Chapter 84: Chapter 84: Mysterious Person
The next day, chaos descended on the Yue Mansion.
Dozens of reporters crowded at the gates, their microphones raised high, cameras flashing like lightning.
Overnight, evidence of the Yue family’s crimes—tax evasion, corruption, fraud, and the use of unsafe materials in production had surfaced.
The proof was overwhelming, undeniable, and now the media wanted blood, to feast on them.
Yue Chen was the first to wake up. Annoyed by the noise, she threw on a robe and stormed out of her room, colliding with a trembling maid in the hallway.
"What is going on outside?" Yue Chen’s voice was sharp, filled with impatience.
The maid’s lips quivered. She lowered her gaze, feeling too frightened to answer.
Yue Chen’s irritation flared into anger. "I asked you a question! Speak!" she snapped.
"Th-The media... they’re outside. They... they want to see Old Master." The maid stammered before scurrying away.
"The media?" Yue Chen frowned, confusion flashing across her face.
She hurried to the main entrance, and her breath caught in her throat. Just as the maid said, a sea of journalists and photographers were pressed against the gates. The moment they spotted her, there was an uproar, and the frenzy erupted.
Cameras snapped wildly. Questions were hurled at her, each sharper than the last.
"Miss Yue, your family has been accused of large-scale tax evasion! How do you respond?"
"Miss Yue, reports show your company used unsafe materials for production—do you have a statement?"
Her face paled with every word. Tax evasion? Fraud? Unsafe materials? Her mind spun, and the confusion increased.
And then came the blow that froze her blood.
"Miss Yue, are you aware that Yue Ning is not your biological sister?"
The world seemed to stop. Yue Chen whipped her head toward the reporter who had asked, her heart hammering against her chest.
"What did you just say?!" she burst out, her voice trembling. "How did you find out?"
The reporters roared, flashes exploding as her slip of the tongue was captured from every angle.
One of them pressed forward, voice sharp with triumph.
"So you admit it? That means you already knew Yue Ning is the daughter of the Lus!"
Yue Chen’s face was devoid of any trace of colour. Lus? How could that be possible? How could Yue Ning be the daughter of such a respectable family?
"Repeat your words?" Her chest rose and fell rapidly. She held the reporters by her shoulders, and shook her, urging her to repeat her words.
"Yue Ning is the long lost daughter of the Lus, and your parents have been mistreating her for a very long time. The Lu family are not willing to let this go."
The reporter calmly repeated her statement, ignoring Yue Chen’s frantic action.
Yue Chen’s shoulders trembled, and shook her head frantically. "That isn’t possible! How can it be possible? Yue Ning is destined to be beneath me! How could she... how could she be their daughter?"
The reporters all had disdainful expressions as they watched he’d breakdown.
Meanwhile, in the Xu residence, Madam Xu sat in the quiet of her private lounge with her fingers clenched tightly around the remote control.
The television before her replayed the chaos at the Yue residence.
Her breathing turned rapid as her eyes were glued to the TV, and fear flashed in her eyes as she caught the headline.
"YUE NING CONFIRMED TO BE THE LONG-LOST DAUGHTER OF THE LU FAMILY "
The remote slipped away from her hands, clattering against the floor.
"No... no, this can’t be happening." Her breath quickened, and her usually composed expression cracked. "I am sure my brother is behind this. He knows already."
She shot up to her feet, pacing around. She bit her lips, fear coursing through her entire body. She felt an impending danger, and she didn’t know how to navigate around it.
"My brother will come for me. He... he knows. He will deal with me."
The memory of Lu Jiang’s calculating resurfaced in her mind, and her breath caught in her throat. A shiver ran down her spine, and her back was drenched in sweat instantly.
She picked up her phone shakily, swallowing unnaturally. She hastily dialed a number while the background voices in the TV could still be heard.
The call was picked up instantly, and she let out a sigh of relief.
"Lu Jiang knows!" She hastily informed the person who had picked the call.
"My brother will kill me once he finds out I’m involved. That girl is the apple of his eyes, and we kept her away from him for more than twenty years. I’m doomed, you have to help me."
"Are you done panicking?" The person on the other calmly asked, shutting Madam Xu instantly.
"I am done. But you don’t understand, they know already. They have already gone after the Yues. I’m sure that I am the next target. My brother is unforgiving."
Madam Xu continued ranting with one hand on her waist as she paced around the room.
"I have already told you that you don’t have anything to worry about with me here, don’t you trust me?"
Hearing the assurance from the other party, Madam Xu reluctantly calmed down.
"Since you are calm, you can listen to me." The mysterious voice started. "They might know that you are the one that gave Lu Ning to the Yues, but is there any evidence?" She asked.
Madam Xu nodded. Relief slowly washing over her. That was right, there was no evidence. They couldn’t just act on what outsiders said.
"I am sure you have your answers. There is no proof of bank transfers, or whatnot. Your brother can’t do anything to you. All evidence has been erased."
"You are right, I didn’t think of this, and panicked." Relief completely washed over her, but a thought flashed across her mind. "But your plan... it has been ruined. Xiao Ning has been recognized, wouldn’t this affect your plans and ruin everything?"
The caller laughed. It was loud, mocking, and lasted far too long, scraping against her nerves like metal.
"Madam Xu," the voice finally said, amusement laced with menace, "your foresight is still lacking. Don’t concern yourself with my plans. For now, stay calm. When I need you, I’ll find you."
The line then went dead.
Madam Xu stared at her darkened phone, a chill running down her spine. She sank into her chair, haunted by memories of why she had chosen to serve that person so many years ago.