A Secret III
A Secret III
Yuhan's mother furrowed her brow, observing Lin Ran's panicked expression. Intrigued, she leaned in to catch a glimpse of the contents. Her eyes widened in shock as she registered the images of Jia Fei and Yuhan enclosed within the envelope.
A perplexed thought crossed her mind, 'What are these pictures doing here?' There seemed to be no logical reason for Xu Nuan to invite them to a meal only to reveal such photographs.
A wave of serious concern washed over her. Did Xu Nuan stumble upon something? The question lingered, urging her to seek answers.
Lin Ran pressed her lips together, exchanging hesitant glances with Yuhan's mother.
She hastily closed the envelope, and her gaze fixated coldly on Xu Nuan. Slamming her hand onto the table, she couldn't contain her anger any longer and shouted, "Xu Nuan! What is the meaning of this? Why are you showing us these pictures?"
Xu Nuan leaned back in her chair, a mocking scoff escaping her lips. "Mrs. Gu, why are you getting so agitated? Don't tell me you don't recognize these pictures."
"These are the exact pictures the media outlet published after receiving an anonymous tip-off from both of you," she revealed, her voice dripping with sarcasm.
"Did you not request them to blur and edit Yuhan's photos to protect his identity, all the while ensuring that Jia Fei would bear the brunt of public scorn as the mistress of a wealthy but repulsive older man? Perhaps you're having trouble recognizing these images?" Xu Nuan's words dripped with disdain.
Fear gripped Lin Ran as Xu Nuan fearlessly unveiled the truth. She pointed an accusatory finger at her and shouted like a mad woman. "Are you out of your mind? Why would we stoop to such shameless acts? And how could we possibly know if your friend is someone's mistress or not?"
She scoffed in disbelief, continuing, "Moreover, the man in these pictures bears no resemblance to Yuhan whatsoever. What you're suggesting is pure nonsense. I'm certain you're fabricating stories to protect your friend, the alleged mistress."
"Hah! Save your breath unless you have concrete evidence to support your claims," Lin Ran sneered, her tone laced with disdain.
Casting a quick glance at Yuhan's mother, they exchanged meaningful looks in silent solidarity.
Indeed, even if they were guilty, there was no evidence to implicate them in this matter. Xu Nuan would never be able to hold them accountable for something as trivial as this. After all, they were not the ones responsible for taking or editing the photos that were circulating online.
They had done nothing wrong.
Yuhan's mother straightened her back and cast a cold gaze at Xu Nuan, saying, "Ms. Xu, I fail to comprehend why you invited us here and presented these pictures to us."
Instead of referring to her as Ms. Gu or Mrs. Han, she opted to address her as Ms. Xu, indicating that in her eyes, she remains the girl who grew up in the orphanage and was far beneath her in terms of social standing.
"However, I can assure you that the man portrayed in these pictures is not my son. I kindly ask that you abstain from spreading unfounded rumors." Yuhan's mother tossed the envelope onto the table, causing it to slide perilously close to Xu Nuan's side and nearly tumble off the circular dining table.
"Although you may have become a part of the Han family through marriage, please remember that the Yu family holds its own standing. If you dare to tarnish our family's reputation with unfounded allegations, we will not idly stand by." Her words were delivered with an air of cold sophistication.
Unlike Lin Ran, she did not raise her voice or lose control. Nonetheless, her voice carried an undeniable depth and an implicit threat.
Xu Nuan arched her eyebrows with amusement as she observed the shameless confidence radiating from the faces of Lin Ran and Yuhan's mother.
Undoubtedly, they were inseparable best friends, like feathers from the same flock.
After a brief moment of silence, Xu Nuan calmly took a sip of her orange juice before leaning forward on the table. Her gaze turned cold as she addressed Yuhan's mother, saying, "Mrs. Yu, it appears that you have a fondness for using threats."
"However, do you take me for a fool? If I had approached you to discuss this matter, don't you think I would have been prepared for such a situation?" She revealed bluntly.
"Since both of you seem to have a penchant for demanding evidence, I have come prepared. As you may know, I am renowned for my ruthlessness in the entertainment industry." Xu Nuan nonchalantly retrieved several documents from her handbag and casually tossed them onto the table for them to see.
Yuhan and Lin Ran furrowed their brows, observing Xu Nuan's unwavering confidence, and an unexplained sense of unease washed over them. They exchanged anxious glances before tentatively picking up the papers and examining them.
However, they found themselves unable to comprehend the contents; the papers were filled with a jumble of numbers and words that only served to deepen their confusion.
However, as they turned the page and examined the contents on the second page, their eyes widened in shock. It was a copy of the anonymous emails they had sent to the paparazzi, revealing details about Jia Fei and Yuhan's relationship.
But that wasn't all; there were also other emails disclosing the location of Yuhan's apartment. To their astonishment, they discovered a copy of the email where they had explicitly instructed the paparazzi to blur Yuhan's face in the pictures.
Furthermore, there was evidence of a financial transaction revealing Yuhan's mother's payment to the paparazzi to maintain the secrecy of this matter.
Yuhan's mother's complexion turned ashen as she beheld the documents, her mind racing to comprehend how Xu Nuan had uncovered their secret. They had taken great care to ensure their identities remained concealed, discreetly tipping off the paparazzi to make the scandal seem organic.
Still, she couldn't wrap her head around the fact that Xu Nuan had not only found out the truth but also had solid evidence to prove their culpability. A cold shiver ran down her spine as she came to terms with the sheer strength and capability of Xu Nuan.
It was undeniably unsettling.