Single Mother of a Werewolf Baby
Chapter 136: The Stockport Scandal

Chapter 136: The Stockport Scandal

All major news channels suddenly cancelled their scheduled late-night programs and switched to live coverage from Stockport. Initially, they had been cautious after receiving a tip-off... shockingly, from within the opposition party... about potential criminal activities involving one of their own MPs, Oliver Brown. Only a few networks sent news crews to the area around Oliver Brown’s house, choosing a wait-and-see approach rather than breaking the story prematurely.

That changed rapidly.

A large police convoy unexpectedly arrived at Oliver Brown’s residence and cordoned off the entire area. Floodlights were switched on, armed officers formed a perimeter, and forensic teams moved in. That was all the confirmation the media needed. Almost every major outlet went live at once.

Within minutes, newsrooms across the country received a press release from the Chairman of the Opposition Party. The statement confirmed that Oliver Brown had been temporarily removed from all party positions. Whether he would be permanently expelled would be decided after a full investigation. The timing of the statement was deliberate, designed to align perfectly with the start of the police operation.

Inside the house, police discovered a shocking amount of evidence. A vast collection of stolen antiques... pieces presumed lost from the National Museum was hidden in a concealed underground vault. Alongside the artifacts, officers found significant quantities of illegal drugs, bundles of cash in multiple currencies, and a treasure trove of financial records that hinted at a broader criminal network.

As the Financial Crimes Division began verifying the documents, the Chief Superintendent of Greater Manchester Police’s Stockport Division stepped outside the cordon to address the press. Standing before the flashing cameras and shouting reporters, he delivered a preliminary briefing:

"Yes, the tip-off had come directly from the opposition party."

" Yes, they had found damning evidence."

"And yes, the investigation was now being escalated to national authorities."

The announcement sent a ripple of shock through the political world. Within minutes, phones began to ring across the Kingdom’s political elite. Government officials scrambled to understand why the opposition party would turn on one of their own so decisively... and publicly.

The answer came quickly.

Following the police statement, senior opposition leaders began appearing on multiple news channels. Calm and collected, they explained that internal suspicions had prompted a discreet investigation into Oliver Brown’s activities. When their findings became undeniable, they had chosen to cooperate with law enforcement rather than protect a criminal.

Their narrative was clear: "The party valued the integrity of the Kingdom above all else, even above political unity."

The public reaction was swift. The opposition party’s approval ratings skyrocketed as people saw what appeared to be a rare instance of political accountability. Analysts began speaking of a "historic moment" and praised the party’s transparency.

But not everyone was feeling patriotic.

Inside the homes of those connected to Oliver Brown... politicians, bureaucrats, and businessmen... the atmosphere was one of fear and panic. Many had done business with him, directly or indirectly, and now found themselves at risk of exposure. Desperate calls were made, but none reached Oliver. He and his secretary had vanished without a trace.

An hour after the initial police statement, the Chief Superintendent returned for a second briefing. His tone was more serious now.

He confirmed that Oliver Brown was suspected of being part of a nationwide criminal syndicate. In addition to the museum heist and drug trafficking, evidence of money laundering and tax evasion had been discovered. Surveillance footage from the surrounding area had been tampered with, strongly suggesting that Oliver had fled in advance.

All house staff were taken into protective custody for questioning. The Chief Superintendent announced that the local investigation had concluded and that the case would now be handled by the National Crime Agency (NCA), in collaboration with the Cyber Crimes and Financial Crimes divisions.

Just as the police concluded their field operation, a relatively unknown news channel dropped a bombshell.

Claiming to have "exclusive insider information," they released a scrolling list of fifty names allegedly linked to what was now being dubbed "The Stockport Scandal." The list included politicians, high-ranking civil servants, corporate executives, and other public figures. Although most of the politicians were from the opposition party, several from the ruling party were named too. Among the most shocking names were the current Leader of the Opposition and a handful of sitting ministers.

Even members of the opposition party not directly involved in the investigation were caught off guard. Phones rang nonstop as party members demanded answers and next steps. But those already briefed by the shadow team remained composed.

