Transmigrated Into The True Heiress-Chapter 136: Headlines

Her eyes fluttered open, hazy with sleep but filled with an urgency that stopped him in his tracks.

"Don’t go," she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper. "Please."

Lyle’s heart twisted at the vulnerability in her tone. She was always so composed, so unyielding. To see her like this, asking for him to stay—it made his resolve to protect her even stronger.

"I’m not going anywhere," he reassured her, his voice firm but gentle. "I’ll be right here."

He eased onto the edge of the bed, her hand still clutching his wrist as if letting go would somehow shatter the fragile sense of safety she had found in his presence. He reached out, his fingers lightly brushing over hers in a silent promise.

Ephyra’s eyelids grew heavier, her breathing evening out as sleep began to claim her once more. Before she fully succumbed to unconsciousness, she whispered one last thing, so faint he almost missed it:

"Don’t leave me alone, Lyle."

His chest tightened at her words, but he didn’t hesitate in his response.

"Never," he said softly. "I’ll never leave you."

And as the night deepened, Lyle stayed by her side.

———

In the heart of an expansive estate, sunlight streamed through the grand bedroom windows, gently nudging a young man awake. Stretching lazily, he rolled out of bed and padded across the polished marble floor to the adjoining bathroom. The sleek, modern space gleamed under the morning light as he washed his face and brushed his teeth, the crisp scent of citrus soap filling the air.

Dressed casually in a crisp white shirt and tailored lounge pants, he made his way downstairs. The scent of freshly brewed coffee and the faint hum of the television greeted him as he entered the spacious parlor. His father sat on a leather armchair, eyes glued to the news playing on a large flat-screen, the remote resting in his hand.

"Good morning, Dad," the young man greeted, his voice still tinged with sleep.

His father glanced up briefly, acknowledging him with a curt nod before returning his focus to the screen. Shrugging off the interaction, the young man turned and headed to the kitchen.

There, his mother stood by the stove, the rhythmic sound of her stirring a pan mixing with the faint crackle of oil. The smell of stir-fried vegetables and herbs filled the air. She looked up as he entered, her face lighting up with a warm smile.

"Good morning, darling. How did you sleep?" she asked, flipping the contents of the pan deftly.

"Morning, Mom. Slept fine," he replied, plucking a few slices of fruit from a neatly arranged platter on the counter.

As he bit into a piece of mango, she turned to him with a curious glint in her eye. "So, when is your boyfriend coming back from his business trip? You know, I miss having him around. He’s always such a delight."

The young man chuckled, shaking his head. "He should be back next week. He’s been busy, but I’ll let him know you’re asking about him."

She smiled, stirring the dish with practiced ease. "Good. It’s been far too long since he joined us for dinner."

Suddenly, a loud voice bellowed from the parlor, startling them both.

"Anna! Marcus! Get in here!"

The wooden spoon slipped from her hand, clattering against the edge of the pan. Muttering under her breath, she grabbed a cloth to clean her hands. Marcus, intrigued by the urgency in his father’s tone, hurried out of the kitchen, his footsteps quick on the tiled floor.

"Coming, Dad!"

A few seconds later, his mother emerged from the kitchen, wiping her hands dry with the cloth. Her expression was a mixture of annoyance and curiosity. "What’s all the shouting about? You scared me half to death."

His father didn’t look up immediately, his gaze fixed on the television screen. "I was watching the business news," he began, his tone grave. "There’s been a massive scandal involving Latham Laboratories, Aelion Laboratories, and Alc Architectures."

Anna frowned, crossing her arms. "What kind of scandal?"

Her husband turned to them, his expression grim. "The stock prices of both Latham Laboratories and Alc Architectures have plummeted to historic lows. And Aelion Laboratories just announced they’ve canceled their partnership with Latham Labs."

"What?" Marcus’s voice was sharp with disbelief.

"And that’s not all," his father continued, his tone heavy. "The CEO’s wife, Marianna Allen, has been arrested for attempted murder, assault, and several other crimes. It’s all over the news. It happened during the masquerade banquet last night."

Anna gasped, her hand flying to her mouth. "The masquerade party? The one celebrating Alan Latham’s engagement to that Allen girl?"

"Yes," her husband confirmed. "Apparently, the entire event turned into a fiasco. Details are still coming out, but it’s bad. Really bad."

Marcus’s mind raced, his thoughts buzzing with curiosity and disbelief. He exchanged a glance with his mother, who stood frozen in place, the cloth in her hands forgotten.

