More people took out their phones, but no one knew what was on the screen that kept their attention. As for Elena and Layla, the crowd had been too engrossed with their phones to pay any attention to them.
Layla got up and then quickly returned to Elena’s side. Then she pulled on her sleeve. “Elena…”
“It’s okay. Caleb will not let us down. Don’t worry.” Elena whispered reassuringly.
“OK.” Layla nodded as if that returned her faith and confidence in Caleb.
Ye Fanfang stood nearby as she watched the group of boys who had encircled Elena. Even though she looked weak and fragile, her heart pounded violently.
She was cautiously inquisitive, and she was curious as to why everyone around her looked at their phones. No one seemed to want to criticize and scold the ugly woman. What were they doing?
When she saw that Elena and Layla were ready to leave the crowd, Mia panicked, and her legs quickly moved to follow them. She did not dare to speak aloud, lest it tainted her elegant persona.
She lowered her voice and said, “Elena, I’ll be careful with what I say in the future. You… Could you get them to stop pestering me?”
She had such a pitiful look on her face. Which foolish men would not be deceived into becoming her protector? Mia waited anxiously for someone to rescue her from that ugly b*tch, Elena.
However, nothing happened. She was not sure why those people were so busy with their phones. She also noticed how someone glanced at her… Why did they have such complicated expressions on their faces? What had happened? Was there something wrong with her acting?
“Elena,” Mia picked up her courage and walked carefully toward Elena. “Elena, if you haven’t had enough of venting your anger at me, you can beat me up, or even scold me. But can you please stop asking me to make those kinds of live broadcasts? I…”
“Oh, really? Are you saying that I was the one that made you broadcast live? Could I really do that?”
A small curve of a smile crept onto Elena’s lips, and she did not remotely look angry at Mia’s words that implied slander. Instead, she looked as if she enjoyed a show where a clown made fun of herself.
Mia hated Elena’s slight smile. She looked as if everything was within her power and control. How could she smile like that at such a time! Well, it did not look as if that woman was afraid of what would happen next! Mia was consumed by her desire to provoke her fellow protectors and supporters into teaching Elena a lesson!
“Elena, I didn’t say anything bad about you. I swear that I didn’t say anything, you have to believe me.”
She trembled as if she had suffered an enormous threat. She bit her lips in an attempt to look pitiful to the onlookers. Which man would be able to withstand that piteous expression? She looked at the people around her as she continued to bite her lip, and her eyes were red.
“Those live broadcasts, it wasn’t… it wasn’t Elena who forced me into shooting them. It wasn’t, it wasn’t…”
She could no longer hold her tears, and they stained her cheeks like a waterfall.
Even though her voice had become hoarse from all the sobs, she continued in a strangled tone. “Don’t get me wrong, really… It was my own fault… She had nothing to do with it…”
Before she could finish her sentences, she choked on her tears. She looked so pitiful and so helpless, yet she still insisted on explaining on Elena’s behalf. With such skillful acting, how many people would again be deceived into thinking that she was forced to make those explanations?
Elena continued to look at her with a smile on her lips. She had such exceptional performance that even Elena wanted to give her a thumbs-up. She had a pretty face, an attractive body figure, and most importantly, excellent acting skills. She would definitely make it big if she entered the entertainment industry. It was a waste that she was not an actress!
Mia waited to see everyone’s reaction. Her acting was flawless, so why did those boys look at her with such strange expressions on their faces?
“Mia… Mia…” One of Mia’s friend from Jiang University suddenly whispered to her.
She had wanted to walk up to Mia to speak to her, but she suddenly changed her mind. She retracted her steps as if she was afraid that she could get too close to Mia. Then she hung her head low to reduce her sense of presence and decided to keep her mouth shut.
Mia might be obtuse, but she finally caught the hint that something terrible had happened.
She had acted as if she had been wronged when she sobbed uncontrollably and choked as if she could not continue to speak. Then she tried to clear Elena’s name with her explanations.
It was impossible that those people did not notice that she was hurt and wronged. However, why did they not do or say anything about it? It did not make any sense! She felt nervous, but she did not know why. Since there was no response from the crowd, Mia could not continue with her act.
She wiped her tears as she looked at Elena and pleaded in a small voice, “Please, don’t force me anymore. I will do whatever you say. Please let me go.”
Elena kept her smile; she looked as though she was watching a monkey’s performance at the circus.
Mia’s blood boiled, and she squeezed her palms in a fury. Finally, she bit her lips, lowered her head, and crept back to her team.
The lack of response from the people around her had thrown her off her game. That should not have happened! What had gone wrong? She could no longer sustain her one-person show; it felt like she had made fun of herself like a clown. She wanted to return to her team and plan for her next steps.
However, she did not expect the group of girls to dodge away from her as she walked closer to them. It seemed like they refused to be anywhere near her. What had happened?
Mia was so shocked that she stopped crying. Then she looked at them, and then at herself again with confusion. There was nothing on her. What was wrong? Why did those girls avoid her like she was a viper? It was not as if she had dirtied herself or her clothes!
Mia was puzzled, but she took two more steps forward. However, her friends decided to escape in different directions! It was clear that no one wanted to be near her. They avoided her like she had an infectious disease.
Mia felt as if her world had broken down around her. Why did everyone treat her that way? Did they mean to bully her? Was it because she was so beautiful that none of them wanted to stand next to her lest they looked worse?
Their behavior repulsed her! How could the ugly ones discriminate against someone as beautiful as her? A group of clowns!
Mia decided not to make a fuss about it. Most of those high-achievers were plain-Jane bookworms anyway, and she was the only smart and pretty one in the group! She balled her fists and diverted her attention to the boys. They were headed toward the exchange students’ meeting anyway. If the girls would not accept her presence, then she might as well join the boys.
The boys would usually be delighted to have her on their team, and they would even treat her like a princess. However, Mia continued to be dumbfounded. The boys might not have been as obvious as the girls, but they also took a few steps backward when she walked toward them! It looked as if they had also wanted to avoid her!
“What… Are you afraid that I am contagious somehow?”
That was the only reasonable explanation that Mia could conjure. Perhaps they were afraid of the powerful man behind Elena. She did try to mislead everyone that Elena had a secret rich, older man who supported her.
How could such a group of young and passionate students be so timid? Especially those hot headed boys! Were they not supposed to be bold and courageous? Why did they change so suddenly? Why did they pay so much attention to their mobile phones?
Layla grabbed onto Elena’s hand as she enjoyed the content on her phone. She looked pleased! Even though she knew that Mia was not a good person, she did not expect her scandal to be so explosive! It was such a great discovery!
Mia panicked, and she immediately took out her mobile phone.
A new topic had trended, and when she saw the title, it hit her like a ton of bricks—Ye Socialite’s Wild Scandal!
She opened the link and screamed in horror as her knees buckled and she dropped onto the ground.