Chapter 61 The scandal

Chapter 61 The scandal
At the Peterson household, the night was unusually quiet.

There was still some time before bed, and Oliver was sprawled comfortably on the sofa, her legs tucked beneath her as she scrolled through her phone. The living room lights were dim, casting a warm glow that made everything feel deceptively peaceful. She tapped through short videos from comedy bloggers she followed, lips twitching as she tried—and failed—to suppress her laughter.

She was just about to like another video when her thumb froze mid-scroll.

The smile vanished from her face.

A familiar face filled the screen.

Cathy.

In the photo, Cathy was wearing a light purple cheongsam, her head tilted slightly, lips curved into a sweet, almost coy smile. The dress hugged her figure perfectly, the embroidery along the hem delicate and eye-catching.

The caption read:

“My dress got ruined, naughty puppy!”

Below it, the comments were flooding in.

\[Haha, did Cathy’s dog get into trouble again?\]

\[That dress is gorgeous! Cathy looks stunning!\]

\[Purple really suits you!\]

Oliver’s fingers tightened around her phone.

The problem wasn’t the caption. Or even Cathy.

It was the dress.

Oliver stared at the embroidery pattern, her eyes narrowing slightly. She remembered it clearly. Just a short while ago, Esther had worn that exact same cheongsam. The pattern wasn’t common—silver thread woven into a swirling cloud motif near the hem, with tiny hand-stitched details along the collar.

Esther had even mentioned it casually, saying a friend had bought it for her while filming in Sun City. She had laughed and said it was one of a kind, a limited custom piece.

Now Cathy had it.

The same dress. Same pattern. Same color.

Oliver’s expression darkened.

She didn’t hesitate. She took a screenshot of Cathy’s post and sent it straight to Esther.

Oliver: \[Image\]

Oliver: Have you seen this?

The reply came almost instantly.

Esther: Hahaha, serves her right for matching outfits with me!

Oliver stared at the message for a long moment.

…What a fool.

She sighed softly, rubbed her temples, and decided texting wasn’t enough. She tapped Esther’s name and called her directly.

The line connected after two rings.

“Hey, Oliver? What’s up?” Esther sounded relaxed, even cheerful, as if nothing in the world could trouble her.

“Star,” Oliver said slowly, choosing her words with care, “didn’t you say that dress was bought for you by your boyfriend in Sun City?”

“Yeah,” Esther replied without hesitation. “Why?”

“Then why does Cathy have the exact same one?” Oliver continued, her tone gentle but serious. “And her caption… doesn’t it sound strange to you? I’m just… a little worried.”

There was a brief pause on the line.

Then Esther laughed.

“Hahaha! Oliver, are you worried that Zachary is cheating on me with Cathy?” Esther teased lightly. “Oh, come on. Zachary loves me a lot. Besides, Cathy isn’t nearly as pretty as I am. Only a fool would choose her over me.”

Her voice was bright, confident, utterly unbothered.

“Don’t overthink it, Oliver~” Esther added cheerfully. “You’re too kind for your own good.”

Oliver let out a quiet, helpless breath.

“…Alright,” she said, forcing a small smile into her voice. “I hope I’m just imagining things. Get some rest.”

“Okay, okay. Goodnight!”

The call ended.

Oliver lowered her phone, staring at the dark screen. A faint unease lingered in her chest, stubborn and unwilling to fade. She shook her head, trying to convince herself Esther was right.

Maybe it really was nothing.

⸻

The next morning, with no classes scheduled, Oliver decided to spend the day at Herbert’s company. She lounged in the office lounge, sipping juice and lazily browsing on her phone, enjoying rare idleness.

Then a notification popped up.

Breaking News: Landon Family Heiress Involved in Scandal with Popular Actor

Oliver’s heart skipped.

Her fingers moved on instinct as she tapped the link.

The headline loaded instantly:

“Rising Star Chu Zachary Spotted Spending Passionate Night with Mystery Woman.”

Oliver’s eyes widened.

