My Mirror Image by Maybe Not (Candice And Alex’s)

Chapter 0526

With Candice's appearance and the evidence left behind by Darius, no matter how skilled Daniel's lawyer was, they couldn't find reasons to shelter him.

And as more of those pieces of evidence unfolded, Candice's expression grew even darker.

No one enjoyed constantly revisiting the hardships they had endured. And when Alex heard these things spoken by Candice herself, he felt a deep ache in his bones.

Candice stood there, her expression indifferent, almost as if what she was saying had nothing to do with her.

With her appearance, the judgment of Daniel's case was almost set in stone as he was charged with multiple charges and eight years of imprisonment.

At the moment of the verdict, Candice couldn't express her feelings. Or perhaps it was more accurate to say she felt nothing but a sense of resigned relief now that everything had finally settled.

The punishment given to Daniel was neither heavy nor light. Candice couldn't find anything to be happy about.

With the verdict of Daniel's case, the circles were immediately thrown into chaos, even appearing in the news several times.

Although Daniel's lawyers had stated that they would reapply for litigation, they couldn't stop the situation from escalating.

"You didn't know how people in the circles were talking then. I thought everyone would blame Daniel after his deeds were exposed, but unexpectedly, they were all cursing Alex instead."

"They called Alex a heartless and disobedient son who would face retribution. I overheard my dad and the others chatting. It seems that because of this, Alex lost several deals, while Oscar took advantage of the situation."

When Yana brought this news to Candice, she couldn't help but sigh. Clearly, they all felt that it was Daniel's own misfortune, but in the end, it became Alex's fault.

Even if Yana usually harbored dissatisfaction toward Alex, at this moment, she couldn't help but sympathize with him.

Candice's expression barely changed, and only her gaze darkened slightly.

Alex couldn't have been oblivious to such consequences. After all, how many would dare to cooperate with someone who could send their own father to prison? Yet he still chose to do it...

"Mr. Elysian, Asco Corporation also expressed their unwillingness to continue dealing with Aether Corporation, and the board of directors required you to attend a meeting this afternoon." Sawyer stood in front of Alex's desk, reporting cautiously.

So many companies had recently canceled their cooperation with Aether Corporation, and everyone knew the reason. The board of directors was extremely dissatisfied, especially with Oscar's instigation, causing widespread panic.

As a secretary, Sawyer found this matter difficult to handle. Yet, Alex remained as composed as ever.

Sometimes he couldn't help but wonder if Alex and Daniel were truly father and son; the level of indifference between them was rare.

But if Alex truly didn't care, why had he been unwilling to return home for several days? Even when the chairman's wife personally came to the company to find him, he refused to meet her.

Sawyer couldn't fathom Alex's thoughts and could only leave the documents behind.

Alex glanced at the documents, a hint of fatigue evident in his stern eyes. He had foreseen the consequences from the very beginning. They said merchants valued profit, but in reality, they had far more things they valued than profit.

No one was willing to take risks and collaborate with someone who didn't even spare their own father. They would regard him as a wolf that needed to be kept at arm's length. Alex had considered all this, so he wasn't surprised by the current situation. Yet, there were still some matters that would be more difficult to handle.

When Alex returned to the Elysian Manor, Bruno was already waiting outside. Seeing Alex approach, he greeted, "Old Mr. Elysian has been sitting in the garden all day. No one could persuade him."

Alex's steps faltered, and he asked in a low voice, "Is Shawn blaming me?"

Bruno's expression showed sorrow. "No elder wants to see their descendants in such a situation."

Shawn sat in the garden, lost in thought, staring in one direction.

Alex approached slowly, about to speak when he heard Shawn's hoarse voice, "You’ve finally decided to come back. Come, sit with me for a while."

Alex remained silent. Shawn continued, "When you were young, you loved sitting there reading. Do you remember?"

Alex's throat tightened. "Aren't you blaming me?"

Everyone felt he shouldn't have been so ruthless to Daniel. Even Helen had called to curse him, but Shawn never said a word.

Shawn sighed, "Blame you for what? If he hadn't acted foolishly, he wouldn't have caused this outcome. Alex, remember, before you act, consider whether you can bear the consequences."

His voice, tinged with the wisdom of age, carried an air of transcendence. "Otherwise, by the time you realize it, it will be too late."

"Don't wait until you regret it."

Alex's expression froze. He saw Shawn standing up, murmuring to himself, "This courtyard is so nice. I should get someone to install a couple of swings. When Baby Mulberry is willing to come, she'll surely like it."

"As one grows old, one must have something to look forward to, otherwise, one never knows when it will be time to leave."

Candice had already testified in court, so there was no need to hide anymore. However, while out shopping with Yana, she happened to run into a few ladies from Helen's previous clique.

Those people had all had dealings with Candice before, and they came over to greet her with smiles. However, their scrutinizing gazes fell on her, making her uncomfortable.

After those people walked away, Yana frowned. "I really hate these gossip circles. They look at others with so much judgment as if they're the most perfect human beings in the world."

Candice said, "They've always looked at people like that. It's not the first time."

"It's different now," Yana reminded her. "Now, everyone is saying that Alex sent his father to prison because of you."

She didn't know where the rumor started, but Yana couldn't bring herself to tell Candice until now. She looked at Candice and continued, "Didn't I tell you before? Alex lost deals because of this. I

heard yesterday that Aether Corporation's board of directors had a row over this, saying Alex disregarded Aether Corporation's interests and isn't qualified to handle it. Now, they're all supporting Oscar."

Candice's eyes flickered slightly as she asked, "Did Alex do nothing?"

"No," Yana truthfully said. "I reckon he's not feeling too good either. Think about it, besides his dad, he still has his mom and grandpa. Even if his mom doesn't blame him, what about his grandpa?"

Upon hearing this, a slight flutter stirred in Candice's brow.

That's right.

The impact on Alex due to Daniel's matter would be much greater than she imagined.