Female Novel
Chapter 242 Highest Authority
Chapter 242 Highest Authority
Clara sat there, her expression dark, still trying to recover from the shock of the news.
Aleena looked worried as her eyes darted at everyone. She tried to say something, but after several
attempts, she couldn't muster the courage to get it out.
Because of the way she'd come to her position, even if Clara accepted her, Aleena rarely had a say in
the Dawson family.
Much less in a situation like this.
So she looked pleadingly at Philip, hoping that he could take a stand for Jessica and say something in
her favor.
But Philip had always been fearful of Clara. Not to mention that Jessica had gone ahead and
kidnapped someone this time. That was a crime.
The good thing was that Jessica had now been married off, which meant that many things could be
pushed off of him. If the Dawson family still involved him in the end, he didn't know how much backlash
he would have to deal with.
Thinking of that, he shot a resentful glare at Jessica.
Jessica hadn't expected him to take such an attitude. Her temper flared, clogging her throat. She felt
like she had a volcano building in her chest, ready to erupt.
After a long while, Clara spoke.
"Is there any other evidence than that driver of yours?"
Jessica shook her head.
"None, I'm sure of it. I've taken care of the four other people in that cellar in secret. I'd also given that
driver enough money to make a run for it after the job was done and taken care of the car myself. I
didn't think his license plate would get caught on camera."
Hearing that, Clara nodded.
"If there's no other evidence, that's good. At the end of the day, if they've found the driver, they don't
have any actual proof pointing to you. Wait it out for a while, and I'll have your father ready some
money for you. Don't get involved in this personally. Leave it to Julia. She knows what to do."
Jessica nodded to show her understanding.
Seeing Clara's approach, Aleena relaxed.
Turning, she looked at Jessica and worried, "What about that recording online now? And the video
where Rosa testifies against you has to be doing some damage to your career; have you thought about
how to deal with it?"
At that, Jessica's rage intensified.
She'd been so confident sending Rosa to frame Natalia. Look where she was now.
As if she'd been slapped hard across the face.
She gritted her teeth and snarled, "That bitch betrayed me. I won't let her go!"
Philip scoffed. "What else can you do but let her go? Now that she's willing to testify in Natalia's favor,
Natalia will definitely protect her. Natalia's no worry by herself, but what if Archie gets involved? You
want the Dawson family to go to war with McCarthy?"
To that, Jessica's words caught in her throat, and she had no idea what to say for a moment.
However powerful the Dawson family was in Julio, they couldn't dare stand up to the McCarthy family.
They were the highest authority in Eqitin, after all.
Forget them, even the Millers and the Kaurs shied away from offending each other.
Jessica lapsed into silence, and Clara waved Philip off impatiently.
"All right, all right. You're her father but you always say such discouraging things."
As she spoke, she turned to look at Jessica.
"Head back for now. I'll have your father send you the money. Remember to discuss things with Shawn
after you get back. Discuss between the two of you if anything comes up. Don't hold it in."
Jessica nodded.
After she left, Aleena finally relaxed and got up, heading to the kitchen to make dinner.
But just as she stood, Clara called out to her.
She stared Aleena in place, none of her earlier gentle kindness in her gaze as she said coldly, "Come
with me. We need to talk."
Aleena paused, then nodded.
"Sure."
The second floor. Clara's bedroom.
Her body relaxed as she reclined on her rocking chair, looking at Aleena in front of her.
"Jessica's stepped in it this time. Other people don't, but I know Natalia. Her play's encompassed
Jessica entirely this time. Anything off, and Jessica won't recover from this."
Hearing that, Aleena's brow furrowed with worry.
"Do you have any thoughts, Mom?"
Clara nodded.
"You remember the necklace Natalia got back from me that time?"
Aleena jolted. "I do, why?"
"That's an important memento of her mother's. A pity it's a fake."
Aleena's eyes widened in shock.
Clara took out a redwood box from a side drawer.
Opening the box revealed an antique ruby necklace inside, wrapped in a silk sheet.
"This is..."
"Does it look similar?"
Aleena hurriedly nodded.
"At first, Kiera thought nobody knew that she'd switched the child. A shame. How would I not remember
how a Dawson looks like? She might have been a baby in the cradle, but her nose and her eyes look
nothing like Philip's. Does she really think I'm blind? But since the child came from good stock, Inovelbin
decided it wouldn't be a bad thing to raise her. Just a girl at the end of the day. If she brings us glory
and wealth one day, it wouldn't have been for nothing. But that damn brat turned out to be just an
ungrateful traitor! All those years of affection wasted on her. If she doesn't care for it, then I have no
further need to protect her."
Clara was still speaking, but Aleena was already shocked beyond words.
She'd guessed a little as to Natalia's background, but only a vague outline, not this much detail.
She'd thought that the old woman hadn't even found out about it, but she'd known all along.
Not just that, it was all part of her plan!
Aleena went slightly pale, cold sweat running down her temple as she felt a chill crawl up her spine.
Clara acted like she hadn't seen her face and continued, "Now that this has happened with Jessica, if
Archie really does follow up, even our family can't protect her. So her only choice now is to really
become that woman's daughter in Natalia's place if she wants to rid herself of her tainted reputation,
and help the Dawson family on our way up the ladder. Wouldn't you agree?"
Aleena didn't know how to react. After a pause, she nodded awkwardly.
"You're right."
"Then you understand what you have to do, don't you?"
"I..."
Understanding something, Aleena's eyes widened in disbelief.
Clara looked at her, her face shadowed, her eyes bright and glaring with imperious authority.
She opened her mouth and didn't manage to get anything out for a long while.
Finally, she lowered her head.
"I understand."