C16 Fake Video.

Khloe's smile faltered and vanished. She bowed her head, tears cascading down her face.

Toby Fuller's brow creased with a hint of displeasure. He expressed his discontent with his grandmother's reaction, "Khloe's heart is in the right place; she's concerned about your health. She's the woman I care for. If you're upset with me, take it out on me instead."

The old lady's expression remained icy, offering no reply.

Taking Khloe's hand, Toby rose to his feet. "It's getting late," he addressed his grandmother. "Please get some rest. We'll leave you in peace now."

They had been there for less than ten minutes before making their exit.

Nanny Brown approached the old lady with a sigh. "Madame, why let yourself get so worked up over Toby?"

The lady of the house gently caressed the jade bracelet on her wrist, musing, "Khloe is no ordinary girl. Toby has even defied me for her sake."

As Nanny Brown tucked in the blanket, she reassured, "He holds the utmost respect for you."

The old lady offered a knowing smile, yet remained silent.

Few knew that Sonia Reed had risen to become the Pageant Company's largest shareholder, aside from a handful of the board's senior members. With decisive authority, she had inked a deal with Finley Quinn.

Finley was a rising star in the business world. Though his achievements hadn't yet matched Toby's, his potential was boundless.

With Ryan Dwyer and Connor's support, things were looking up.

Still, Connor's foreboding had come to pass.

The trending topic was ablaze with images of a blue Audi crashing into Khloe.

The comments below were ablaze with scorn for Sonia Reed's cunning malice.

Khloe was cast as the unequivocal victim.

And Toby Fuller? Merely a pawn in Sonia Reed's game.

Public sentiment was swift to shift. If this trend persisted, the police would surely come knocking.

The board of Brilliant Glory didn't waste time; they rang Sonia with warnings of the scandal's vast repercussions. If she didn't act swiftly, the company's bottom line might suffer.

Connor scoffed at their concern, "A bunch of old foxes. Sonia's stake in the company hasn't even been made public. How could she possibly affect its profits? They're just trying to intimidate and undermine her."

Ryan, glued to the trending news, frowned deeply. "Any expert could spot the forgery in an instant. But the overwhelming tide of public opinion has clouded the truth."

Toby Fuller had stooped to disseminating doctored footage. Connor mocked, "Sonia, your judgment is questionable. How could you fall for someone so vile? He seems perfectly suited to Khloe, that harlot. Neither of them is worth a damn."

Sonia watched the video, her face a mask of stoicism, before slowly shutting her eyes.

Connor, sensing he may have struck a nerve, touched his nose in a gesture of contrition. "I didn't mean to belittle you. It's just a relief you saw through it early on. Thankfully, we had the foresight to secure the video from five years back."

Sonia lifted her gaze to meet Ryan's concerned look and offered a faint smile. "If Toby could divorce me over Khloe, he's certainly capable of this. It doesn't surprise me."

Connor perked up with an idea, "Since we have the authentic video, why not release it and turn the tables on them?"

"Wait," Sonia interjected, a plan forming. She arched an eyebrow at Connor. "You mentioned the Aguilar family is throwing a celebration for Khloe's recovery tomorrow?"

"That's right. Are you thinking of going?"

Her smile widened. "I'll do more than attend; I'm bringing a gift."

Connor and Ryan exchanged knowing glances, their smiles mirroring each other's anticipation.