The party Chairman immediately requested an official list of suspects from Greater Manchester Police. The request was granted without hesitation, given the party’s role in initiating the investigation.

Shortly afterward, the opposition party convened another online meeting and took unprecedented action. Every member named in the GMP’s list was suspended from all party positions pending the investigation. A formal press release was sent to every major news outlet.

The nation watched In stunned silence.

In a single announcement, the opposition party suspended more than twenty of its sitting MPs... including their own Leader of the Opposition. It was a political earthquake. Nothing like it had ever happened before in the history of the Kingdom’s parliamentary system.

And yet, the move was met with widespread admiration.

If "The Stockport Scandal" had initially threatened to destroy the opposition party, their decisive response had turned the tide. Now, the public turned its attention to the ruling party. Several of its members were named in the leaked list. What would they do?

Caught off guard, the ruling party could only muster a vague statement. They promised to "hold all wrongdoers accountable" and announced that a full party meeting would be held the following day. The delay and ambiguity were seen by many as weak leadership.

Meanwhile, requests for a comment from the Prime Minister were met with silence. The absence of a direct response only fueled speculation. Headlines began to suggest that the Prime Minister was trying to protect his ministers.

Within hours after midnight, the story had completely dominated national discourse. Online news portals and television stations ran nonstop coverage. Hashtags related to the scandal began trending worldwide.

Opposition leaders remained highly visible during this time. They gave interviews, participated in town hall broadcasts, and even allowed cameras to cover their internal meetings. It was a deliberate show of transparency... and it worked. Public sentiment began to shift decisively in their favor.

In living rooms across the Kingdom, people stayed awake, glued to their screens. Some out of curiosity, others out of dread. But no one could deny the magnitude of what had just happened.

***

The Brown family was completely unaware of what was unfolding outside. Their evening had gone by as usual, and after dinner, most of them went to bed. The only ones still awake were the younger members of the family, who were either working on their own projects, watching movies, or playing games. None of them had the habit of watching news channels. As a result, while the entire nation was discussing Oliver Brown, the Brown family remained oblivious... safely tucked away in the protective bubble of their home.

By the time others called to inform them about the situation, it was already too late. The investigation had expanded to include their businesses. The panicked elders of the family tried to contact Oliver, but he was unreachable. Since Oliver was usually busy with work, even his wife hadn’t thought much of it when she noticed his phone was switched off earlier that evening. But now, with no sign of him and even his secretary unreachable, panic truly set in.

After some discussion, the elders of the Brown family decided to contact the Greymoore family and seek their help with the situation. However, the entire Greymoore family was at the coliseum, attending Lucian’s duel and cheering him on.

Initially, they ignored the calls, considering them unimportant. But when multiple calls came through from several elders of the Brown family, they finally picked up. After hearing the details of the crisis, they agreed to deal with the matter... but only after the duel was over.

The duel was starting to irritate the Greymoores. No matter how fiercely Lucian attacked, Ethan always managed to dodge. Though he had taken a few hits and his robe was now torn and tattered, it was clear to everyone that Ethan Raynor was still standing strong... fit as a fiddle.

But when they began receiving urgent calls from political allies, they sensed something was wrong. Due to the deafening cheers and shouts in the coliseum, it was difficult to catch all the details over the phone. One of the Greymoore elders quickly left the coliseum to get a clearer picture of what was unfolding in the kingdom.

When he returned, his face was grim. He quietly reported everything that had happened in their absence to the clan head.

Alistair Greymoore found himself caught between a rock and a hard place. If he left to address the crisis unfolding in the kingdom, it would appear as though he lacked confidence in his son and had abandoned Lucian’s duel. But if he remained at the coliseum, the damage back home could escalate by the time the fight ended.

The duel had already dragged on for more than two hours, with no end in sight. Although Lucian was giving it his all, Ethan continued to dodge his attacks with frustrating ease. Things were clearly not going in Lucian’s favor. At this rate, he would tire out and lose to Ethan.

Taking a deep breath, Alistair rose to his feet and said firmly, "You all stay here. It’s the Raynor Clan attacking our allies within the kingdom. I need to report this to the council members."