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.

The reputations of the Evans and Fowler families might seem at stake, but ultimately, they wouldn't suffer significant damage.

Vanessa's goal seemed to be to break up Edwin and Laura so she could marry him herself, but she failed to understand Edwin's true nature.

He cared little for public opinion, focusing only on his loved ones, which would only strengthen his resolve to protect Laura.

The influence of the Smith family was indeed considerable in Duefron, but against a united front from the Evans and Fowler families, they could still face significant opposition. The outcome hinged on the decisions of the elder family members.

After a lengthy silence, Vanessa finally responded in a low, defeated tone, "I can't turn back now! I love him!"

And with those words, the call ended abruptly.

Sighing lightly at the complexity of the situation, Alexis went back to work and left the law firm around 8 pm, ready to head back to her apartment.

As she reached the parking area, she noticed a Lotus Evora parked nearby.

It was unmistakably Leonel's.

Through the rolled-down window of the car, Leonel's handsome face was visible in the early spring night.

Holding her briefcase, Alexis mused on his uninhibited behavior in bed, contrasting sharply with his more composed demeanor now.

She approached the car, tapping on its body.

“Waiting for someone, Mr. Douglas?" she inquired casually.

Leonel, with a slight tilt of his chin, simply said, "Get in.”

Alexis replied with a smile, "I drove here myself. You don't need to keep showing up like this. Next time we're in the mood, we can just meet at a hotel. It's actually more discreet—"