Chapter 127: Chapter 127: And They Still Want to Play the Victim?

No one knew who noticed the trending topics on Weibo first.

Once reminded, everyone quickly pulled out their phones, eager to see what the new headlines were.

The forces from the dark side not only knew how to threaten with violence, but now they could also manipulate public opinion?

Everyone clicked their tongues in astonishment, their eyes instantly drawn to the top trending searches.

—Shocking! The wife of Radiant Group’s chairman is persecuting the original daughter!

—Worst stepmother ever! Wants to send the real daughter to some scumbag’s bed!

—Live broadcast alert! Watch how Radiant Group’s chairman’s wife slyly tricks an innocent young girl!

—Fiona Vaughn and her mother both become mistresses—how shamelessness gets passed down in the genes!

—The Law Group’s second young master’s original fiancée shows up, and it’s not Nation’s First Love Fiona Vaughn?

...

Each of the top trending topics was marked "explosive," especially the names Fiona Vaughn and Florence Warner, mentioned again and again, clearly being publicly shamed!

Fiona Vaughn’s face instantly turned pale as a sheet. She couldn’t believe it as she took out her phone.

She randomly clicked open one of the so-called "worst stepmother live streams," only to find it was the video of Florence Warner leading Cecilia Vaughn to room 0676!

The video zoomed in on Florence Warner’s ugly face; her every word, though seemingly gentle, was actually implying that Cecilia marrying someone like Director Goldsmith was already a step up for her!

And whoever was behind hyping up the headlines, whether in the videos or the captions, had edited out Cecilia Vaughn’s name—Florence Warner’s dialogues were trimmed so Cecilia’s name disappeared, and even Cecilia’s voice was altered.

Clearly, they were protecting Cecilia, not wanting her to be disturbed.

...

Florence Warner craned her neck to watch too. As she saw the content of the video, her lips trembled uncontrollably—she was on the verge of exploding with rage!

She’d finally managed to work her way into Stellerton’s high society circle, but now, after today’s disaster, she’d dragged the Vaughn Family’s name through the mud. She’d probably never be able to hold her head up again!

...

Fiona Vaughn’s fingers were shaking as she gathered the courage to open the comments under the live stream.

—This stepmother is utterly shameless! We can’t see what the real daughter looks like, but she just seems so pitiful...

—Did you see Director Goldsmith, the guy who rushed out at the end? I almost threw up! That old man is disgusting!

—Seriously, Director Goldsmith’s bad reputation inside the circle isn’t enough, he even wants to prey on young girls outside showbiz—what a beast!

—Florence Warner is now the chairman’s wife at Radiant Group. Isn’t that Fiona Vaughn’s mother? Dear god, I can’t believe Nation’s First Love has a mom like that!

...

Seeing her name mentioned, Fiona’s heart sank deeper and deeper, and her eyes were red as she read the comments.

—What are you pitying her for up there? Fiona Vaughn is just a white lotus! Didn’t you read the details in that post? The original daughter was the Law Group’s second young master’s original fiancée and childhood sweetheart—not Fiona, but her!

—No way! Are you saying both the mother and daughter were mistresses? That’s terrifying!

—Don’t talk nonsense, Fiona is so kind, she’d never do something like that. Maybe she’s being framed!

—Framed, my ass! She’s the daughter of a mistress!

—Think about it: Fiona is already twenty, and so is the original daughter. That means Radiant Group’s chairman is a scumbag too—got his wife and mistress pregnant at the same time!

...

Fiona’s face was deathly pale, her once rosy lips now bitten so hard that they nearly bled.

She did have die-hard fans defending her, but the mountain of evidence quickly got drowned out by the furious mob online.

The more fans she used to have thanks to her "national CP" image, the more haters now turned against her!

People all felt deceived by Fiona Vaughn, convinced she’d ruined the innocent campus romance they loved!

—My heart breaks for that miss—dumped by her fiancé and almost sent to an old man’s bed by her stepmother from hell.

—That’s right, and it’s not just the stepmother—her dad’s trash too! Have you ever seen Gregory Vaughn mention his real daughter on TV? I used to think Fiona was his only child!

—Boycott nation’s biggest white lotus, Fiona Vaughn! Get her out of showbiz!

...

The thing Fiona feared most had finally happened!

Her heart trembled with cold. She couldn’t bear to keep scrolling—she felt suffocated, crushed.

How did it end up like this?

She had over ten million adoring fans, but in the face of angry netizens, their voices seemed to vanish into thin air!

...

Her eyes welled with tears. Every reporter there knew this was a rare scoop, and their cameras all flashed toward Fiona Vaughn.

"Miss Fiona, is it true you’re an illegitimate child?"

"Miss Fiona, please answer: did you know in advance what your mother planned for the eldest Miss Vaughn?"

"Miss Fiona, are you actually the other woman? Was the Law Group’s second young master really engaged to your sister first?"

...

Fiona felt dizzy, clutching onto Tyson Law like a drowning person, collapsing limply against his chest.

"Tyson, I..."

Seeing how pale and fragile she looked, Tyson didn’t care about the truth anymore—he just felt nothing but heartbreak for her.

He shouted angrily at the reporters:

"Do you people have any sense of professionalism? Fiona’s already like this—are you trying to push her to her death?"

The reporters all fell silent, though inwardly they scoffed: Where was Tyson Law earlier when you all hounded Cecilia Vaughn to a dead end?

Just as the crowd of reporters inwardly grumbled, Gregory Vaughn finally stepped up, face grave.

"Everyone, calm down!"

"Everything that’s happened today was all plotted by that unfilial girl, Cecilia Vaughn! This is the Vaughn Family’s misfortune!"

The reporters erupted in shock!

Gregory Vaughn enunciated every word:

"In three days, our Vaughn Family will hold a press conference to clarify everything! You’re all welcome to attend! But for today, please forgive us for not accepting any more questions!"

Saying this, Gregory exchanged a look with Tyson. One led Florence Warner away, and one helped Fiona Vaughn, squeezing through the crowd.

The journalists stood there dumbfounded.

Three days later, a press conference?

After all this, the Vaughn Family still wants to turn things around?

...

Meanwhile, Cecilia Vaughn was already in the car heading back to Starfall Bay.

She leaned, exhausted, against Adrian Law’s chest—the two nestled together in the backseat, entwined like vines, inseparable.

Wyatt Law drove up front. No one spoke. They all quietly enjoyed the rare peace.

At a red light, Wyatt glanced absentmindedly at the news flash on his phone, face paling instantly.

"Young Master, Young Madam, bad news!"

"The Vaughn Family actually has the nerve to say they’ll hold a press conference to clear their names!"