The Return Of the Invincible Heiress
Chapter 143

Chapter 143: Chapter 143

The comments section blew up below the news. I’ve done a comparison using some software, and it’s definitely Alexander’s girlfriend. Check out these photos—the side profiles are spot on. The car shape and that red mole behind her ear? Same!

[This news keeps getting buried. Every time it climbs to the top, it drops right back down. Someone doesn’t want this to blow up.]

[Latest update says that two nights ago, Madalyn got a call in the hotel’s back garden. Then she put on her hat and left alone, heading towards the Shoreline Shrine. It was drizzling that afternoon, so the surveillance cameras didn’t catch her clearly. They only saw her enter a small forest, and she never came out. The deceased was dressed just like Madalyn that day.]

The police’s first conclusion is that the deceased is Madalyn Acevedo. They think she might have committed suicide. What do you think?

[It’s over. If a tourist dies there, and there’s no solid evidence of foul play, they will just chalk it up to suicide. Wasn’t that how that hotel death case got closed last month?]

The mocking comments kept rolling in.

[I told you, the women at the bottom who want to climb up and become a rich lady—it never ends well for them.]

[She was stunning. Wouldn’t it have made more sense to find a decent job or marry a guy with just enough cash? Why poke the bear with the Moran family and the Powell family? Now she’s gone for nothing.]

Someone chimed in: [Do you think the Moran family or the Powell family had anything to do with this?]

[Word is that Anabel secretly called Madalyn in while Alexander was on a business trip. Madalyn moved out of her apartment the next day, quit her job, and flew overseas to lie low.]

Avery sighed as she scrolled through the comments. Surviving in a wealthy family was no joke. After thinking for a minute, she shot a message to Alexander:

[Did you see the news about Miss Acevedo’s "corpse" showing up at Lani Island?]

Alexander replied right away, but his first concern was for her: [How did the surgeries go for your grandparents? Are they okay?]

Avery: [Thanks for asking! The surgeries went well, and they’re recovering nicely.]

Alexander: [That’s great to hear.] Then he added: [I think you already figured it out. She’s faking her death and making sure the corpse gets discovered to shift the blame onto Anabel.]

Avery: [I’m curious—how did you manage to show her ID and passport without raising any red flags?]

Alexander sent a smiley emoji: [Come on, Miss Carter, you’re smart enough to figure it out.]

Avery: [I bet Madalyn has a twin sister. When she’s out there, she’s using Madalyn’s ID and passport. The real Madalyn is in on it, making sure everything goes smoothly.]

Alexander sent her a thumbs-up: [Not only are you the most beautiful girl I’ve ever met, but you’re also the smartest.]

Avery’s heart raced, and she felt her face flush. ’Oh wow, why is he complimenting me out of the blue? I wasn’t ready for that.’ She touched her face and grabbed a big glass of water, gulping it down like it would help her cool off.

Alexander didn’t seem to notice how he made her feel. He kept messaging: [Her name is Jaylin Acevedo, 20 years old. Her sister is Madalyn, who’s four years older. They’re not twins, but they look a lot alike. A lot of people think they are. They’re about the same height, so Jaylin can easily pass for Madalyn.]

Avery sent an exclamation emoji: [How’s the reaction from the Graham family and Powell family so far?]

Alexander replied: [No word from the Powell family yet, but people online are starting to think Anabel is behind all this.]

When Avery read that, she felt a thrill of satisfaction. But then she wondered: ’Why do I feel this way? Do I really dislike Anabel? Well, I guess so—she’s been pushing Alexander.’

She asked: [Is Anabel’s birthday coming up in two days? Are you really planning to get yourself kidnapped?]

Alexander: [I’m thinking of going to Lani Island to take the body myself. I’ll say Madalyn has no family or friends, so I can bury her there. That way, I’ve got a solid excuse not to go to Anabel’s party. Plus, I’ll make it look like I got kidnapped there.]

Avery: [Good luck with that. I’m rooting for you!]

Alexander: [Thanks, Miss Carter.] Then he asked: [So, what’s next for you?]

