Orphan To Unbreakable Queen - Chapter 128: Chapter 128
You are reading Orphan To Unbreakable Queen, Chapter 128: Chapter 128. Read more chapters of Orphan To Unbreakable Queen.
Nigel, better known as Nick, was an only child. Born with a fragile constitution, he moved to Rithol City with his parents, who faced financial struggles while seeking medical treatment. With his attractive appearance, he quickly became one of the pioneers during the early days of the live-streaming boom in Rithol City.
With his striking looks and charming personality, Nigel initially attracted a following on Playzy. However, as more streamers entered the market, his viewership stagnated, leading him to transition to MindDrift eventually.
He aspired to improve himself and create a better life for his parents. He dedicated himself entirely to MindDrift, earning significantly more than he had before. However, circumstances changed.
Carmen arranged to meet Levi and Leia at a chain hotel backed by the Wilson Group. This time, she came prepared, having learned from past missteps. Before arriving, she ordered the venue cleared, sent trusted staff to ready the private room, and ensured all surveillance cameras were shut off.
Upon arrival, their electronic devices were seized. The couple submitted quietly to Carmen's team, showing no resistance. Their eyes, dull and lifeless, resembled stagnant water. With their son gone, nothing else mattered to them. Their only remaining purpose was to see MindDrift—the platform that had taken their son—destroyed, along with its owner.
Levi's voice was rough and strained, as if his vocal cords had been scraped raw with coarse sandpaper. "Before you take my phone, can I send one last message?" he pleaded. Since Carmen needed their cooperation, her bodyguards were careful not to overstep and agreed to his request.
Levi sent a text message to Aubree explaining their current situation, which took Aubree by surprise. 'Looks like Carmen is alert,' Aubree thought. 'But it doesn't matter.'
Aubree glanced down, her fingers sliding across the screen. A photo appeared on her phone, showing Levi and Leia being escorted into the hotel by a MindDrift executive. Her initial plan was to have reporters secretly document the entire process and, ideally, leak their conversations to the public. It didn't matter—this photo and the Mansells were all she needed.
Aubree texted: [After you finish talking with Carmen, report exactly what she said.]
After responding to the message, Aubree sent Vincent another text: [Send our people to this location, but keep their distance due to the presence of bodyguards. Once Carmen appears, instruct them to move in.]
Inside the private room, "Good afternoon," Carmen said with a practiced smile, a bank card placed conspicuously in front of her. "I believe introductions are unnecessary."
Leia stared silently at Carmen, her eyes filled with intense hatred. 'It's you,' she thought bitterly. 'You killed Nigel!'
After Nigel's death, Levi's hair turned gray overnight. His weary, vacant eyes only flickered with a trace of emotion when they fell upon Carmen. "Miss Wilson," he greeted.
"I won't waste time—I'm truly sorry about what happened to Nick. That was never our intention," Carmen said, her expression carefully controlled. "The platform has its flaws, but problems reveal where we need to improve. Ideally, it would have been perfect from the start."
After a round of hollow pleasantries, Carmen finally cut to the chase. "What's done is done. I hope you can find some peace." She spoke until her voice grew hoarse, but the couple remained unmoved, expressionless, silent, and staring at her with cold, unblinking eyes.
Carmen grew increasingly uneasy under their piercing stares. If not for her people in the room, she wouldn't have dared to stay. She frowned—she'd done her homework. The Mansells had poured everything into Nigel's treatment, leaving behind nothing but bare walls. Even his later earnings went straight back into medical bills.
'Surely they wouldn't be so stubborn as to refuse the money?' Carmen wondered.
She gave her assistant a subtle nod. With calm, the assistant slid a bank card across the table and said, "Miss Wilson hopes you understand—while the accident was tragic, life goes on. This card holds 1.5 million dollars—enough to return home, buy a car, rebuild, and even hire a live-in caregiver. It should be more than enough to get you back on your feet."
Carmen remarked calmly, "Mr. and Mrs. Mansell, let's be realistic. You can't bring the dead back to life. However, money is something tangible you can possess, wouldn't you agree?"
Leia struggled to hold back her anger as she glared at Carmen. 'How can she smile after taking my son's life? Who cares about her filthy money?' she seethed internally.
Under the table, Levi tightly clasped Leia's hand. Unlike Leia, who openly expressed her hatred, he maintained a calm exterior. He understood all too well that Carmen held significant power in Rithol City—they stood little chance against her. 'I had to do as Ms. Miller instructed,' Levi thought.
"Miss Wilson, I have a question," Levi said, his voice hoarse but steady. "Before Nigel's accident, he ended a livestream early due to health issues and was fined 300 thousand dollars. He later submitted a hospital report, but the platform rejected his appeal without explanation. Were you aware of this?"
Carmen paused, recalling only after her assistant's gentle reminder. She had established the policy of evading punishment herself, officially. Only intentional evasion would incur penalties, but in practice, anyone reported would inevitably face consequences.
Carmen didn't care whether it was intentional or not. Every evasion meant profit, kept the streamers hooked, and gave the platform free publicity—a triple win. She would, of course, take full advantage of it.