"What could’ve possibly happened at that party?" Marcus murmured, his voice barely audible over the sound of the news anchor recounting the night’s chaotic events.

Just then, notifications pinged on Marcus’s phone, breaking the tense silence. He pulled it out of his pocket and scanned the alerts, his eyes widening with each passing second.

"It’s everywhere," he said, turning the screen toward his mother and father. Headlines blared across social media and news sites:

"Scandal Rocks Masquerade Banquet: Marianna Allen Arrested for Heinous Crimes!"

- "What began as a celebration of love at Alan Latham and Myra Allen’s engagement party turned into a shocking exposé of crime and betrayal as Ephyra Allen, the stepdaughter of Marianna Allen, revealed damning evidence of corruption and attempted murder."

- "Eyewitnesses report that the once-timid Ephyra Allen confronted her stepmother in front of high-profile guests, leading to Marianna’s immediate arrest by authorities on charges including attempted murder and assault."

- "The Allen family’s carefully curated image has been shattered as new evidence ties Marianna Allen to a series of criminal activities, leaving the elite guests at the masquerade in stunned silence."

"Latham Laboratories in Crisis as Engagement Party Descends into Chaos!"

- "The highly anticipated engagement banquet of Alan Latham and Myra Allen devolved into chaos after Ephyra Allen exposed a web of criminal activities involving her stepmother and stepfamily."

- "Sources reveal that Latham Laboratories’ reputation is under fire following allegations of their CEO’s involvement in the scandal. Stock prices have plummeted in the wake of the public spectacle."

- "What was meant to be a glamorous celebration has instead unveiled a scandal that could potentially ruin Latham Laboratories’ standing in the business world."

"Aelion Laboratories Sever Ties with Latham Amidst Scandal!"

- "In a bold move, Aelion Laboratories announced the termination of its partnership with Latham Laboratories, citing concerns over the latter’s integrity following the shocking revelations at the masquerade banquet."

-*"Insiders speculate that the decision was influenced by Ephyra Allen’s explosive claims, which have cast doubt on the ethical practices of Latham Laboratories’ leadership."

- "This sudden severance marks a significant blow to Latham Laboratories, as Aelion Laboratories had been one of its most prominent collaborators in recent years."

Anna took a step closer, her hand trembling as she scrolled through the articles. "It says Marianna Allen orchestrated multiple crimes, including the attempted murder of her own stepdaughter, Ephyra Allen. But... how could this happen? Ephyra was always such a timid girl."

Her husband furrowed his brows, "Ephyra? Isn’t she Marianna’s stepdaughter? The one who’s been overshadowed by her stepsister all her life?"

Marcus frowned, leaning over to read the article. "Not anymore, apparently. Listen to this: ’Witnesses describe Ephyra Allen as calm and composed throughout the confrontation, taking center stage as she exposed her stepmother’s crimes. The young woman’s transformation has left many speechless.’"

Anna’s face paled. "That poor girl... But to think she’s the one who brought all of this to light. What about her father? Eliot? Did he know any of this?"

Her husband shook his head grimly. "From what I’ve seen, he seemed blindsided. There’s speculation he might have been complicit in some of his wife and daughter’s crimes, but nothing’s been proven yet."

Anna sank into the couch beside her husband, shaking her head in disbelief. "I always thought there was something off about Marianna. She always seemed too arrogant, too self-centered. But attempted murder? Assault? This is beyond anything I could’ve imagined."

His father leaned forward, his hands clasped tightly together. "It sounds like Ephyra revealed everything—her ex-fiance’s shady dealings, her stepmother and step-sister’s crimes, and who knows what else. The media is eating it up. This could destroy the Allen family completely

The television screen cut to a live broadcast from outside the police station, where reporters swarmed, shouting questions at a pale and disheveled Marianna as she was escorted inside by officers.

"Mrs. Allen, do you have any comment on the allegations against you?"

"Did you attempt to harm your stepdaughter?"

"How do you respond to claims of fraud and corruption?"

Marianna’s lips pressed into a thin line as she ignored the questions, her gaze fixed ahead.

Anna shook her head slowly, her voice tinged with both shock and pity. "This is going to tear the family apart."

Marcus turned away from the screen, a sense of unease settling over him. "Or maybe," he said softly, "it’s already been broken for a long time, and last night was just the tipping point."

As the news continued to unfold, the family sat together in the parlor, their breakfast forgotten. Each of them wondered what the fallout of this scandal would mean—not just for the Allen and Latham family, but for everyone connected to them.