Chapter 210 Press Conference

• Rosemary was annoyed but she didn’t utter a word. Mrs Gates was fuming, it was clear to her that Rosemary had taken them for a ride. However, it was too late to regret, the damage was already done. Mr Gates’ heart was bleeding; he was reminded of his daughter’s words when she asked him why he believed Mrs Johnson but not her. When he thought about the slaps he felt suffocated. There was sorrow in his eyes. He really let down his late wife. Mrs Gates looked at her husband and said, “Dear, we have to go to Abigail’s company and ask for forgiveness. We have wronged her. We can shift all the blame to Miss Gable and tell her that we were misled by her.” Her husband shook his head and said, “I think it is too late, my love. I don’t think she will ever forgive me. You didn’t see the hatred in her eyes. Also, we have already cut off all ties with her. Let’s go back home after tomorrow and forget about her.” He was disappointed in himself.
• The following day, Mr Johnson called Mr Anthony to let him know about the Press Conference. Also, he told him about the defamation lawsuit he filed against his ex-wife. Mr Anthony told him that he had a surprise for him concerning Abigail’s stepmother. Mr Johnson thanked him on behalf of his wife. Then he invited the media to attend the press conference. He indicated that the meeting would take place in the Johnson Group Conference room at 2 pm. At 1 pm, Mr Anthony sent Zane and a few bodyguards to fetch Rosemary and Gates couple. They didn’t want to go, but they didn’t have a choice. When they arrived at the company, Zane gave them the attendance register to sign. The reporters were already sitting waiting for the Press Conference to begin. Ben, the reporter, was sitting in the front row quietly. It was a live broadcast. They became excited when they saw the Gates couple. They were waiting patiently for a good show. The Sun Group’s CEO was sitting in his office looking gloomy. When he heard about Mr Johnson’s Press Conference he felt uneasy. Was he wrong to cancel the cooperation with the Good News Group?
• A few minutes later, Mr Johnson arrived with Mr Cole. The reporters were surprised to see the best lawyer in the country with Mr Johnson. He was a cheater in their hearts. He looked at the reporters and said, “Good afternoon everyone, thank you for coming on such short notice. I want to clarify the scandal between my wife, Abigail Johnson, and I. You have seen the rumors on the internet. My wife was insulted and assaulted by her father because of the unfounded allegations made by my ex-wife, Rosemary Gable. My wife wanted to be here to clear her name. Unfortunately, she is recuperating at home.” He nodded to Mr Cole, and then the Divorce decree was displayed for everyone to see on the big screen. When the reporters saw the date, there was uproar in the conference room. Former Mrs Johnson took them for fools. The reporters started discussing among themselves. Ben, the reporter, raised his hand and said, “My question is directed to Mr Gates. How much money did the former Mrs Johnson gave you?” Since it was clear to the Gates couple that they were used by Rosemary, Mr Gates decided to come clean. He told the reporters that Mrs Johnson approached them and gave them two hundred thousand rand. He apologized for the pain he had caused his daughter. Ben, the reporter, said, “Mr Gates, I think it is too late to regret because the harm is already done. Do you understand the power of a spoken word? Do you think your daughter will ever forgive you for assaulting her and for cutting off your ties with her?” Mr Gates couldn’t utter a word. He was ashamed of himself. After that, Mr Johnson showed the reporters the marriage certificate between Abigail and himself. The conference room became silent. Then Ben, the reporter, raised his hand again and said, “Mr Gates, Is it true that it is not the first time you disown your daughter?” Mr Gates nodded his head and replied, “When my daughter, Abigail was sixteen years old she accused her stepmother for killing her mother. I was so upset I disowned her.” Ben, the reporter, smiled and asked, “Did you investigate the allegations?” Mr Gates looked annoyed and replied, “There was no need to do that because she was lying. My late wife and my current wife were best friends. My wife, Belinda is kind-hearted; she would never hurt a soul.” Ben, the reporter, smiled and asked, “Are you sure that your daughter was lying?” Mr Gates replied, “I don’t have doubt in my mind that she was just making up a story. She didn’t want to see me happy.” Mr Cole took the remote, and then the name of the Limpopo Pharmacy appeared on the big screen. Mrs Gates’ identity document and her signature were shown on the screen. Then his late wife’s autopsy report was displayed as well. The reporters were dumbfounded. Then Ben, the reporter, asked, “Mrs Gates, can you explain this to us? Why did the poison that killed Miss Abigail’s mother be the same as the one you bought at the Limpopo Pharmacy a few days before the late Mrs Gates passed away?” Everyone was so shocked they looked at Mrs Gates with different eyes. When Mrs Gates saw the evidence, she was so scared she trembled. She never thought that the matter would be investigated and the truth would be exposed. Unbeknown to her, when she chased Abigail away from home twenty years ago, Timothy Anthony asked his best friend Rich Smith to collect the evidence from his elder sister who was a filing clerk at the Limpopo Pharmacy. Then Timothy Anthony visited the doctor who performed Abigail’s mother autopsy to collect the evidence. However, Mrs Gates never regretted her decision to kill her best friend. Mr Gates was a good man and she deserved him. When Mr Gates saw his wife’s reaction, the shock in his heart couldn’t be described with words and he said, “Belinda is it true?” Mrs Gates cried sorrowfully but she didn’t utter a word. Then Mr Cole called the policewomen who were standing outside the door. They came and handcuffed Mrs Gates after reading her rights. Then they took her away. The reporters took photos of the vicious woman. How could she kill her best friend for a man? After that, two policewomen walked to Rosemary and said, “Miss Gable, Mrs Johnson has pressed charges against you for slander.” She was so scared she wanted to hide. They handcuffed her, and then they took her away. Mr Johnson told the reporters that he had filed a defamation lawsuit against Miss Gable. He thanked everyone, and then he left with Mr Cole. Mr Gates sat in his chair deep in thoughts. The only reason he married Belinda was because she was his late wife’s best friend and he was hoping that she would help him to raise Abigail well. When he thought about everything he had done to his daughter, he felt that he was a failure as a father. Everything was a mess.