The Mocked Miss’s Hidden Crowns novel Chapter 1378

Anthony stood tall, his shoulders squared, a stormy look clouding his usually composed face. You could practically feel the heaviness around him.

Kenneth listened, the tension in his own chest easing as reality sank in. He really had been too reckless. With his status now, showing up would only drag Emily into more trouble.

“As for me…” Anthony pressed his lips together, his expression turning even more serious. “All these years, she’s kept her connection to the Blair family a secret, fighting her way up in the entertainment world on her own. If I step out now, everything she’s worked so hard for would go up in smoke.”

People wouldn’t see her effort anymore. They’d only say she got this far because of the Blair name. That was all anyone would talk about.

“But she’s…” Kenneth glanced at Charlotte, who looked stubborn as ever. Something twisted inside him, a feeling he couldn’t quite name.

“Don’t worry.” Anthony slipped his hands into his pockets, a hint of a smile tugging at his lips. His voice was low and confident. “With Lottie on her side, who could possibly hurt her?”

Kenneth scratched his nose, finally giving in with a soft laugh. “Yeah, you’re right about that.”

…

On stage, chaos was brewing.

“Wasn’t J supposed to be here?” someone in the crowd called out. “If she’s switching partners out of nowhere, there better be a good reason!”

“Yeah, bring J out!”

“What, is she too scared to show her face?” a reporter shot back, his tone dripping with sarcasm. “Emily probably paid her off, right? Must have cost a fortune to pull those strings.”

Emily’s eyes went cold. She was just about to fire back when a clear, steady voice rang out across the room.

“Looking for me?”

She made it sound so simple, it was impossible to argue. The reporters all sucked in a breath, a chill running through the room.

“And for those saying Emily paid me off to get the rights…” Charlotte’s lips curled into a half-smile, eyes icy, her voice tinged with impatience as she spoke clearly and slowly.

“I’m giving all rights to Storm to Emily. For free.”

The room went silent.

Reporters gaped.

Sabina was shell-shocked.

The audience sat there, stunned, not sure what to think.