Emily wore a face of grievance, and Raphael had no choice but to comfort her.
"Emily, I have someone remove the trending topics and hired a public relations team to clear your name. Don't be upset," he said gently, pulling her into his arms.
Emily, however, was not appeased. She pushed him away and said, "I'm just not happy!"
She turned her head and complained to him, feeling aggrieved, "Because of what happened last night, Elizabeth called and told me I lost two endorsements this morning!"
Her face was filled with indignation. Those were international brands endorsement deals that could bring a lot of money to her.
Raphael sighed, "Endorsement deals can be regained in the future."
Emily grew even angrier. She shouted, "Not only that! The TV series I was supposed to star in as the female lead has been canceled!"
As she spoke, she plucked a flower from the pot beside her, venting her frustration. "That was the lead role! It's all Deanna's fault! If it weren't for her, none of this would have happened."
Last night was supposed to be her golden moment, attracting countless fans under the spotlight.
But Deanna appeared and turned the tables.
She would make Deanna pay sooner or later.
Raphael quickly tried to soothe her, "It's okay. I can help you find new collaborations. As long as you're not blacklisted in the entertainment industry, there's always a chance."
Seeing how much he cared for her, Emily felt a warmth in her heart but still huffed in response.
Raphael looked at her indulgently as she acted haughty.
Holding his wife in his arms, he continued, "I didn't expect things to blow up like this. This time, you indeed suffered an injustice."
Although she was being unreasonable, he would try his best to cheer her up since she was his wife.
Emily felt a bit better being held by him and even managed a smile. But thinking of Deanna still made her uneasy.
She propped herself up and asked Raphael, "Raphael, could it be that Deanna really got involved with the Mercer family?"
She found it hard to believe and turned her gaze away. "Impossible! She's been living in that rundown place for years without stepping out. How could she have any connection with Mr. Mercer?"
Deanna, that wretched woman, wouldn't even have the chance to seduce Mr. Mercer.
She felt puzzled and frustrated.
Raphael pondered for a moment and speculated, "Lance and Deanna seem close; it doesn't look fake. But their romantic relationship might not be real."
Emily was intrigued and asked, "What do you mean?"
Raphael shared his insider information, "It's said that the Mercer family has chosen a fiancée for Lance. She's Miss Bella Cody from the Cody family. The two families have been in contact and have intentions of a business marriage."
He smiled mysteriously. What remained unsaid was self-evident.
Hearing this, Emily felt a surge of joy.
Clapping her hands excitedly, she said, "I knew it! Someone like her couldn't possibly catch Mr. Mercer's eye! It's all just for show!"
With that thought, most of the gloom in her heart dissipated.
When Mr. Mercer gets married, what will people say about Deanna?
They'll surely say she tried to seduce Mr. Mercer but failed.
She couldn't wait to see Deanna's embarrassed face.
Raphael nodded in agreement, "It should be. A man like Lance, with his immense power and charm, could have any woman in the city. There's no way he'd choose Deanna!"
He felt somewhat balanced...
Seeing Lance and Deanna so affectionate made him uncomfortable too.
It wasn't that he wanted to rekindle anything with her.
He just couldn't accept that a woman he discarded would turn around and find someone a hundred times better than him!
Emily, now radiant and full of energy again, suddenly felt tired and thirsty.
Pouting adorably, she said, "Raphael, I'm thirsty!"
Her voice trembled slightly, stirring Raphael's heart.
His heart melted as he quickly said, "Alright, my lady, I'll get you some water!"
After drinking the water, she wrapped her arms around his neck.
In a sweet voice, she said, "I'm tired. Carry me back to the room to rest."
What else could he do? He had to comply.
At that moment, Deanna had no idea about the dark thoughts of these two people.
As usual, after breakfast, she prepared to go to the herb garden.
Before she could leave, there was a rapid knock on the door.
The sound was urgent.
She opened the door to find her best friend Julia standing there.
Julia rushed in and asked anxiously, "Deanna, have you seen today's news?"
Deanna was taken aback and shook her head. "No, what happened?"
She was too busy to keep up with the news.
"I'm so furious!" Julia exclaimed as she pulled out her phone and opened Facebook before handing it to Deanna.
Deanna looked at it in confusion and finally understood what was happening online.
Her expression turned serious and darkened.
Julia knew about Deanna's past and angrily cursed, "The Jones family and the Howard family are shameless!"
Deanna could never be such an ungrateful girl. It must be someone framing her!
Grabbing Deanna's shoulders firmly, Julia said seriously, "We can't let this slide. We must seek justice for you. Otherwise, you will have to bear this false stigma!"
Deanna felt a warmth in her heart and clenched her fists to collect her thoughts.
Returning the phone to Julia with a forced smile, she said, "It's okay. Online rumors are misleading. If we ignore them, they'll die down soon enough."
Julia felt heartache seeing Deanna so nonchalant.
She knew Deanna didn't want trouble.
Moreover, they were powerless against the dirty tactics of the Howard family and Jones family!
She gritted her teeth in anger and said, "They've gone too far!"