The article detailed how a paparazzo had released exclusive footage early that morning. Embedded were two slightly blurry GIFs—one showing Zachary entering a hotel late at night, another showing a woman slipping inside shortly afterward. The woman wore a wide-brimmed hat and a long coat, her face hidden from view.

But the implication was obvious.

The comment section was already exploding.

\[Didn’t he just deny dating rumors?\]

\[Wow, so this is his ‘clean image’?\]

\[Who’s the woman?\]

Then came the sharp-eyed netizens.

Someone zoomed in on the GIF frame-by-frame and pointed out that beneath the woman’s trench coat, a corner of fabric was visible.

Light purple. Smooth silk. A cheongsam.

The same one Cathy had posted about the night before.

Speculation spread like wildfire.

People remembered Cathy’s caption. “Naughty puppy.” Suddenly, the words took on a far less innocent meaning.

But Cathy reacted quickly.

Within minutes, she posted a statement denying everything, claiming she had been with a friend all night. That friend even uploaded movie ticket stubs as “proof.” Cathy ended her statement with a warning about legal action against anyone spreading rumors.

For a moment, the public hesitated.

Then another bomb dropped.

A media account named Entertainment Late Night released a long exposé—this time with photos of Esther wearing that same cheongsam.

The article painted a very different story.

It claimed Esther Landon had been obsessively pursuing Zachary for two years, using her family background and influence to pressure him. It even implied that she had followed him to the hotel the night before, refusing to leave.

The narrative flipped in an instant.

When the pressure peaked, Zachary finally spoke.

Zachary V:

Esther is indeed an obsessive fan of mine who has harassed me repeatedly. Yesterday, she followed me into a hotel suite. I managed to get her out. I’ve already spoken to her about this and hope everyone can show her some understanding.

A perfect reversal.

Oliver’s fingers went cold.

She could see it clearly now. The timing. The wording. Even the direction of public opinion.

Almost immediately, online commentators began steering the narrative. Sympathy surged for Zachary. Esther was vilified as delusional, entitled, unstable. Cathy quietly erased her earlier post and disappeared from the discussion entirely.

Oliver clenched her jaw.

She called Esther.

The phone rang and rang before it finally connected.

“Hello… Oliver…” Esther’s voice was small, trembling, nothing like her usual self. It sounded like a kitten abandoned in the rain.

“Star, where are you?” Oliver asked softly.

“Grandpa… Grandpa collapsed,” Esther sobbed. “He was so angry he got sent to the hospital. Everything’s a mess at home. I—I’m scared. I don’t even dare go there…”

Oliver closed her eyes briefly.

“Sweetie, send me your location,” she said gently. “I’ll come to you. Don’t hang up. I’m right here.”

She looked up.

“Uncle.”

Herbert had already seen the news. His expression was calm but heavy. “Go,” he said simply. “Gavin’s waiting downstairs.”

“I’ll be back soon.”

Oliver kept talking softly to Esther as she headed down.

⸻

An hour later, Esther sat wrapped in a blanket in Herbert’s office, holding a cup of hot cocoa Oliver had made for her. Her eyes were red, her shoulders slumped. The vibrant girl from just yesterday seemed to have vanished.

Oliver sat beside her, fury simmering beneath her calm.

“Esther,” Oliver asked gently, “did you go home last night?”

Esther shook her head. “After dropping you off, I was too lazy to take the long way. I went to the apartment near school. Zachary knows about it.”

Oliver frowned. “Did you see anyone? Any cameras nearby?”

“There was a power outage,” Esther whispered. “Even the security guard went to help fix it. I was lying in the dark when I called you…”

Oliver’s eyes sharpened.

Too many coincidences.

She pulled her laptop over, fingers flying across the keyboard. Code flashed rapidly across the screen. Esther watched in awe, not understanding but feeling hope stir for the first time that day.

Herbert observed quietly, gaze deep and thoughtful.

In just minutes, Oliver stopped.

“All done.”

The screen displayed multiple angles of hotel surveillance footage.

She played them carefully.

Then paused.

There.

The woman lifting her head slightly under the brim of the hat.

A sharp chin. A familiar contour.

Oliver’s lips curved into a cold smile.

She knew exactly who it was.