Chapter 148: Had enough
"You mean... a threesome?" Yeri asked cautiously.
"Don’t say it out loud!" Levi panicked, glancing around as if the walls might have ears.
Yeri frowned, still stunned. She had never expected Rita and Cherry to live such a wild private life at their age.
"Could it be they were victims? Like, blackmailed or coerced?" she wondered aloud.
Nina only shrugged. "Rather than that, maybe it was an orgy."
Levi’s face turned crimson. "Nina, why do you know about these things and act so nonchalant? Don’t teach Yz bad things!"
Nina threw a handful of chips at him. "I know it for educational purposes! Don’t you watch the news or go online? Stop pretending you’ve lived in a cage!"
"Wait," Yeri cut in before their bickering could escalate. "Why is Tiffany engaged to that guy after discovering what kind of person he is? In my opinion, he’s either a maniac or soliciting women for money."
"A simpleton like Tiffany, with her pitiful IQ, just needs a little coaxing and nonsense to forgive," Nina said dryly. "As for her two friends, they’re probably in it for the money."
"Well, I heard the Fabians’ business hasn’t been doing well lately. He must’ve approached you for that reason but failed," Levi explained.
Indeed, Levi warned her before when she received those confession letters, she knew the Fabians were also in the food industry.
"Has this matter been exposed to the public?" she asked.
Nina shook her head uncertainly. "Both families probably did PR damage control to stop the scandal from spreading, but I’m sure there are dozens of versions already circulating at school. They definitely couldn’t hide this within the upper-class network."
This explained why the two had rushed into engagement. Both had hit rock bottom reputations, and the only way to counter the rumors was to present themselves as two lovers who defied all odds, supporting each other despite the circumstances.
But Yeri could already picture how long that would last. With Tiffany’s "princess syndrome" and Marco’s narcissism, the two were bound to torment each other.
Perhaps Marco had hidden his true nature before, but now, with Tiffany’s reputation ruined and her knowing his secrets, he would no longer bother playing the perfect man.
"Anyway, stop gossiping about these people. They’re not worth your time," Levi said flatly.
Nina glared at him. "If you don’t understand girls, just shut up. Besides, this shouldn’t die down and give those two a chance to clear their image and victimize more people. I’m sure Marco Fabian has fooled or coerced many women. But without hard evidence and with his family background, it’s hard to convict him. Even Rita and Cherry’s parents didn’t sue and they just sent them abroad. It’s obvious they received hush money from the Fabians."
"How’s Cherry’s face?" Yeri suddenly remembered Tiffany had slashed it.
"Oh, I’m sure it’s still bandaged," Nina said. "Maybe she’ll get it treated abroad. She’s just like Tiffany, thinks her face is everything. If the Fabians or the Rhians promise to sponsor her, she wouldn’t think twice."
The three were still chatting when Yeri’s phone buzzed with a flood of notifications. Curious, she opened her account and was immediately greeted by a live media feed.
On the screen, Lucia Hera was kneeling in front of a very familiar background: SC University’s front gate.
Yeri frowned as pain throbbed through her body.
"What is it?" Nina took the phone from her weak hands. Seeing Lucia, she couldn’t help but curse under her breath.
"I’ve been waiting here for days, hoping to speak with Miss Zhi," Lucia sobbed into the camera. "I’m not here to cause trouble. Don’t misunderstand. I just want a chance to speak with Miss Zhi in person. Please, anyone who could help, please tell her."
It was no wonder people were tagging Yeri. She couldn’t understand what game Lucia was playing. Why is she stirring up trouble again?
Did she want fame that badly while forcing her to play the antagonist?
From the comments, people were questioning Lucia: why was she kneeling, had she found a new job yet, or was the Zhi family preventing her from working?
Others argued about whether she was humiliating herself for sympathy or being forced, some even told her to blink if she needed the police called.
The school, still under media pressure from the last bullying case, couldn’t afford another scandal. Security soon arrived to advise Lucia to leave. Despite her pleading with the guards, she was escorted away, insisting her personal matters with a student had nothing to do with the university.
But she wasn’t giving up. On her live, she asked for the Zhi Corporation’s address.
Nina was so furious she was trembling, the phone shaking in her hand and Yeri had to look away from the screen.
