NovelUSAChapter 537 After that piano lesson ended, she'd spotted a pink hair clip lying on the floor by the door-the sclip that should have been in Jeanette's hair.
From that moment, she knew a day like this was bound to come.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtIn the age of information, nothing stays hidden forever. Even though Citrine wished desperately to keep this buried, she understood that, whether she tried to avoid it or not, the truth would eventually cout.
So why not take control of the story and shape her image herself? Citrine glanced at Monica and whispered, "Call all the reporters in here." Monica didn't understand, but she didn't hesitate; she hurried off to gather them.
When the reporters had finally assembled, Monica realized what Citrine was planning.
Gone was Citrine's usual icy composure. In its place was the fragile, trembling look of a wounded rabbit. She gazed at the crowd, eyes brimming with tears, unable to stop herself from sobbing.
"I know everyone's curious about the video online," she choked out. "Letclarify things. Yes, the video is real, but it's incomplete. As for the rumors aboutseducing someone-those are utter nonsense." Before the last word had even faded, a reporter fired off a question: "President Carmichael, you say the seduction rumors are nonsense. What proof do you have?" Another pressed, "President Carmichael, you admit the video is real, but deny trying to seduce your piano teacher. Isn't that contradictory?" The room seemed to close in with pointed questions, cameras flashing. Citrine kept up her act of being wronged and aggrieved, letting her voice tremble.
"I'll answer your questions," she said, voice quivering, "but first, I want to tell you all a story." Someone in the crowd perked up. "What kind of story?" She spoke softly, "It's the story of Snow White and the Evil Queen." Interest rippled through the crowd.
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmSeeing their curiosity, Citrine began, her tone lingering and wistful, "When I was three, I was adopted by my foster father. I went from a ragged child to the family's only little princess. But that didn't last. One day, my foster father brought ha woman and her daughter. Everything I loved-my toys, my brother, my room, even my foster father's affection- slowly bectheirs. The only princess in the house becmy heartless foster sister, and I faded into the background, invisible and unwanted." She dabbed at her eyes theatrically and drew a shaky breath, then went on: "Cold stares from the staff, bullying from that mother and daughter, skipped meals-those things happened all the tBut one day, out of nowhere, my foster mother, who'd never treatedkindly, decided to hire a piano teacher for me. I loved music, so I was thrilled. I had no idea it would becthe start of my nightmare." She stopped.
The reporters, hanging on her every word, were so caught up in the that sreached for tissues. Then, realizing she'd gone quiet, they called out "And then?" "What happened next?" "Don't stop there, con!" "We want the rest-don't leave us hanging!" "Seriously, I'll pay for a premium subscription if you keep going!" "My emotions are all in-don't waste them!" Citrine gave a bitter smile. "The rest of the story... is already online."
The moment she finished speaking, everyone in the room-reporters, m guests, even Monica-suddenly caught on. "She was telling her own story all along," someone whispered.
"I was so sucked in, I didn't realize the connection until jus now," another admitted.
A flurry of movement followed as everyone whipped out their phones and scrolled frantically through their news feeds.
Visit our social media platform to read fascinating stories every day and connect with the community!
