Chapter 46

A soft flush warmed my cheeks as I contemplated recent events. Before I could respond to Lukas's comment, he released me. With a teasing curl of his lips, he taunted, "So… you're not always the picture of composure!" His tone, still laced with irony, practically begged for a retort.

My expression instantly hardened. I stared at him, a mixture of anger and humiliation burning within me. I had misunderstood! I reached out to push him back, but he suddenly pulled me forward, and I collided with his chest. My nose instantly throbbed, and my eyes welled up.

Lukas noticed my reddening eyes and felt an inexplicable shift in his heart, his Adam's apple bobbing slightly. Subconsciously, he reached out and touched my hair, softly saying, "Have you ever felt like you're a cat? Always scratching people!"

In just a few moments that morning, this "cat" had twice hit the back of his head and even injured his chin. However, I missed his implication entirely. My face flushed deeper at the perceived insult. Without thinking, I retorted, "Well, have you ever felt like you're a dog!"

Lukas's handsome features darkened. He knew what ungrateful meant. He turned away, returning to his seat, and coldly commanded, "Leave!"

Pouting, I muttered, "You started it by insulting me."

"Should I invite you to leave?" Lukas's temples throbbed. I couldn't help but feel exasperated by his unpredictable mood.

Just as Martins was about to knock, he spotted me leaving. He quickly nodded in greeting, "Miss Lopez!" I acknowledged him with a nod and walked away. Martins glanced at Lukas, seated behind his desk, and reported, "Mr. Strakovski, everything is ready!"

Lukas briefly scanned the online discussions, considering their recent exchange, which had left him disconcerted. However, he maintained his composure and issued the order, "Let the counterattack begin!"

Precisely at three o'clock in the afternoon, Hugo, CEO of Trifleming Jewelry, took matters into his own hands, confronting his newlywed wife, Bella. He uploaded a video titled, "A divorce is an option, but I want everyone to see your true colors!" The video went viral instantly.

Key hashtags: #BellaLopezActingSkills

Netizens commented:

• "Huge twist! I knew there had to be more to the story!"
• "The plot thickens, and the face-slapping is on another level. I knew her suicide attempt this morning wasn't that simple!"
• "Shout out to Miss Lopez! The play she directed had everyone dropping their jaws—and not in a good way!"
• "So ridiculous! She manipulated netizens' sympathy to the max. Disgusting! She should be canceled!"
• "I can't believe I fell for it. Watching Bella cut herself with a knife in the video was brutal. The method was incredibly fierce!"
• "Haha! She should ditch her current career and become an actress instead!"

Unspoken Farewell at 30,000 Feet

The comments were relentless. The online frenzy continued, with netizens creating two memes to mock Bella. One featured a screenshot of Hugo asking, "What do you want?" and Bella responding with a single word, "Money!" A prominent money symbol was superimposed on her face, ridiculing her apparent greed.

The second meme was even more ironic, showing Bella rolling her eyes and saying, "Those idiots online believe whatever I say." The dynamic text, alongside her eye-rolling expression, mocked the gullible netizens who had sympathized with her earlier.

Netizens unleashed their creativity, tearing her apart and expressing their frustration and anger.

As soon as Bella learned of the trending topics, she called Hugo in a fit of rage. "You despicable person! How could you record a video?" She hadn't expected that, no matter how careful she'd been, Hugo would find a way to use her actions against her.

Hugo's snort dripped with sarcasm. "Oh, you're such a master of deception. Why couldn't I record the video? Relax. The real bombshell evidence hasn't even been revealed yet!" With that ominous remark, he abruptly ended the call.

Shortly after, he released several screenshots of WhatsApp conversations with Bella, spanning their two years together. The conversations provided damning evidence that Bella had knowingly acted as a third party in Hugo's relationship with me. The chat records spanned various time periods, each one similar to this:

Bella: Hugo, come to my room. Hugo: Bella, let's not do it today. Sophia is in the suite next door! Bella: What are you afraid of? We'll just be careful. I miss you so! Bella: Since my sister won't give you what you want, does that mean you can't cheat? Hugo: All right, I'll come to your room later. Bella: Love you! Muah! Hugo: I love you too!

Such conversations made netizens nauseous. The chat screenshots quickly became the next hot topic.

New hashtag: #CheatingInTheNextRoom

Humorous comments emerged, highlighting the absurdity of the situation:

• "The legal partner is resting next door while the mistress is busy cheating in the adjacent room. What a shameless woman!"
• "Bella is a real seductress, and Hugo is a scumbag. But at least he can tell the truth. He's not as capable as Bella of self-directing and self-acting!"
• "This woman only cares about money. Whoever falls into her trap will be unlucky!"
• "Did anyone notice that in Hugo's video, Bella didn't pretend to cut her wrists? She didn't hesitate for a second. She's truly ruthless!"
• "She's not only ruthless but also terrifying. Did you see the way she looked at Hugo with that smile? Gives me chills!"
• "If she can be so ruthless to herself, I wonder where her moral boundaries lie!"
• "She stole her sister's boyfriend, plagiarized, and stepped on her sister—there's no limit to her treachery!"

As Hugo exposed everything, public scrutiny shifted dramatically towards Bella, and Hugo gained sympathy. Soon, Rivers Health Medical Center released even more compelling evidence.