Chapter 1053: Chapter 1053: Miss Song No Longer Fights Alone
The traces of Linda Nelson’s performance were too obvious. Mary Scott watched coldly for a while and immediately knew her intentions.
Mary Scott scanned the surroundings and quickly noticed someone hidden in the crowd, holding a camera aimed at them.
Then she looked at Linda Nelson, Mary’s expression turned colder. She gave a signal to the driver David Locke had assigned to her.
The driver assigned by David Locke, though just a driver, was a retired military man. After receiving Mary’s signal, he immediately pulled the man with the camera out of the crowd and pressed him to the side.
Linda Nelson did not expect such an unexpected situation; her movements stiffened, and she forgot to continue acting. Mary took this opportunity to squat in front of Linda Nelson. "Fun, isn’t it?"
"I don’t understand what you’re talking about." Linda Nelson was still pretending.
Mary, however, sneered, stood up, walked to the man controlled by the driver, grabbed his camera, opened the contents, glanced at it, then held it up to Linda Nelson. "You don’t understand?"
Beside them, Alfred Scott’s expression had already changed. He came up to Mary, opened the camera to take a glance. His already poor complexion turned even worse. Looking at his mother’s expression, any remaining familial affection was worn away completely.
"You think by taking these photos you can threaten me? Linda Nelson, you’re too naive, aren’t you?" Mary said disdainfully.
Linda Nelson still wanted to argue, but Mary suddenly smashed the camera towards her. Linda was startled to scream and stepped back; the camera shattered at her feet.
The surrounding people were startled, looking at them with alarm. Alfred Scott grabbed Mary’s hand, "Sis, don’t be reckless!"
Mary ignored her brother and crouched down in front of Linda again, whose face still showed terror, and warned, "Stop playing tricks in front of me. The thirty thousand Alfred gave you is to repay the favor of giving birth to us. From now on, we’re square. Don’t come looking for me again, and don’t come looking for Alfred either. This is the last time I will say this."
Linda was already shocked by Mary’s actions and felt a chill upon hearing her warning. She realized that this daughter was no longer the little girl she once could manipulate. But she couldn’t reconcile being threatened by a young girl, and looked at Mary with emotional intensity. "How dare you? I’m your mother!"
"Are you worthy?" Mary countered. She thought of that woman in the group who was so attentive to Bertha Swift. Although she vaguely knew Mrs. Swift wasn’t living well in the Swift household and always kept her head down, when Bertha truly despaired, she chose to protect her daughter.
But Linda? Compared to Mrs. Swift’s difficult choices, what about her? If back then the Scotts had problems, and their father was investigated, she indeed had many concerns, and ultimately abandoned the siblings. But now?
She had clearly abandoned them, yet upon returning to the country, immediately came to entangle them, asking for tens of millions without ever asking if they had been okay all these years?
Seeing that Mary was unaffected by words, Linda simply turned her gaze to Alfred. "Alfred, believe mom, mom really had no other choice..."
"No other choice but to force us for money, act and secretly take photos, then threaten my sister for money?" Alfred questioned Linda.
Linda was stunned by Alfred’s questioning and was overwhelmed with shame and anger. She hadn’t expected to give birth to such heartless things, and now looked at Mary and Alfred with disgust.
But thinking of her husband’s predicament, Linda quickly restrained her gaze, but unfortunately, neither Mary nor Alfred missed the flash of disgust in her eyes.
The two looked at Linda with even colder eyes.
Mary coldly stared at Linda. "Your husband is Zachary Gold, correct? And your younger son, Charles Gold?"
Linda was somewhat shocked looking at Mary, clearly not expecting her to know about her background. Her mouth opened as if wanting to say something when Mary spoke again. "Get out of Swallow University immediately, or I will make you and your husband and son get out of Swallow City, back to M Kingdom!"
"You... you, you heartless things, how dare you!" Linda was furious, almost wanting to tear Mary’s face apart.
Mary could only laugh, "Do you think I dare?"
Seeing her daughter’s eyes glimmer with cold light, Linda felt a chill; she had a sense that Mary was not bluffing, she really dared and really could.
Linda still wanted to say something, but facing Mary’s gaze, she swallowed the harsh words she wanted to shout.
