Chapter 207

“Boss, here’s a gift for you,” Josiah called, his voice laced with mystery.

Emma, still feeling weak, managed a few bites of oatmeal and some side dishes before retreating upstairs to rest. The well-lit bedroom bathed her loose knitted sweater in sunlight. She sat lazily, casually, “What gift?”

“I sent it to your email. Noah and I put a lot of work into getting it. You can examine it later, at your leisure,” Josiah replied.

Emma inwardly rolled her eyes. What’s with the secrecy? she wondered, silently opening her email. After downloading the file, she clicked it open. She was momentarily stunned. The video depicted a gaunt man being tortured.

Emma closed it after a single glance. The bloody scene stirred dark memories, paling her face. “Where did you get this?”

Josiah responded, “Impressive, isn’t it? We even found footage of that old bastard being tortured by Lomiland’s police.” Torture, though not as brutal as in medieval times, remained a legal punishment in Lomiland, inflicting considerable suffering.

Emma hadn’t watched the video closely, but recognized the figure as the Lord of the King’s Association. The dark memories associated with the Association made her want to drop the subject. “You’re too reckless,” she said.

Josiah countered, “Boss, Noah just got back and heard you were ill. He’s trying to cheer you up.”

“I don’t like bloody scenes,” Emma stated.

Josiah offered reassurance, “Alright, Boss. Don’t worry. We’ll be careful and won’t let anyone find out.”

Emma nodded, hung up, and let out a long sigh of relief before lying down. In the past, she would have relished seeing her enemies tormented; after Aria’s death, she’d even worn a bright dress to cause trouble. She wondered if her recent fatigue had changed her. Narrowing her eyes, she drifted back to sleep.

Upon awakening, her phone exploded with messages. Lane’s text read: [Miss Wilson, are you feeling better? There are bad rumors about you at school. If you’re feeling better, please look into it. Let Mr. Hall handle it for you.] This was followed by several missed calls from Charon Military School’s training instructor.

Still slightly dizzy, Emma called back. “Mr. Lopez, what’s the matter?”

The instructor’s voice was anxious. “Oh my, you finally answered. Someone posted about you on the alumni forum. Have you seen it?”

“Not yet. Hold on.” Emma logged into her account using a tablet.

The alumni forum’s top post, with hundreds of shares, was a photograph of Emma and Josiah in his rose-red Ferrari, taken recently while dealing with the King’s Association. The post, titled “The Real Man Behind the Champion. Find out who this punk is?” claimed Emma had a close relationship with Josiah and was flirting with other men behind Liam’s back.

Emma’s popularity, coupled with a light training schedule, had ignited a firestorm on the forum. However, most were supportive of her.

One comment read: [Is the original poster crazy? How can they reach that conclusion from a few photos? Can’t friends share a car?]

Another: [Everyone in Troln City knows Miss Wilson’s man, okay? Aren't you afraid the H Family will come after you?]

There were only a few prominent “H” families in Troln City. However, some less informed individuals asked: [Which H family? Can you give a name?]

Finally, someone simply replied: [L]

The combined "H" and "L" immediately led many to Liam.

Meanwhile, in a restroom stall, Riley stared grimly at her phone, reading the comments. Many doubted Emma and Liam's relationship, only to be swiftly refuted by students posting the video of the Hall family’s press conference announcing their relationship.

Most comments defended Emma. One stated: [Poster, what’s your mentality? They have a great relationship. Spreading rumors is incredibly annoying!]

Another: [If you have time to be jealous, improve your fitness instead.]

And another: [Jealousy is pointless. Emma is Charon Military School’s goddess.]

Riley’s fingertips trembled, digging into her flesh. Gritting her teeth, she switched off her phone and stormed out of the bathroom.

Because the alumni forum was partially public, any negative news affected Charon Military School's reputation. The school called Emma, requesting her presence to resolve the issue.

Emma donned a black shirt and jacket, leaving without informing the butler or requesting a driver. Several teachers awaited her at school. She entered, clad in black.

The lead female teacher said, “What about the alumni forum post? We’re a military school. Students in luxury cars reflect poorly on us.”

Emma pursed her lips, silently blaming Josiah for ignoring her request to keep a low profile and insisting on the flashy rose-red Ferrari. “I’ll handle it. I’ll delete the post,” she stated.

The teacher continued, “Deleting it isn't enough. Many students have screenshots.”

Emma, still weak, was about to respond when an instructor whispered to the teacher, “Liam’s her boyfriend. Deleting the post is fine. Let’s end it here.”

The teacher’s expression changed upon hearing this. She looked at Emma, surprised, then quickly composed herself. “Then delete the post first. We’ll discuss this further after school.”

“Okay.” Emma left. Soon after, she felt another headache coming on.

The two teachers, after their conversation, began deleting the thread. However, they were stopped by a teacher who exclaimed, “Wait, what's this?”

An anonymous message appeared with a photo. It read: [To those saying Liam and Emma are a couple, what about this photo? Liam is married, but Emma’s information says she’s unmarried. Is she dating him or is she a mistress?] The photo showed Liam holding a marriage certificate at city hall.

The teachers exchanged glances, then looked at Emma. “Emma, please explain this photo.”