eat or sleep properly."
Mrs. Wright looked away, tears rolling down her cheeks.
It had been too long, feeling like their family had been apart for a century. The taste of it was truly
unbearable, something she never wanted to experience again in her lifetime.
"Mom, don't cry here. Dad's been acquitted; this is a happy occasion. Let's go celebrate," Brayden
walked over and gently patted Mrs. Wright's shoulder. "I've reserved a private room at Balfax Hotel for
us. Let's have a meal, welcome Dad back, and thank Franklin for helping with his exoneration."
"Brayden, you're absolutely right," Mrs. Wright nodded. "Let's go."
They moved forward, and the journalists surprisingly didn't dare to crowd around. Under the imposing
presence of Franklin, they instinctively made way, watching as the group got into two black cars and
drove away, leaving them in the dust.
Sylvia and Franklin took one car, and the Wright family took the other.
Cody's acquittal brought immense joy to Brayden, who promptly booked several tables at Balfax Hotel.
He excitedly called some of Cody's old friends and comrades to join the celebration. However, the
responses were unexpected.
Many of those who had once considered Cody a close friend turned down the invitations.
Brayden fell into silence for a while, his voice tinged with guilt. "Dad, there's something I need to tell
you."
Cody, with a gentle expression, asked, "What is it?"
Brayden struggled to find the right words.
Mrs. Wright glanced at him sideways and asked, "Are those uncles and aunts of yours coming?"
It was only then that Cody realized his wife and son had invited other people. Given his current status,
having been acquitted but without a job, he immediately understood his son's unspoken words.
Now that he was no longer in power, those people probably wanted nothing to do with him, even
though he had been proven innocent.
But to Cody, it didn't matter.
"Today's welcome-back feast might not have many attendees, just our family and Franklin," Brayden
said, his voice heavy with disappointment.
Cody's eyes dimmed briefly, but he smiled and understood his son's intentions.
He was acquitted, and Brayden wanted to throw a grand celebration to show everyone that he was
innocent. However, these people now had thin skin and weren't willing to attend without a sense of
obligation.
"Dad, I thought you'd finally be out, proven innocent, and I wanted to make it a cheerful event. But...
many people said they had other commitments," Brayden said, growing more disheartened as he
spoke.
Cody didn't care about these superficial matters and didn't let them bother him. He said, "It's okay, it's
just a regular family dinner, right? Fewer people make it more comfortable. I just wanted to have a chat
with our own people; the rest doesn't matter."
Brayden sighed and didn't say anything more.
Jenna was also feeling the weight of the situation, and she softly comforted Cody, "Godfather, I... I can
play the piano for you later, okay? What song would you like to hear?"
Her attempt at comfort might have been a bit awkward, but it touched both Mrs. Wright and Cody
deeply. They could tell that she genuinely cared about the Wright family.
Mrs. Wright wiped a tear from the corner of her eye and said, "Jenna is such a sweet girl."
She held Cody's hand and continued, "Cody, it's okay. If no one comes, we'll have our meal together.
We'll have a couple of drinks to shake off the bad vibes."
Meanwhile, Brayden lowered his head to send a message to Franklin on Facebook.
Sitting in the other car, Sylvia noticed Franklin let out a sigh and leaned back in his seat. She couldn't
help but ask, "What's wrong?"
Franklin replied, "Nothing, Brayden called to invite people for dinner, but not many are coming. I was
thinking of inviting a few of my MI6 members to liven things up."
He leaned his head back, his handsome face clouded with frustration. Cody's release from prison had
been meant to send a clear message to Urgford and others, letting them know that the Wright family
hadn't been defeated. However, with so few attendees at the welcoming feast, it felt like the message
had been lost.
Franklin began sending messages on Facebook, reaching out to MI6's core members and other friends
he knew. As Cody had lost his job and position, with only Brayden remaining outside the world of
politics, Urgford and others likely assumed the Wright family was done for and wouldn't rise again.
While Brayden was the CEO of Maskelyne Group, the real power rested with Franklin, making Urgford
and his associates believe that attending this feast was a waste of time.
So, one by one, they found excuses to decline. Now, they probably viewed Cody as dispensable, and
the Wright family as incapable of making a comeback.
Franklin couldn't help but let out a wry smile. He couldn't stand seeing his close friend's family
mistreated like this. Those who chose not to attend now might regret it later.
Sylvia had similar thoughts to Franklin. She lazily sat in her seat, reaching out to her acquaintances
through Facebook.
She wasn't particularly fond of large gatherings, but her sister and brother-in-law were hosting this
feast, and someone had to show up, right? The absence of guests was a sign of disrespect, and she
was not pleased.
An inexplicable sense of anger swelled within her, especially when she thought about Mrs. Wright's
tears and her recent weight loss. It made her even more furious.
Disrespecting Mr. and Mrs. Wright equaled to disrespecting herself.
Sylvia directly posted a message in the Secretly, Greatly chat group:
Zero: [Lunch at Balfax Hotel, who's free to join for a meal?]
Wind: [Me, me, me! I'm in!]
Alby: [I just arrived in Urgford for business, just got off the plane. Share the address with me.]
Ward: [Darn it! Another dinner invitation? I'm in Aettosa!]
Chad: [I'm still in Middle Evroya, really want to come back! Annoying!]
Sylvia shared the address in the group: [Waiting for you all.]
After posting, she called Jonathan, "Lunch at Balfax Hotel at noon. It's my brother-in-law's welcome-
back feast, and my sister is there too. Bring your mom; they used to be great friends."
Jonathan, Jasper, and Franklin had all met before. Jonathan was the young master of the Bennett
family and a well-known esports player.
She then called Adriel, "Old man, come over to Balfax Hotel for a meal."
Sylvia wasn't finished. She made another call, "Weston, come to Balfax Hotel for a meal."
They all knew Weston, the owner of that auction. He had extensive connections in Urgford and was a
prominent figure.
But even such a person had to listen when Sylvia called.
Still not enough, Sylvia dialed another number, "Blake, are you in Urgford? How about joining us for a
meal?"
Blake...
The name sounded strangely familiar, and Jasper had a vague sense of déjà vu, but he couldn't recall
where he had heard it.novelbin
The calls continued, and after Blake, there was someone named Arian, from the Dawson family?
Jasper felt a bit overwhelmed.
It seemed that Miss Andrews knew quite a few people in Urgford.
Jasper also thought of something else: their Howlett family had a reputation in Urgford, and he decided
to invite Mrs. Howlett for lunch. He sent her a Facebook message, "Mom, come to Balfax Hotel for
lunch at noon and join the gathering. Yes, Miss Andrews is here. Mr. Maskelyne is also here."
Franklin watched Sylvia closely. She was flipping through her phone contacts, her delicate and
beautiful face slightly lowered, her sharp chin giving her an extra touch of charm. Her demeanor was
exceptionally cool, yet impossible to ignore.
At the entrance of Balfax Hotel, Katie and Kareem, the siblings, sat in a corner of the lobby, gazing out
of the window casually.
"It's your birthday today, and Uncle invited many celebrities to celebrate with you. Why aren't you
happy?" Kareem took a sip from his water glass.
Katie pouted, "It's the same every year, just eating and banquets. It's so boring."
Her eyes glanced toward the entrance, where a familiar face was greeting guests. When she saw that
face, her whole body tensed, and her voice cracked.
"Why is he here?"