Mary, as if nothing had happened, lifted Linda, dusted off her clothes forcefully, "Did you understand what I said?"
Linda didn’t speak, but truly didn’t dare to do anything more, only felt pain in the places Mary had hit.
"Take them back." Mary ignored Linda’s frightened expression and spoke to the driver controlling the other man.
The driver then dislocated the man’s arm and walked up to Linda. "This way, please."
Linda looked at the man in the driver’s grip, who was in pain, then glanced at Mary who showed no emotion, mumbled a bit, and followed the driver outside.
After they left, Mary looked at Alfred. "Go back and study well. If she bothers you again, tell me immediately, and don’t be stupid again."
Mary’s last words carried a warning for her brother.
Alfred lowered his head with a soft affirmative. If before he still harbored illusions about his mother, today’s events had completely disillusioned him about Linda Nelson.
Seeing her brother go upstairs, Mary finally left.
But none of them noticed that after the driver kicked Linda out of Swallow University, someone stopped Linda.
...
At eleven in the evening, Mary Scott’s affairs at Swallow University were exposed.
Mary had spent a busy day, didn’t return to the filming set directly, but rested at Rose Valley. She didn’t find out she was trending until she received a call from David Locke.
"Mary, are you okay? What exactly happened?" David Locke asked Mary anxiously. He had been busy shooting all afternoon, and during a break, received a call from Mary saying she got tired after a long car ride and wouldn’t return to the set tonight, would return in the morning. He thought she was truly tired, never imagined she would appear on the trending list.
"I’m okay, it’s not a big deal." Mary said calmly, but she had already opened her phone to check the news.
Sure enough, one trending spot was about her at Swallow University, but the content was clearly cut to leave only Linda Nelson pleading for forgiveness from the siblings yet being heartlessly rejected.
The content clearly favored Linda Nelson.
Looking at the comments full of accusations towards them, Mary’s face sank. She hadn’t expected that after she had deleted the content Linda filmed, the latter had a backup plan.
Holding her phone, Mary’s whole body felt cold.
On the other end, David Locke, unable to get a response from Mary, only grew more anxious, "Mary, what happened exactly? Don’t just stay silent."
Mary Scott never wanted David Locke to know about her mother threatening her, but now it was clearly impossible to hide.
After hesitating for quite a while, Mary Scott finally said softly, "I didn’t bully her, it’s just she tried to get money from me and I didn’t give it."
It was obvious who "she" referred to.
David Locke hadn’t expected the person mentioned in the news, possibly Mary Scott’s mother, to be real. Hearing Mary Scott now, feigning indifference but with a hint of gloom in her voice, what more was there for him to understand?
"I understand, I’ll handle it, don’t worry." David Locke gently reassured Mary Scott.
Mary Scott wanted to say there was no need, that she could handle it herself, but David Locke had already hung up.
As soon as David Locke hung up, Mary Scott’s phone rang again—this time it was Alfred Scott.
Barely after answering, she heard her brother’s angry voice, "These people are talking nonsense. How can they speak about my sister like that? And that woman, I’m going to confront her right now and set things straight!"
"Are you stupid? If this news is out, do you think she’s not involved? Stay at your school; I’ll handle it." Mary Scott said before hanging up after reminding her brother a couple more times.
Cuddling her phone, Mary Scott was pondering how to handle the situation when Mia Anderson’s number suddenly popped up on her phone.
Mary Scott hesitated as she answered, and immediately heard Mia Anderson’s usual loud voice, "Mary, what’s going on? How did you suddenly have a mom, and how did you end up arguing with her? Abandonment? She never looked after you, so how can she talk about abandonment? Shameful, isn’t it?"
Mia Anderson’s barrage of questions made Mary Scott press her hand against her ear, and just then there was a commotion over the phone, and the person on the other end changed—it was Christopher Jeames.
"What’s going on? Tell me specifically, and I’ll immediately get the PR department to handle it." Unlike Mia Anderson’s frantic chatter, Christopher spoke professionally and calmly.
Mary Scott just realized she wasn’t fighting alone now; she had an agent. After a moment of silence, Mary Scott told Christopher all the details about Linda Nelson’s threats and deceit towards her brother.