Avery replied: [I’ve been in the hospital for a week, and I’m pretty tired. I’m just gonna stay home and sleep like a sloth for the next few days.]

Alexander sent a smile emoji: [Even as a sloth, you’re still the cutest, Miss Carter.]

Avery felt her cheeks heat up: [Thanks for the compliment!]

Alexander shot back another smile emoji: [I’m really happy to hear from you. Gotta get busy now, though. Catch you later.]

Avery: [Later!]

However, after the chat ended, she felt a little lost. ’When exactly will "later" be? Ugh, I’m definitely happy, but something feels off. What’s wrong with me? Maybe I just need a snack. I’ll head to the kitchen. Food always helps,’ she thought.

So, she wandered into the kitchen and opened the fridge. She grabbed a slice of blueberry cake, nibbled on a couple of spicy chicken wings, munched on two slices of duck confit, heated some beef brisket, and finished off a box of ice cream. Only then did she feel a bit better.

’Okay, yeah, I might gain a few pounds tonight,’ she said, rubbing her belly. ’But who cares? I’ll just hit the lab tomorrow and do some tough experiments. If I really work my brain, I’ll definitely lose that weight back.’

So, the next day, she didn’t lounge around like a sloth. After packing up some of her mom’s homemade food, she raced to the lab and stayed until it got dark. Once done with the experiments, she flopped back on the sofa, feeling tired, and pulled out her lunch box. While eating, she clicked on her phone to check the news.

She expected to see updates about Alexander heading to Lani Island, but the headlines that came up were totally different:

[Asnaoya’s Diamond Mining Field, Fully Funded by the Moran Group, Has Been Attacked, Resulting in Heavy Casualties]

[Asnaoya’s Illegal Armed Forces Claim Responsibility for the Attack and Are Demanding the Moran Group Hand Over the Diamond Mining Rights]

[The Moran Group Has Poured a Ton of Money Into the Diamond Mine in Asnaoya. If They Pull Out Now, They’ll Take a Massive Hit!]

Avery couldn’t believe what she was reading. She clicked on the article to get the details. Just two hours earlier, a group of armed thugs had rolled in with two trucks, firing wildly to grab the cash meant for employee salaries. They then stormed into the warehouse and made off with raw diamonds that hadn’t even been shipped out yet. The whole ordeal lasted only ten minutes. By the time the local police and military showed up, the criminals had vanished.

Before leaving, the armed group made it clear: if the Moran Group didn’t back down, they would target the mining site again.

The stats were grim—over twenty employees, administrators, and security guards were killed, and more than thirty others were injured. Most of the victims were locals, leading to the mine shutting down temporarily. The local government vowed to hunt down the culprits and was even considering taking back the diamond mining rights to prevent further violence.

The report also mentioned that the diamond mine got its 20-year mining rights through a competitive bidding process seven years ago, but it only started making a profit four years ago. They’re still in the red and trying to make back their initial investment. If the Moran Group had to give up its mining rights now, they would take a big hit financially.

Avery couldn’t resist digging deeper, searching online for more info about the diamond mine. What she found surprised her. This whole project was something Lucy had pushed for despite a lot of pressure from the board. At the time, the site was barren, with no guarantees of success. Even the experts were skeptical about whether it would actually produce any diamonds.

After Alexander took over as CEO of the Moran Group, he kept a close eye on the diamond mining project, pouring in a lot of money and resources during the later stages. If things went south with this investment, he would likely face some serious consequences.

Avery sighed as she rested her chin in her hand, thinking: ’Alexander’s really been having a rough time lately. What is he gonna do now?’

Just then, her phone buzzed. It was Alexander.

"Hey, Miss Carter. Got time?" he asked, sounding as calm as ever.

"Yeah, I’m free. Where are you now?" she answered.

"I’m flying to Asnaoya tonight to take care of some things. Before I go, I’d like to treat you to a meal. There was a hint of seriousness in his tone. "I might be back soon, or it could be a while. I just want to have a meal with you before I leave."

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