"Calm down. Nothing will change even if you scold her here," Levi said, taking the phone from her and frowning.
Some bystanders were following Lucia and streaming their own videos. Many even offered to drive her to the Zhi Corporation.
"Should we call your parents and let them know?" Levi asked.
Yeri had had enough. She knew her father would handle it, and if she asked Shin Keir, he would too. But this was her own affair and she will deal with it herself.
Making up her mind, she told Levi, "Open the live. I want to go live too."
Nina’s eyes widened. "No! You’re still unwell. Don’t stress yourself over this crazy woman. What if she’s leading you on?"
Yeri smiled faintly, eyes determined. "How do I look?"
"Like someone who’s visited the afterlife," Levi said bluntly.
"Levi! Are you asking for a beating? Who are you cursing?" Nina snapped.
But Yeri remained calm. "Exactly. Don’t you think this is the perfect timing? Lucia wants to play the victim, but why can’t I?"
Nina and Levi exchanged a look. Just as Levi reached to press the button, Nina stopped him.
"Wait! Let’s make it even more shocking!"
She went into full director mode, instructing Levi where to stand to capture the hospital equipment and an angle that made Yeri look even more fragile.
Makeup was unnecessary since Yeri already looked like she was about to reincarnate.
Levi counted down, gesturing with his fingers. With millions of followers and people waiting on her account, she didn’t need to build traffic.
As soon as she went live, thousands of viewers poured in.
Her extremely pale, ghostly face and the hospital monitors shocked many people and instantly assume she was hospitalized.
Yeri ignored the flood of comments flashing across the screen and spoke.
"Hello everyone. I’m Yeri Zhi. Forgive my unpleasant voice...I just woke up from a coma an hour ago. I’ve been sick since the weekend and still feel unwell. I saw a lot of people tagging me just now, so I thought I should address this matter once and for all. Who knows, I might not have another chance."
[What happened? Why was she in a coma? Was it a car accident?]
[I don’t believe it! This must be a filter. Rich people always fake sickness to get away with things. We’re not fools!]
[If you’re really sick, tell us which hospital! Show us real medical records!]
[People following Lucia can confirm her state isn’t fake! What about you?]
"I don’t know why Miss Hera is seeking me out or what she’s been going through to seem so desperate. But I had never met or known her before the incident at Café Zhillion. The police already confirmed the surveillance footage wasn’t altered or fake, so I don’t understand why people are implying my family bullied, threatened, or wronged her."
Meanwhile, Lucia, still streaming saw comments saying Yeri had gone live. She checked, and upon seeing Yeri’s state, she felt a pang of panic.
But with so many viewers watching, she couldn’t afford to end her stream or show uneasiness. Reading the comments, and with most still on her side, she calmed down.
Yeri continued, her voice frail but unwavering.
"If anything, I advise everyone not to be fooled or let anyone borrow your hands to do their bidding. We live in a civilized country. If you accuse others without evidence, you’re no different from the bullies you despise. I would never bully anyone because I myself have been bullied."
She paused to cough, grabbing a tissue from her bedside before apologizing and continuing. "Those who’ve followed me for a while can confirm that. What happened between me and Miss Hera is nothing compared to what I endured at school. That’s why I never made a big deal out of it. But sadly, others escalated and capitalized on this matter."
Although many comments still called her a fake or threatened to call the police on her, rational voices began to emerge:
[What Yeri said makes sense. From the start, the one who caused the scene was Lucia. She accused Zhi Corp and KGG of many things, but KGG retaliated and revealed her misconduct. Zhi Corp only released surveillance footage. Then she disappeared, came back apologizing. What did Yeri have to do with it? Just because she’s Zhi’s daughter you’re blaming her? What if the one she really offended was KGG and the one making things hard for her to find a job is also KGG?]
[Comment above, I agree with you. We all know how influential KGG is, once you’re blacklisted, finding a job in this city would be impossible.]
[I remember Yeri posted an apology letter from her bully. It’s still up, check it yourselves!]
[Stop babbling and tell us where you are! Let Lucia go! Ordinary people like her can’t protect themselves, so we will!]
[For a rich girl to be sick at the same time as Lucia’s streaming? Too much of a coincidence!]