“I wish the rumors were true, that Natalie really hooked up with someone in the Larson Group.I’ve been worried that it may be Sebastian who has been helping her.It would be horrible if he had such powers and connections.”
The more Elissa thought about it, the more she felt that it was highly possible.
Ritchie stood up in an instant and laughed sardonically.
“Sebastian? How could it be him? He’s just a loser! Natalie must be sleeping with someone powerful, and that dickhead, Sebastian, is still pathetically unaware of it.”
Elissa glanced at Ritchie and sneered.She couldn’t believe her son’s naivete.
“Sebastian is just like his mother. They’re excellent schemers.Don’t be fooled by what they choose to show you.Do not underestimate him.I’ve always suspected that there’s more to him than what meets the eye.”
There was a reason why Elissa thought so.
After Nora’s birthday party, she had sent a lot of people to follow and investigate Sebastian.
Either there was nothing important to report, or the men she sent just disappeared, both of which were anomalous results.
Since then, she had been convinced that Sebastian was more powerful than he was letting on.
“Are you kidding, Mom? He had never done well in school, and he had always been quiet and unsuccessful. What could someone like him achieve?”
Ritchie didn’t believe it.He had always remembered Sebastian as the loser that he constantly bullied.
Still, Elissa thought that Ritchie was making a mistake by trivializing his enemy.
“My silly son, if he’s really as stupid as you think, then how do you think did he get into Seacisco High School’s top class? Do you think that we paid his way in?”
Back then, the Klein family had to “donate” millions of dollars to get Ritchie into Seacisco High School, and he had only lacked a few scores.
But at that time, Elissa didn’t think that it was a big deal that Sebastian also got into Seacisco High School.
She thought that Sebastian’s intelligence was no threat to the Klein family’s power and fortune.
There was nothing Sebastian could do to go against them.
Now she regretted her decision to pay no mind to Sebastian. She realized that dangers were dangers no matter their size, and they should be dealt with the moment they presented themselves.
Finally able to connect the dots, Ritchie stared at his mother with wide eyes.He was instantly enlightened.He flashed Elissa a ferocious look and asked, “What if it’s really Sebastian? We have to do something, Mom!”
Looking into Ritchie’s eyes, Elissa felt inexplicably anxious.She picked up the box of cigarettes on the table.She fished out a cigarette and lit it.
As smoke filled her lungs, she let herself get lost in thought.
A sense of crisis rose in her heart.She had always been a decisive person.She decided to continue what she wanted to do but failed back then.She took several deep drags before flicking the cigarette to the ground and stubbing it with her shoe.
“It’s time to get rid of Sebastian.”
Natalie had no idea what had been happening outside.
Stewing in her own anxiety, she locked herself up at home.She drew all the curtains shut, plunging the room in depressing shadows.
The fridge was empty.
Sebastian went out to buy some food.
When Natalie peeked through the curtain to look outside winter dusk greeted her, which very much looked like nighttime.
There was still a large group of fans besieging the neighborhood, especially their building.
Natalie sighed.
She was about to look away when a new wave of commotion seemed to stir the crowd.
Everyone was still very agitated.
They were looking at something on their phones and discussing animatedly among themselves.
However, the “Natalie, apologize” banners had gone down, and no one screamed and cursed at Natalie’s window anymore.
Natalie felt that the angry mob was no longer upset with her.
They seemed to have calmed down a bit.
The security guards blew the whistles and dispersed the crowd.
Finally, they were able to clear a path through the gate.
Natalie’s phone then rang.
Because the room was as silent as a tomb, the sound startled Natalie.
She rushed to find her phone and answer the call.
It was Laney.
Since Natalie and Laney parted at the staircase, they hadn’t contacted each other.
Natalie felt that since she was the target of public criticism now, she might get Laney in trouble if she kept communicating with her.
“Natalie? Have you checked your phone?” Laney asked in an excited voice, which was rare.
She usually spoke in a nonchalant monotone.
“No.Sebastian took away my phone and shut off the Internet connection.He was afraid that I would be even more anxious if I
checked my phone,” Natalie replied, drooping her shoulders.
“Then turn on the TV and check out the news.”
“Sorry, I don’t think that’s such a good idea.I’m not in the best of moods right now.If I watch the news now, I may have to ask for a long leave after,” Natalie said as if she was joking.
She didn’t want others to think that she cared too much.
Laney said with a smile in her voice, “It’s not about you.It’s about Emani.Last night, a lot of news against Emani was exposed to the public, and she’s now being criticized online.I think seeing it on TV will make you feel better.”
Laney’s words reminded Natalie of the strange scenes downstairs just now.She picked up the remote control on the tea table and reluctantly turned on the TV.
Emani was indeed all over the news.
Her dirty past had been laid out in the open, and many influential TV personalities were condemning her and calling her a bad influence whose immorality knew no bounds.
The public’s attention was now on Emani.
It seemed that everyone had already forgotten about Natalie.
Natalie was stunned.
She couldn’t believe that she had survived such a desperate situation.She didn’t understand how the tables suddenly turned, but she was immensely relieved.She switched to another TV channel.
It was broadcasting news from someone who claimed to be present at the scenic tourist spot where Emani met her accident.
He released a video he had taken at that time.
Emani and Natalie were on it, and they were by the lake.
The angle was perfect, and it captured what really happened between Natalie and Emani that day.
Natalie hadn’t touched Emani the entire time.
It was Emani who held Natalie’s hand and seemed to use much force.
Natalie looked a little uncomfortable in the video, but before she could do anything, Emani had already fallen into the lake.
Natalie looked a little uncomfortable in the video, but before she could do anything, Emani had already fallen into the lake.
Natalie had known well that there were no security cameras around the lake, which was also partly why she hadn’t bothered to assert her own defense.
She simply didn’t see the paint-no one would believe her when she didn’t have any evidence to back her up.
But surprisingly someone had filmed the whole thing, and the footage could finally prove that she hadn’t pushed Emani into the lake.
The TV stations feasted on the story, and some of them even went as far as to interview random passersby and ask for their opinion on the matter.
“What do you think of this incident?”
“I honestly think that the standards for artists and celebrities these days have reached a new low.It looks like even an ill-mannered and talentless girl can be a star as long as she looks the part.”
“Yes, I’ve seen the video, and it led me to do a bit of digging Apparently, Emani hasn’t even graduated from college.She only managed to be where she is now by latching on to some rich old man. With her disgusting character and her questionable morals, I think she deserves to be banned from the entertainment circle entirely.”
“I heard that Emani purposely incited her fans to bash Natalie on the Internet.I’m telling you, that woman is crazy! Natalie is a good person who’s done nothing wrong, yet she had to suffer such malice.I really feel sorry for her.”
