They stood ready to take action against the Smiths and any media outlets that had spread the scandalous story.

Determined to mitigate the situation, Alexis reached out to Vanessa, but found her unyielding and unwilling to back down.

Lowering her voice, Alexis tried to reason with her.

“Vanessa, while Edwin bears some fault, the main responsibility is still yours. We have to think about our families' reputations and futures. If you need to vent out your anger, confront Edwin directly. Our families won't even intervene. But don't take it out on Laura. She's innocent in all of this. Why target her so viciously?"

Alexis knew the real victim in this escalating scandal was — Laura.