Chapter57 Give Me an Explanation
The commotion here quickly drew the attention of the guests, and curious eyes turned toward her in unison.
Caius: "Please give me an explanation. My capable assistant."
Jax leaned in to intimidate her: "Linnea, just stop making excuses. I hope you'll be honest with Mr. Caius. I mean, I don't want to have to release those photos of you fooling around with clients in bed. That would ruin your reputation, wouldn't it?"
A few rich kids who were close to Jax also joined in with mock seriousness:
"Yeah, I remember seeing her on stage just the other day!"
"My friend got to touch that sexy body of hers..."
"Miss, do you think being a stripper is dirty work? Is that why you won't come clean to your boss? Lying isn't good!"
Linnea didn't care about their doubts. After all, they'd soon pay for their recklessness.
But Caius... what gave him the right to question her so casually? Just because of one little photo?
Linnea held back her frustration. She tugged lightly at his sleeve and said softly: "Caius, you have to trust me. I'm not that kind of person..."
"But the evidence is pretty solid. I want a reasonable explanation."
"Let me explain when we get back, okay? Please."
Linnea was calculating: in those few hours, she could definitely come up with the perfect defense.
But Caius smiled. He'd predicted her scheme: "Little cat, you haven't thought up a lie to deceive me yet, have you? My time is valuable. I want you to think it through right now."
Repeated pleading didn't make Caius any more forgiving.
Linnea felt stifled: Damn Caius. Earlier he'd said that as long as she asked him for help, he'd protect her. But what now? She'd asked, and he was still cold and ruthless!
"You don't keep your word at all!" Linnea couldn't help muttering angrily.
Caius shrugged: "You lied to me first."
Caius watched Linnea's angry face and smiled inwardly. Did she really think that after she was harassed by the entire Knight family, he wouldn't notice the conflict between her and them?
Linnea glared at Caius furiously. She couldn't read his thoughts at all. Whatever, she didn't need Caius's help anyway!
She turned away from Caius and was about to speak when a clear voice rang out from the crowd:
"But if Linnea really were a stripper, then who was the honor student I knew so well during her time at Laurentian University? And who maintained a perfect 4.0 GPA for four years, whether in the medical program or after transferring to finance?"
It was Soren.
After speaking, he gave Linnea a reassuring look. Linnea met Soren's gaze and nodded.
Caius clenched his fists, staring at Soren. Why was this kid butting in? Had Linnea said she needed him?
The Knight family members naturally feared Soren Sterling, since he was a strong candidate to inherit the Sterling family fortune.
Vivienne's expression changed instantly. She reached out to grab Jax, but he'd already shouted:
"Mr. Soren, even if Linnea really was a Laurentian University student, that doesn't conflict with her secretly working as a stripper for money, does it? How can you prove she's not a promiscuous woman behind the scenes..."
"I can vouch for her!"
Just then, an elderly woman who'd hurried over raised her hand, shouting. A bright gold bracelet flashed on her wrist.
It was the one Linnea had picked up, the retirement gift Soren had given her in advance.
The whole room fell silent.
"Professor Katherine?"
Linnea never expected to reunite with her respected professor under these circumstances.
Jax grew more frantic: "Professor Katherine, I know you're close with that Soren kid, but maybe her getting into the lab was his doing..."
"Shut your mouth, Jax!"
Vivienne couldn't take it anymore. Her back drenched in sweat, she pinched Jax into silence.
Katherine snorted derisively: "Are you questioning my judgment? Then I'd like everyone who doubts my student to open my latest journal publication and see whose name appears in my special acknowledgments!"
Everyone quickly checked.
It was Linnea Clair!
The Knight family was stunned.
Linnea felt secretly grateful. Her name only appeared there because when she was doing odd jobs in the lab, she'd accidentally made a mistake mixing compounds and stumbled upon a new formula.
Vivienne's eyes could've killed Jax: Accusing someone like her of being a stripper is obviously slander!
Jax was drowning in accusatory looks from the entire family.
Jax looked around desperately, then finally turned to Linnea and shouted: "Don't think your honor student status clears your name! I'm asking you, how do you explain that photo?"
Soren opened his mouth to respond: "Of course it was me..."
"No, let me explain."
Linnea smiled faintly: "That photo is a very unforgettable... and precious memory in my life. If anyone's curious, please check out that famous performance artist's social media."
People followed her directions and opened it.
They saw the artist's latest post was precisely that photo showing Linnea's "promiscuity." Her caption read: "Special thanks to the young lady in the photo for her outstanding contribution to my performance art!"
"Performance art?" Jax scoffed dismissively. "Who'd believe that..."
"Jax, stop it!"
This time, even the seemingly fragile Carla stopped him. His own mother:
"How can you slander a famous performance artist's work? You need to apologize to Miss Linnea!"
Everyone began praising Linnea's contribution.
High society and art circles always overlapped, and a top artist's favor could enhance a family's reputation. Through artworks, families could network more smoothly. In fact, they all envied Linnea for connecting with that performance artist.
Even the Knight family was no exception.
Linnea remained composed. She turned to the Knight family members:
"Are you saying the prestigious Knight family can't even appreciate performance art?"
She'd taken this photo because when entering Laurentian University, she wanted to disguise herself as a stripper to the Knight family.
After discussing with Cora, Cora connected Linnea with a friend of hers, this performance artist, and proposed borrowing the artist's new conceptual work to let Linnea take this photo "proving" she was a stripper.
The lady despised money and power. Wealthy families could hardly reach her, but she showed great interest in Linnea's story of "heiress plotting revenge": "This is more absurd and dramatic than any novel!"
So she agreed to the request.
She incorporated Linnea into her creation and kept the work hidden. Only when the Knight family tried to publicly expose this image and damage Linnea's reputation would she release the work to clear Linnea's name.
And ten minutes ago, Linnea had sent her the request to publish the work.
The entire Knight family didn't dare speak again.
Others looked at Jax and his group with contempt. Even Caius frowned: "So you, this kid, dared to slander my secretary?"
Brock, this usually cold and ruthless father, was now forced to apologize to Linnea because of Caius: "I'm so sorry for what my idiot son did..."
"Stop the fake apologies!" Professor Katherine interrupted, full of anger.
She said furiously:
"Let me ask you, you parasites who seized Miss Laurel's estate, you're not harassing her just because Linnea's last name happens to be the same as Miss Laurel's, are you?"