Chapter 2009

“Ms. Quillen, should we take back the donation now?” Lexi suggested.

Mackenzie thought for a moment but shook her head.

She was here under the pretext of charity. Without concrete proof, pulling the donation based on speculation could damage her reputation. Even if someone did pocket part of her donation, the relief center would still report the donation publicly, and she would gain the positive publicity she sought.

She could easily turn a blind eye.

But her conscience wouldn’t allow her ta. If her donations weren’t going to those in need, and instead were lining the pockets of corrupt officials, how was she any different from those hypocritical people she despised?

“Lexi, send someone to track down the people who were protesting outside. I need to get to the bottom of this,” Mackenzie instructed quietly.

“Understood, Ms. Quillen,” Lexi replied, hurrying off to carry out her orders.

Mackenzie didn’t make a grand entrance into the city center or check into a fancy hotel. Instead, she had someone find a clean and simple guesthouse near the relief center for her to stay in.

Later that night, Lexi returned to the guesthouse with a small group of people.

Leading them was an elderly man in his sixties, dressed in unusual attire that seemed to belong to an ethnic minority, complete with a white round cap.

“Ah, Ms. Quillen, if I’d known it was you earlier, I would’ve stopped you from coming tonight,” the old man said with regret the moment he saw her.

“Wait… are you Mr. Jidrus Abovos?” Mackenzie found the man familiar. Even though some women might lose focus during pregnancy, she still had a sharp memory. She had seen pictures of 277 different representatives and quickly recognized him.

Not only that, but Jidrus was a representative of Riverhaven’s local business association, not someone from Silvergate.

“That’s right, Ms. Quillen. I’m honored that you remember me. But if you want to help the West End refugees, the supplies should be sent directly to the disaster zone and delivered into the hands of the victims themselves!”

Jidrus pleaded with a pained expression.

“Mr. Abovos, tell me exactly what’s going on,” Mackenzie replied, her voice firm with a sense of justice. “I’ll do whatever I can to help you.”

This wasn’t just about trying to gain a business ally. It was also a matter of conscience and responsibility.

“After the disaster struck, people from all over the country donated countless supplies and funds to West End. But to this day, hardly anything has reached the heavily affected areas in Riverhaven–barely a trickle!”

Jidrus lamented and continued, “As a representative of Riverhaven, many people are counting on me to help, but when I came here to investigate, they told me that hundreds of tons of supplies had already been shipped over! And they warned me not to spread rumors!”

“How could that be? Didn’t anyone try to get the media involved to expose this?” Mackenzie asked, her curiosity piqued.

“West End’s economy is underdeveloped, transportation is difficult, and a small group holds all the power in the cities. It’s incredibly easy for them to control the media and the internet. This place isn’t like your developed cities, Ms. Quillen. Those methods won’t work here!”

Jidrus continued to cry out in frustration.

Mackenzie frowned deeply. With her resources, getting media coverage wouldn’t be difficult.

But rushing to publish a story based solely on Jidrus‘ words without thoroughly investigating the situation could stir up even more chaos. She had to tread carefully.

“Don’t worry. Tomorrow morning, I’ll speak to Mr. Quail and get to the bottom of this. If anyone is profiting off this disaster, they won’t get away with it!”

Mackenzie declared with determination

“That would be amazing!” Jidrus exclaimed, his spirits lifted.

He could tell Mackenzie wasn’t the type to make empty promises. “If you help resolve this and save the people of Riverhaven, I’ll rally the other business representatives to support you as the next Chamber President!”

While that had been part of Mackenzie’s reason for coming to the West End, her heart was genuinely focused on helping the victims now. Hearing this left her feeling conflicted. She calmly replied, “Let’s focus on solving the problem first. I’ll stay in touch.”

“Thank you so much! I don’t have much influence. It’s all up to you now, Ms. Quillen!”

Jidrus and his group expressed their gratitude repeatedly before leaving with a sense of hope.

Lexi, however, couldn’t help but worry for Mackenzie. After all, this wasn’t Nuthana, and Mackenzie’s usual influence didn’t carry the same weight here.

Now that she had made a promise to Jidrus, she would have to deal with many thorny issues.

Lexi, you’ve done enough for today. Get some rest. I’ll need you with me at the relief center first thing tomorrow,” Mackenzie said, maintaining her warm demeanor.

Lexi nodded. “You should rest too, Ms. Quillen. Your health is important.”

“I will” Mackenzie replied with a gentle smile. Despite the immense pressure, she didn’t show a hint of it.

The next morning, Mackenzie returned to the relief center with her team.

There were several trucks still working around the area, clearly indicating that large quantities of supplies were being delivered daily.

*Ah, Ms. Quillen, you’re here again?”

Anthony heard about her visit and, despite taking the time to meet with her, his attitude had clearly shifted from the previous evening.

“Mr. Quail, I’ve heard some troubling rumors, and I’m also concerned whether the special supplies we’ve donated are reaching the victims. So, I decided to stop by again,” Mackenzie said directly.

Her mention of ‘special supplies” was a warning, signaling that these were not items that could be easily misappropriated or swapped out.

“What do you mean by that, Ms. Quillen? Don’t you trust our organization? We are under strict national supervision!*

Anthony’s tone grew defensive.

“That’s not what I’m saying,” Mackenzie replied calmly. She wasn’t looking to burn bridges, especially since Anthony was someone she aimed to bring into her fold.

“I just want to investigate the supply chain thoroughly, clear your name from any rumors, and ensure everything is transparent.

“No need! Ms. Quillen, I’d like you to leave now!”

Anthony spun around abruptly, but in his frustration, he accidentally shoved Mackenzie.

“Damn it! Are you the type to burn bridges after using someone?”

Rhett Flynn, who had been quietly shadowing Mackenzie the whole time, immediately stepped in. With a swift move, he grabbed Anthony by the collar and lifted him effortlessly.

Anthony’s staff looked on in horror and rushed to intervene, but one fierce look from Rhett had them backing away in fear.

His commanding presence was something they simply couldn’t challenge.

“Rhett, don’t escalate things!” Mackenzie called out, stopping him.

She knew that violence wouldn’t resolve the situation and would only muddy the waters further.