Nigel's report, escalated to Carmen due to his particular health circumstances, barely registered with her—she didn't even glance at it. She instructed her subordinates to handle it as they usually would. Carmen responded flatly, "I'm vaguely aware of it."
Levi managed a grim smile for the first time since they'd met. "Because of that previous fine," he said flatly, "the next time Nigel felt unwell and the opposing streamer threatened to report him, he gritted his teeth and forced himself to complete the punishment challenge."
Carmen couldn't understand why he brought this up. 'I treat everyone equally—what's wrong with that?' she thought with disdain. 'Am I supposed to bend the rules just for Nigel?'
"We'll take the money. Thank you, Miss Wilson," Levi said with a forced smile as he tucked the bank card into his pocket—his polite demeanor contrasting sharply with the coldness in his eyes.
Carmen was indifferent to how he felt; as long as he accepted the money, everything would proceed without issue. "Now that's settled," she said coldly, "I need both of you to revise your statements. Claim that Nigel died of natural causes and that Aubree manipulated you into tarnishing my reputation."
Leia's expression darkened, her eyes burning with rage. 'How can this woman have the audacity to distort the truth like this? If the platform hadn't threatened to ban Nigel for not completing the punishment, would he have pushed himself to the brink, to lighten our load—until it ultimately took his life?' she fumed inwardly.
Levi, restraining Leia, said with chilling deliberation, "We understand."
Carmen smiled smugly. No one could resist the lure of money—and if they did, it only meant the price hadn't been high enough for Aubree's influence. A mere 1.5 million dollars, and her people had already caved.
The untouched dishes remained on the table as Carmen got up. She neither had the time nor the patience to dine with people of modest means. "Help yourselves," she said with a façade of politeness. "I have more important matters to attend to."
"Have a good day," Levi remarked with a thin, cold smile. He and Leia watched Carmen leave, their eyes dark with barely concealed hatred.
The phones were returned to them. Levi noticed a message from Aubree and gently patted Leia's shoulder. "Let's follow Ms. Miller's lead; Carmen Wilson's time is up."
Vincent's car was idling outside the hotel entrance. As soon as he spotted Carmen coming out, he immediately sent out an alert. Before Carmen could fully exit the hotel, a crowd surged toward her from a distance—camera crews, grieving families carrying mourning wreaths and protest banners, and even patients still in hospital gowns—all rushing in her direction.
"MindDrift kills!"
"Carmen Wilson, pay with your life!"
"Money laundering is a crime! Shut down MindDrift!"
The crowd's relentless shouting quickly drew the attention of passersby, many stopping to watch. Carmen's face went pale. Her itinerary was meant to be foolproof, yet somehow, they had tracked her down.
With his striking looks and charming personality, Nigel initially attracted a following on Playzy. However, as more streamers entered the market, his viewership stagnated, leading him to transition to MindDrift eventually.
He aspired to improve himself and create a better life for his parents. He dedicated himself entirely to MindDrift, earning significantly more than he had before. However, circumstances changed.
Carmen arranged to meet Levi and Leia at a chain hotel backed by the Wilson Group. This time, she came prepared, having learned from past missteps. Before arriving, she ordered the venue cleared, sent trusted staff to ready the private room, and ensured all surveillance cameras were shut off.
Upon arrival, their electronic devices were seized. The couple submitted quietly to Carmen's team, showing no resistance. Their eyes, dull and lifeless, resembled stagnant water. With their son gone, nothing else mattered to them. Their only remaining purpose was to see MindDrift—the platform that had taken their son—destroyed, along with its owner.
Levi's voice was rough and strained, as if his vocal cords had been scraped raw with coarse sandpaper. "Before you take my phone, can I send one last message?" he pleaded. Since Carmen needed their cooperation, her bodyguards were careful not to overstep and agreed to his request.
Levi sent a text message to Aubree explaining their current situation, which took Aubree by surprise. 'Looks like Carmen is alert,' Aubree thought. 'But it doesn't matter.'
Aubree glanced down, her fingers sliding across the screen. A photo appeared on her phone, showing Levi and Leia being escorted into the hotel by a MindDrift executive. Her initial plan was to have reporters secretly document the entire process and, ideally, leak their conversations to the public. It didn't matter—this photo and the Mansells were all she needed.
Aubree texted: [After you finish talking with Carmen, report exactly what she said.]
After responding to the message, Aubree sent Vincent another text: [Send our people to this location, but keep their distance due to the presence of bodyguards. Once Carmen appears, instruct them to move in.]
Inside the private room, "Good afternoon," Carmen said with a practiced smile, a bank card placed conspicuously in front of her. "I believe introductions are unnecessary."
Leia stared silently at Carmen, her eyes filled with intense hatred. 'It's you,' she thought bitterly. 'You killed Nigel!'
After Nigel's death, Levi's hair turned gray overnight. His weary, vacant eyes only flickered with a trace of emotion when they fell upon Carmen. "Miss Wilson," he greeted.
