Chapter 42
Chapter 42
After cleaning herself up, Leah went downstairs. The living room was pin-drop silent. “What’s wrong?” She looked at Jane’s serious expression and had a bad feeling in her heart.
Jane looked at her and bit her tongue. Gordon started the conversation, and he did not beat around the bush. “Were you with Han last night?”
Leah was shocked at his question. She gulped. Looking at their facial expressions, she realized that they had found out. But how did they find out? Was it when Han left?
Leah did not want to lie to them. Lowering her head, she spoke the truth. “Yes, he was drunk last night. I couldn’t contact his assistant, so I let him stay in the house for the night. I’m sorry…”
Gordon closed his eyes and said sadly, “You shouldn’t apologize to us. If there’s anyone wronged in this incident, it’s yourself!”
Leah sensed something was off. “What do you mean?” Jane put her phone on the table. “Look at it yourself.”
Leah picked up the phone. After a brief glance, color drained from her face. On the front page of the news website was a photo in which she was dragging Han last night. The camera angle made it look like she was hugging him.
The news article reported that the newly-appointed Young Lady of the White family had seduced a married man, and it did not hold back when describing her sleazy character. She stopped reading after a few lines.
She turned the phone screen off and took a deep breath. “It’s not true.”
“Of course. We believe in you, but the others won’t! Someone obviously wants to set you up,” Jane exclaimed.
“My conscience is clear,” Leah stated firmly.
However, it was not as simple as she thought. By noon, almost all the people in Linkville had seen the photo. While she was outside, Leah did not expect to be the target of criticism.
“She’s the seductress.”
“Hah! She looks so proper though. I didn’t expect her to be so deplorable.”
Someone even spat on her.
Leah quickly returned home and locked herself in the room.
The news has been widely discussed for half a day, but there was still no news from Han. Obviously, someone had purposely steered the public opinion against her. On the contrary, Han was not affected at all.
Outside the room, Jane said worriedly, “Sarah, are you all right?”
Leah moved her stiff body, “I’m fine.”
Jane sighed, “Come out and eat first. Your father will help you settle this matter. You shouldn’t go out of the house for now.”
Leah opened the door and looked at Jane. Feeling moved, she blurted, “Mom…” This was the first time she called Jane “Mom”.
Leah burst into tears. “It’s not like what the news said.”
Jane patted her back, “I know. I trust you.”
They went downstairs for dinner. Gordon had gone to the company while Sasha was at her piano lessons. Only Jane and Leah were in the villa.
While eating, the phone rang suddenly. Jane stopped Leah from standing up. “Finish your meal, I’ll answer the call.”
Jane picked up the phone. It seemed that the person on the other end of the phone said something unpleasant because Jane’s expression became more and more serious. “What do you mean?”
Leah realized something was wrong, so she put her cutlery down and walked over.
Jane turned the speaker on and Leah heard the voice of the caller. It was Molly. Molly sounded extremely arrogant, “I mean it literally, of course. Your daughter seduced my fiancé. I was only teaching her a little lesson. Was it too much?”
Jane said while suppressing her anger. “Ms. Lamere, it’s not what you think. Leah didn’t seduce Han.”
“You saw the photos. Why should I believe you? Mrs. White, I contacted you because I respect you as an elder. If you want me to retract the news, I only have one condition,” Molly said gloomily.
Jane asked, “What is it?”
Molly said happily, “Send Sarah out of the country as far as possible. I don’t want her to show up at my wedding with Han!”
“Sarah is our daughter. All we want is for her to stay with us. Ms. Lamere, your request is too much.” Jane seemed displeased.
The Lamere family was politically well-connected, and Jackson was the Chief of Linkville. Even Han needed to show respect to the Lamere family, not to mention the White family.
Jane did not dare to offend the Lamere family, but she did not want to be unjust to Leah.
Leah cackled coldly. “I’ve given your daughter a lifeline, Mrs. White, you’d better cherish it.”
After that, she hung up.
Leah was trembling in fear. Even when I’m Sarah White now, why is Molly unwilling to let me go?
Jane was angry and distressed at the same time. She held Leah’s hand and reassured her, “Don’t worry, Sarah. I’ll discuss this with your father. We won’t send you away.”
Leah nodded quietly, feeling down.
The next three days passed in the blink of an eye. Leah had no idea what Jane and Gordon had discussed, but they did not cheer up. They were always forcing a smile while facing her. Leah did not ask, nor did they say anything.
That evening, Leah woke up to get some water. She heard a weeping sound coming from Sasha’s room. Sasha’s door was ajar. Leah hesitated and opened the door.
“Sasha, what’s wrong?” Leah asked.
Sasha was shocked when she saw Leah. She quickly wiped away the tears on her face and shook her head. “Nothing.”
She doesn’t look fine. Leah sighed, “You can tell me what’s going on. Maybe I can help?”
“It’s useless,” Sasha cried. “It’s the Lamere family. What can you do?”
These days, Leah had been particularly sensitive about the words “the Lamere Family”.
“What’s wrong?”
Sasha told her the whole story. It turned out that for the past two days, the Lamere family had been acting against the White family. Jackson put pressure on the White family business and sent closed- down notices to several stores under the White Group. Their share prices had also bottomed out.
“Sarah, it must be Molly. She’s coming for you. I don’t want to see Daddy and Mommy so sad. Can you… Daddy and Mommy love you so much! Even if you leave, they’ll treat you the same!” Sasha pleaded. Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g
Leah froze, and her head buzzed. She could hardly hear Sasha’s words. It was as if a spell had stuck her.
After a moment, she muttered sadly, “Okay, I’ll go find Molly.”