CEO Plus-Size Ex-Wife

Chapter 62: Sad Reality

Tony silently comforted Andrea with a gentle pat on her back, understanding that no words could ease her pain in that moment.

Andrea pulled away from his embrace, determinedly wiping her tears and affirming, "Tony, I'm not sad. I know Valentine is alive, and he'll be here soon."

Tony gazed at Andrea, his expression heavy with sorrow, as he observed her unwavering belief in Valentine's return despite the harsh reality.

Feeling powerless in the situation, Tony watched as a car pulled up, and Benita emerged, charging towards Andrea like an enraged lioness, accusing her fiercely, "Andrea, you are a deceitful jinx."

The group of journalists, who had been struggling to capture any significant moments during the excavation, were suddenly energized by Benita's outburst, eagerly flocking to the scene.

Despite Andrea's bodyguards preventing Benita from reaching her, the furious woman continued to shout, "You've taken my brother's life, you wicked vixen!"

Years ago, Benita Anderson had developed a deep-seated animosity toward Andrea, envying her for her beauty and blaming her for her own romantic misfortunes. She was convinced that her relationships failed because her partners would inevitably become smitten with Andrea, although there was no evidence to support this belief.

A journalist, hungry for a sensational story, addressed Benita. "Miss Benita Anderson, why do you hold Mrs. Andrea Singers responsible for your brother's death? We've all seen the affection between them, and Andrea has even announced their upcoming wedding in three days, as well as the merger of Singers Group and Val. Corp. How can you justify your accusation?"

Benita's response was charged with bitterness. "Had my brother not been so open about his movements, could this tragedy have been avoided? Yes, If only she had accepted his proposal earlier," she claimed, though her assertions strayed from the truth. In reality, her brother, Valentine Anderson, had not been killed because of his courtship of Andrea.

Before the tension could escalate further, Tony intervened with a stern warning. "Miss Benita Anderson, Andrea may put up with you, but I will not stand for it. The Singers' name will not be tarnished by your baseless claims. Persist with this absurd charade, and I will take legal action against you," he articulated with such intensity that Benita visibly recoiled in fear.

Throughout the confrontation, Andrea remained silent, her attention fixed on the casualties being recovered from the bomb blast debris.

Benita, unable to contain her resentment, then lashed out at Andrea. "If anything happens to my mother, you'll pay for everything you've done to my family!" she yelled. Tony's stern look was enough to silence her, prompting her to hastily leave the scene.

Benita had been at her mother's side in the hospital when she learned of her stable condition, which was when she took the opportunity to cause a scene.

After Benita's departure, Tony returned to Andrea's side. In Sunshine City, handling the press would have been a trivial matter, but in Vegas City, the Singers Group did not wield the same influence. This left him powerless to control the journalists' narratives.

"Andrea, don't pay attention to what she said; she was drunk and talking nonsense," Tony said softly when he noticed that Andrea just stood there, her eyes unblinking.

"What?" Andrea blinked and looked at Tony, her expression one of confusion.

Tony's body tensed in shock. He had thought that Benita's words had deeply affected Andrea, but it seemed Andrea hadn't even registered Benita's presence or departure.

A slight smirk played on Tony's lips as he imagined how Benita would react if she knew her words had fallen on deaf ears.

"It's nothing," Tony replied earnestly.

Andrea nodded, turning her attention back to the ruins and the procession of bodies being retrieved from the debris.

"Tony, we should send in more search and rescue teams to assist," Andrea suggested. It had been three hours, and the entire site was still not cleared, making her impatience grow.

"That won't be possible," Tony shook his head. "This is a state government matter, and it's classified as a terrorism incident. They won't allow private individuals to get involved."

Clasping her hands together tightly, Andrea felt her anxiety spike. She harbored a hope that Valentine Anderson was still alive, but with each body that was carried out, her nerves frayed further.

As the night wore on and the site was nearly cleared, Andrea approached the sheriff to get an update.

"Mrs. Singers, the mortality rate is incredibly high, and there are no survivors," the sheriff said gravely, leading her toward an ambulance.

Andrea's heart raced as she followed him, Tony close behind, concern etched on his face.

The sheriff stopped at an ambulance, where a charred body lay. Though the body was unrecognizable, certain features like the height and a ring on the finger could be identified.

"Mrs. Singers, do you recognize this ring?" the sheriff asked, indicating the burnt fingers of the corpse.

Andrea peered closer and her breath caught. The ring was unmistakably similar to the diamond engagement ring Valentine Anderson had purchased; they had matching sets.

"I do," Andrea managed to say after a long, heavy silence.

"Considering the height, weight, and the ring, we believe this may be Mr. Singers," the sheriff said, witnessing Andrea's blank stare at the body.

"That's not Val. That's not my husband. You're lying!" Andrea suddenly screamed, her eyes wild with grief, before she bolted toward the river.

"Sorry, Sheriff," Tony quickly apologized on behalf of Andrea.

The sheriff nodded with understanding. If he couldn't comprehend that Andrea's outburst was rooted in shock and distress, then he didn't deserve his badge.

"Andrea, stop!" Tony called out, rushing after her as she neared the turbulent waters of the river.