"I won't waste time—I'm truly sorry about what happened to Nick. That was never our intention," Carmen said, her expression carefully controlled. "The platform has its flaws, but problems reveal where we need to improve. Ideally, it would have been perfect from the start."
After a round of hollow pleasantries, Carmen finally cut to the chase. "What's done is done. I hope you can find some peace." She spoke until her voice grew hoarse, but the couple remained unmoved, expressionless, silent, and staring at her with cold, unblinking eyes.
Carmen grew increasingly uneasy under their piercing stares. If not for her people in the room, she wouldn't have dared to stay. She frowned—she'd done her homework. The Mansells had poured everything into Nigel's treatment, leaving behind nothing but bare walls. Even his later earnings went straight back into medical bills.
'Surely they wouldn't be so stubborn as to refuse the money?' Carmen wondered.
She gave her assistant a subtle nod. With calm, the assistant slid a bank card across the table and said, "Miss Wilson hopes you understand—while the accident was tragic, life goes on. This card holds 1.5 million dollars—enough to return home, buy a car, rebuild, and even hire a live-in caregiver. It should be more than enough to get you back on your feet."
Carmen remarked calmly, "Mr. and Mrs. Mansell, let's be realistic. You can't bring the dead back to life. However, money is something tangible you can possess, wouldn't you agree?"
Leia struggled to hold back her anger as she glared at Carmen. 'How can she smile after taking my son's life? Who cares about her filthy money?' she seethed internally.
Under the table, Levi tightly clasped Leia's hand. Unlike Leia, who openly expressed her hatred, he maintained a calm exterior. He understood all too well that Carmen held significant power in Rithol City—they stood little chance against her. 'I had to do as Ms. Miller instructed,' Levi thought.
"Miss Wilson, I have a question," Levi said, his voice hoarse but steady. "Before Nigel's accident, he ended a livestream early due to health issues and was fined 300 thousand dollars. He later submitted a hospital report, but the platform rejected his appeal without explanation. Were you aware of this?"
Carmen paused, recalling only after her assistant's gentle reminder. She had established the policy of evading punishment herself, officially. Only intentional evasion would incur penalties, but in practice, anyone reported would inevitably face consequences.
Carmen didn't care whether it was intentional or not. Every evasion meant profit, kept the streamers hooked, and gave the platform free publicity—a triple win. She would, of course, take full advantage of it.
Nigel's report, escalated to Carmen due to his particular health circumstances, barely registered with her—she didn't even glance at it. She instructed her subordinates to handle it as they usually would. Carmen responded flatly, "I'm vaguely aware of it."
Levi managed a grim smile for the first time since they'd met. "Because of that previous fine," he said flatly, "the next time Nigel felt unwell and the opposing streamer threatened to report him, he gritted his teeth and forced himself to complete the punishment challenge."
Carmen couldn't understand why he brought this up. 'I treat everyone equally—what's wrong with that?' she thought with disdain. 'Am I supposed to bend the rules just for Nigel?'
"We'll take the money. Thank you, Miss Wilson," Levi said with a forced smile as he tucked the bank card into his pocket—his polite demeanor contrasting sharply with the coldness in his eyes.
Carmen was indifferent to how he felt; as long as he accepted the money, everything would proceed without issue. "Now that's settled," she said coldly, "I need both of you to revise your statements. Claim that Nigel died of natural causes and that Aubree manipulated you into tarnishing my reputation."
Leia's expression darkened, her eyes burning with rage. 'How can this woman have the audacity to distort the truth like this? If the platform hadn't threatened to ban Nigel for not completing the punishment, would he have pushed himself to the brink, to lighten our load—until it ultimately took his life?' she fumed inwardly.
Levi, restraining Leia, said with chilling deliberation, "We understand."
Carmen smiled smugly. No one could resist the lure of money—and if they did, it only meant the price hadn't been high enough for Aubree's influence. A mere 1.5 million dollars, and her people had already caved.
The untouched dishes remained on the table as Carmen got up. She neither had the time nor the patience to dine with people of modest means. "Help yourselves," she said with a façade of politeness. "I have more important matters to attend to."
"Have a good day," Levi remarked with a thin, cold smile. He and Leia watched Carmen leave, their eyes dark with barely concealed hatred.
The phones were returned to them. Levi noticed a message from Aubree and gently patted Leia's shoulder. "Let's follow Ms. Miller's lead; Carmen Wilson's time is up."
Vincent's car was idling outside the hotel entrance. As soon as he spotted Carmen coming out, he immediately sent out an alert. Before Carmen could fully exit the hotel, a crowd surged toward her from a distance—camera crews, grieving families carrying mourning wreaths and protest banners, and even patients still in hospital gowns—all rushing in her direction.
"MindDrift kills!"
"Carmen Wilson, pay with your life!"
"Money laundering is a crime! Shut down MindDrift!"
The crowd's relentless shouting quickly drew the attention of passersby, many stopping to watch. Carmen's face went pale. Her itinerary was meant to be foolproof, yet somehow, they had tracked her down.
End of Orphan To Unbreakable Queen Chapter 128. Continue reading Chapter 129 or return to Orphan To Unbreakable Queen book page.