Christopher Jeames listened and said, "Okay, I got it. Don’t worry too much, I’ll get someone to handle it soon."
Mary Scott was stunned, "That’s it?"
"What else do you want to do? This is just a small PR issue." Christopher maintained his usual aloof demeanor.
Mary Scott’s background had already been exposed to the entire nation once before, and it was no longer a secret. Her and her brother growing up together overseas was also well known. Dealing with this suddenly emerged mother wasn’t too difficult now.
Just a moment ago, Mary Scott was vexed over how to solve this. Hearing Christopher Jeames’ reaction, she finally realized the benefits of having an agency.
However, after hanging up on Mia Anderson, Mary Scott suddenly realized, why were Mia and Christopher together so late at night?
But Mary Scott quickly remembered David Locke and hurriedly called him, but this time, no one was answering on the other end for a long time.
This worried Mary Scott, and she kept calling several times. Just as she was wondering what the man was doing, there was a commotion downstairs.
Mary Scott hurried out to find David Locke actually appearing in the Rose Valley villa.
She looked at him in surprise, "Why are you back at this hour?"
And he came back so quickly, it really surprised Mary Scott.
David Locke had a stern face, and he walked towards Mary Scott step by step. Seeing his expression, Mary Scott instinctively backed away, "What are you doing?"
"Did she threaten you before?" David Locke asked with a stern face.
Mary Scott sensed something was wrong with his emotions. She nodded but then quickly shook her head, "I’m fine, aren’t I?"
"When did she start threatening you?" David Locke still had a stern face.
Mary Scott, feeling guilty and nervous under David Locke’s attitude, stammered, "Well... well, it was just..."
"The last time you got caught in the rain when I came to pick you up." Mary Scott was contemplating how to answer without making David angry, but he preemptively finished her sentence.
Mary Scott looked at him in surprise, not expecting him to know.
David Locke looked at Mary Scott’s expression and was certain. Last time, after his scandal, the whole Rose Valley was surrounded by reporters, and this foolish woman inexplicably shut off her phone and inexplicably sat by the bus stop getting soaked like a drowned rat, claiming she wanted to eat the buns from Franklin Store. Wasn’t it actually because she’d met Linda Nelson?
"Why didn’t you tell me?" David Locke asked, looking at Mary Scott.
Mary Scott dropped her head—how could she tell him about that? Her background was already bad enough, let alone revealing what kind of person her mother was. Regardless of how David Locke saw it, she couldn’t bear it herself.
Seeing her dejected and helpless look, David Locke felt a twinge of pain for her. He stepped forward and embraced Mary Scott, the frustration in his heart dissipating, leaving only tenderness for this foolish woman.
"I’m really fine. I never had any feelings for her in the first place. Whatever she says or does doesn’t affect me," Mary Scott whispered, fearing David Locke would worry.
Hearing this, David Locke felt even more tender-hearted, looking at her little face, "Are you really not upset? If not, why sit like a pitiful creature in the rain? And the last time you were off at the studio, wasn’t it because of Linda Nelson?"
David Locke’s question came, though his tone was full of certainty. Mary Scott hadn’t expected him to be so perceptive. She opened her mouth to argue but realized there was nothing to argue about, so she buried her head in his chest.
"Silly!" David scolded lightly, but his words were full of affection for Mary Scott, "Relax, I’ll take care of it."
Listening to David Locke’s words, Mary Scott remembered Christopher’s, and quickly said, "Christopher said he would handle it, so you don’t need to worry."
"Oh, I almost forgot you have an agency now." David Locke teased, seeing the hint of pride in Mary Scott’s eyes.
Mary Scott blushed slightly, then tilted her head proudly towards him, "Of course! I’m the only female artist signed under Best Actor Zachary Gold, who else would they care for but me?"
"Impressive." David responded nonchalantly, but then his expression turned serious. "This matter isn’t just Linda Nelson’s doing; there’s likely a hidden hand behind it. We must be cautious. You’d better ensure Alfred Scott stays away from school for a while."
Mary Scott felt worried, "Is it still those people from before?"
David Locke nodded, his expression grave. The last incident with Bertha Swift had their shadow.
Mary Scott’s heart sank. If this was the case, it might be troublesome again.