Winner Takes All

It was dead silent in the living room and the tension was suffocating. Everyone felt helpless and was in despair.

Jack never felt this dejected and was like a drowning man without any hope to cling to. It was as if he was already locked in the guillotine and waiting for the blade to fall. There was no way to dodge and struggling was useless. He could only ready his neck for the execution.

His phone rang.NôvelDrama.Org owns all content.

Jack looked at his phone and his eyes lit up. The caller was his father! Perhaps... there was some hope! Jack answered the call.

In the call, Patrick's attractive voice was extremely solemn, "I know everything but that old woman is protecting Ivy. I am unable to use the Hughes family's prowess to suppress the social media opinion. What do you have in mind? I'll endeavor to help you."

Jack laughed bitterly when Patrick asked him for a plan. Even his father was asking him if he had any idea what to do. That clearly meant that this was beyond control.

Normally these gossips and rumors were nothing among the wealthy families. As soon as the gossips began, as long as the Hughes family prowess was activated, it could easily suppress the discussions. But it was different this time.

The opinions and discussions surged relentlessly and within a short period, it had spread throughout the social media. Furthermore, Madam Hughes was backing Ivy and constrained the Hughes family from helping suppress the social media.

"Madam Hughes and Ivy must be looking gleefully at their phones," Jack thought.

Patrick said, "Jack, I'm sorry that I am unable to help you."

"Dad, it's alright. Let me think about it. If there's a will, there's a way." Jack replied.

Patrick was willing to send Madam Hughes to her death. If that could help Jack, Patrick would have already done that. But this matter was huge and Patrick was unable to stop it.

"Let's handle this together and I will do everything I can to help you." Patrick encouraged Jack, "With me around, no one can destroy you!"

After the call ended, Jack's gaze glimmered.

Although Mr. Ward and the rest didn't know the details of Jack's call with Patrick, from Jack's expression, they knew that the situation was bad. "Master." Mr. Ward said softly.

"No worries, there will be a way out. Let's take a step at a time." Jack stretched and pretended to relax and patted his stomach, "Is there anything to eat at home? I'm starving."

"I'll cook breakfast." Amelia went to the kitchen.

"Thanks, Amelia." Jack smiled and thereafter he looked at Mr. Ward and shrugged, "You guys stop frowning. This will not kill me. I survived even when Madam Hughes and the Quinn family tried to kill me and sent me to that god forsaken black hell."

Everyone could tell that he tried to put up a brave front. But Jack couldn't be bothered about his acting skills now. He wasn't someone who gave up easily and he wouldn't wait around for his death.

There was always a chance of finding a solution, just like when he was in the black hell.

Furthermore, he had so many people worrying about him and trying to figure out a solution for him.

"Well... did you and that bitch do it?" Yael raised his eyebrows and asked, "If you really did it, then at least you got something in return. Ivy is a big celebrity and with those looks and body, it was worth it even if you die from this."

"Fuck off!" Jack was not amused and glared at Yael.

Yael waved his hand, "Am I not doing what you did to lighten the atmosphere?"

"Sigh..." Jack heaved a long sigh and looked upstairs guiltily.

In just a day, the public opinion had raged to a terrifyingly hopeless extent. He was scolded and despised by all. The momentum was overwhelming like an unstoppable landslide.

Other than Jack's status as one of the heirs of the Hughes family, all of his details were exposed on the internet. A challenging life experience, miserable first marriage, sudden transformation, and soaring success. They dug up his three years of a failed marriage with Katherine and even the issues with the Parry family and Tommy's marriage.

These made Jack become 'the beast in disguise' that many referred to.

The discussions were like wildfire. Many will not bother about what the truth was. Under the leadership of those with vested interests, some were commenting out of righteousness while the others were in for the entertainment value. As time went on, the discussions started to fester.

On the next day, some of Ivy's raging fans went to block DT's main door and pound on it vigorously. Many of the major companies controlled by Jack also were facing such disturbances.

The stocks of Drago Real Estate Agency took a dive and stopped trading again, causing Drago to rage furiously.

Ciara's entertainment company stopped all work. The massive news in the entertainment industry had a huge impact on Ciara.

Yael and Amelia's financial company could barely function. Amelia reported to Jack that the company's guards had noticed some unidentified people wandering around the office. What freaked out Jack was that Amber's parents had found out about this news.

On the second night, Steve made a long-distance call and interrogated Jack. If it wasn't Amber who stopped her father, Jack would have been devastated by her father.

On the third day.

The discussions on social media had gone beyond anyone's expectations. Ivy's huge fan base erupted and revealed their terrifying fighting capabilities. Even some of the rich and powerful began to denounce Jack. The rich and famous also started to discuss openly about this.

Ivy never made a statement when this started but at times, no comments was the best comment. Furthermore, anyone who had experienced what was alleged in the news, would not be bothered to respond to the social media.

But this inevitably played into the people's guesses. Even when Jack did nothing and stayed at home over these three days. In the eyes of the masses, Jack was using his influence and power to secretly resolve this matter.

Jack practically didn't sleep over the three days. He monitored the social media and listened to the reports from the office. He was at the edge of a breakdown. He was helpless and hopeless.

"Master, it's so late, go and take a rest." Mr. Ward walked to the open terrace and his heart ached when he saw Jack.

"I'm not tired." Jack shook his head and continued, "Where's Yael and the rest? The house is quiet these couple of days."

"Lone Wolf is looking after DT. Brent and Amelia went to X City to see if they could activate the Quinn family's influence. Yael went to the Capital to look for the Vaughn and Wattson families. They are the leaders in the entertainment industry and have some authority in this area."

Mr. Ward said, "Master, rest assured that everyone is working hard to find a breakthrough."

"Will there be one?" Jack laughed.

"Your father must also be figuring a way out for you." Mr. Ward frowned and looked solemn. Just as he was about to continue, someone approached and interrupted him.

This was the first time in three days that Amber emerged from her room. All her meals were delivered to the room by Daisy. She just isolated herself in the room. Amber's nightgown fluttered in the night breeze. her face was pale and looked haggard and tired. She looked at Jack and her eyes were red and concerned.

Suddenly she smiled and said tenderly, "Hubby, you have not slept for three days. Get some rest, I'll think of something for you."