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Chapter 49: Mr. Gage to the Rescue
Lindsay’s heart skipped a beat the moment she saw the man who had just entered the room. It was him—the renowned Mr. Gage from the powerful Gage family of Seattle. Manuel.
The Baldry family, despite their wealth and influence, could never afford to cross someone of his stature. Lindsay’s initial panic was immediate, but she quickly masked it with a sly smile.
Her eyes flicked back to the blurry surveillance video, silently calculating. The figure in the footage was still too unclear to identify, and for a moment, she convinced herself that it was merely the “playboy” reputation of Manuel that had drawn Ainsley into his orbit. Maybe he wasn’t truly interested in Ainsley after all. With his social standing, why would a man like him settle for someone like her—someone who had been married before, someone without the noble background of Kaitlin?
Lindsay’s mind raced, her panic subsiding as she reminded herself that she still had a strong ally in Kaitlin, a woman of grace, breeding, and education. If there was any woman capable of winning Manuel’s favor, it was Kaitlin.
But Lindsay wasn’t going to back down now. Not after going so far to ruin Ainsley’s reputation. She wanted more than just to expose Ainsley’s supposed affair. Lindsay needed Ainsley out—out of her son’s life and out of the Baldry family’s fortune. And now that she had the Gage family’s shadow looming over the room, Lindsay knew she had to act quickly.
“Back then, this woman, Ainsley, was all too eager to ingratiate herself with the Baldry family,” Lindsay began, her voice laced with venom. She glared at Ainsley, not caring that the others in the room were watching. “I don’t know what kind of spell she cast on my son, but she got him to accept her as his daughter-in-law. But after the divorce, Ainsley didn’t just walk away. No, she tried to extort money and property from the Baldry family. She shamelessly humiliated us.”
Lindsay’s words dripped with malice, and she could feel herself growing bolder with each accusation. “And now, to top it all off, she’s out there spreading rumors about an affair with my son’s ex-wife’s lover! How can anyone let a woman like this stay at the university? She’ll ruin the school’s reputation just by existing.”
Manuel remained silent, his cold gaze flicking between Lindsay’s tirade and Ainsley. His imposing presence filled the room, but he didn’t make a move. He was waiting.
The school leaders, though uncomfortable, were careful not to speak out against Lindsay, knowing full well the political weight she carried. But the discomfort was palpable. They had seen Ainsley’s performance at the university and knew she was an exceptional professor. It was hard to believe the accusations Lindsay was throwing around.
Lindsay, sensing the silence, pressed on. Her tone was triumphant, convinced that Manuel wouldn’t dare get involved in something so beneath him. “And now that she’s been exposed for her vile behavior, I demand she be expelled from this institution. This kind of woman should never have a place here.”
But before anyone could respond, Manuel’s deep voice cut through the tension like a blade.
“If I recall correctly,” he began, his words calm but dripping with authority, “the place in the surveillance footage is the Pearl Hotel. And the man covered by a mosaic is me.”
The room fell silent, and all eyes turned to Manuel. The leaders were stunned, exchanging wide-eyed glances. They had no idea Manuel had any connection to Ainsley.
Ainsley’s heart skipped a beat as she looked up at Manuel. There was a strange warmth in his gaze, a subtle promise of support, and something deep inside her stirred. She hadn’t expected him to step forward so decisively. If it had been any other man, he might have distanced himself from the rumors to protect his reputation. But Manuel was different.
Manuel continued, his voice low but unmistakably firm, “I never imagined that sharing a meal with a friend would lead to being dragged into an affair scandal. This is the first time something like this has happened to me.”
The cool, calculated way he addressed Lindsay made the air feel even heavier. His gaze turned cold as he fixed her with an unwavering stare. The atmosphere in the room seemed to crackle with tension.
Ainsley couldn’t help but smile slightly at Manuel’s words. “Indeed,” she said, her voice calm but laced with quiet humor. “If Mr. Gage hadn’t arrived in time, I would have been labeled a woman having an affair. Nowadays, rumors don’t require much—just a few words and a blurry image.”
She cast a glance at Lindsay, her eyes filled with both mockery and disdain. It was almost amusing how far Lindsay and Kaitlin were willing to go just to damage her reputation. The lengths they’d taken to fabricate rumors were shocking, yet Ainsley wasn’t surprised. Their desperation to destroy her was becoming laughable.
Manuel’s imposing figure moved smoothly as he stepped closer to Ainsley. The faint scent of snow clung to him, a presence that seemed to calm the storm inside her. She felt a sense of relief, knowing he was there by her side.
His voice dropped even lower, almost a whisper, but his words struck like a hammer. “If I remember correctly, it was your son’s lover who came back. He then asked for a divorce from Ainsley. Ainsley, being the kind-hearted person she is, agreed to let them be together. She helped him marry his former lover.”
Ainsley glanced up at Manuel, her surprise fleeting as the pieces clicked into place. Of course Manuel would know about all this. He must have investigated her before offering to help treat Serina’s psychological issues. His ability to gather information was unsurprising, given his resources.
Manuel’s gaze turned back to Lindsay, his tone growing sharper. “Mrs. Baldry, before I divorced Mr. Baldry, he had already been involved with Ms. Packer. Who exactly is the one guilty of cheating here?”
The room shifted uncomfortably. No one could ignore the implication of Manuel’s words. The truth, harsh and undeniable, had been laid bare.
Ainsley’s confidence grew as she continued, her words steady. “Mr. Baldry wasted three years of my life. When we divorced, he voluntarily offered me the house and money as compensation. How is that extortion? I’ll say it again—if you and your family have any issues, we can settle this in court.”
Lindsay’s face paled as she heard Ainsley’s calm response. The woman in front of her was no longer the meek, compliant daughter-in-law she had once known. Ainsley was eloquent, poised, and unafraid to stand her ground. Lindsay seethed at the thought of this woman—this interloper—defying her so openly.
Manuel, sensing the tension, looked at Lindsay with an unreadable expression. “Mrs. Baldry,” he began, his voice dangerously quiet, “remember one thing. The Gage family is the largest shareholder at University of Washington. If your family continues to apply pressure to expel my friend, don’t blame me for taking action and removing the Baldry family’s shares from the university.”
The air in the room was thick with the force of Manuel’s words. His aura was so intense that no one dared to move or speak, as if the very space around him had become an unspoken battlefield.
Lindsay’s face froze. She knew the Baldry family’s connection to the Gage family was tenuous at best. The Gage family could easily revoke their influence, leaving the Baldrys with nothing.
Raymond, sensing the shift in power, quickly stood up. “Ainsley, we apologize for the distress this has caused. We will work to ensure that these rumors are stopped, and no further damage is done.”
Ainsley nodded, her expression still calm. “It’s okay, Mr. Ford. Thank you for your understanding. If there’s nothing else, I should return to my work.”
She turned to leave, not wanting to stay a moment longer in the room where Lindsay’s hate burned through the air. Manuel followed her, the two of them leaving together.
As they walked out, Ainsley felt a sense of relief wash over her. Manuel had stood by her, unwavering and decisive. With him at her side, she knew she could face anything.
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