CHAPTER 218: CHAPTER 218: SAVE ME

Austin White entered Seraphina Sinclair’s study. After Austin walked in, Seraphina closed the door behind him and smiled warmly at him, "Godson, tell me, what’s been going on outside lately? Are the media writing nonsense about me again?"

"There’s nothing like that, Godmother, you’re overthinking," Austin replied, maintaining a calm demeanor even though he was lying, thanks to his rigorous training.

Seeing his normal expression without a hint of anything wrong, Seraphina continued to ask, "Are you sure? I know you’re incredibly capable. Even if such news comes out, you and Desmond Fairchild could probably make it vanish from the internet in an instant if you worked together."

"Godmother, there’s really nothing going on," Austin raised his hand confidently to assure her.

"Stop lying to me. Do you think I can’t tell if something’s wrong? The moment any of you heard I was going out, your expressions changed instantly. I just want to know what on earth has happened that would make your faces change like that?"

Despite her usual carefree and inattentive nature, even Seraphina Sinclair sensed that something was amiss.

In the past, any negative news about her was quickly suppressed by Desmond, so there was no fear of her finding out.

The fact that she couldn’t even find anything through an online search, yet they still hid it from her, only meant that this incident was far more serious than anything before.

She furrowed her eyebrows, her tone becoming more severe, "If it’s personal issues affecting the company’s development, there’s no need to hide it from me. We need to find a solution together, not shut me out. Even if it’s a scandal about me, I can take it."

At this point, under the pressure of her gaze, Austin was almost compelled to reveal the truth.

But he dared not.

He dared not personally reopen the scars of Seraphina’s past.

That past—she never talked about it with anyone. Whenever it was mentioned, it was only in passing, and only she knew what had actually happened.

She avoided speaking about it because she didn’t want to remember. But now, her past was laid bare, bleeding, before everyone, with people mocking her as a madwoman.

Even Kevin faced stock drops because of her past mental health issues. Although these were not irreparable losses, if Seraphina knew about them, things would only become more complicated.

So, Austin gritted his teeth and kept his silence.

His silence made Seraphina uneasy. She believed there was nothing about her that could ruin her reputation. Nor did she believe there’s anything that could defeat her, so she wasn’t afraid at all.

But Austin’s silence spoke volumes.

The normally cheerful and simple Austin stayed silent, proving that things weren’t as optimistic as she had thought.

She stormed out of the room, looking at everyone with a questioning gaze, "You all know what’s happening, don’t you? I’m the only one kept in the dark."

"BOSS, what’s going on?" Irene Rowe exclaimed, casting a reproachful look at Austin, only to see him shaking his head.

Everyone heaved a sigh of relief—it’s better he hadn’t spoken.

No matter how much Seraphina might resent or dislike them now, they couldn’t tell her the truth.

Seeing nobody speaking, Seraphina understood and chuckled bitterly, "I know you’re worried about me, trying to protect me, but I’m not the fragile Seraphina Sinclair I once was. Please, give me some faith."

Rosalie Quinn empathized with Seraphina’s current mood and sighed, "Seraphina, there are some things it’s better not to know."

"It’s my life, I have the right to know." Seraphina stubbornly lifted her chin, eyes glistening with tears, "You are all keeping me in the dark, none of you telling me the truth, so I have to find someone who will."

"What are you planning to do?" Simon Finch asked.

"The internet is so advanced now, I can find out what’s happened these past few days without even leaving the house—unless you’re planning to lock me up and cut me off from the world, I’ll find out one way or another."

Seraphina couldn’t understand how they intended to isolate her forever.

Her statement awakened everyone.

Indeed, they couldn’t lock her up or isolate her completely. As soon as she stepped out the door, as soon as she was around other people, the truth would eventually come out.

It would be better to tell her themselves than let her learn it from someone else.

Rosalie began to open her mouth, ready to tell Seraphina the truth in one breath. How she accepted it would have to be seen.

Just then, Seraphina’s phone suddenly rang.

Seeing the caller ID, Seraphina scowled in disgust, "Ethan Lloyd, what do you want?"

"Seraphina, save me. Only you can save me now. I’m begging you, don’t kill me." The voice of Ethan Lloyd came over the phone, filled with sobbing pleas for mercy.

"Are you nuts? Though you do deserve to die, I don’t want to dirty my hands," Seraphina snapped, annoyed by Ethan’s sniveling voice. Her own issues remained unresolved, and here he was, making a frantic call.

Ethan had no idea what Seraphina was thinking. Last night, he was hit by a car as he left the company, danger lurking at every turn, almost losing his life when he got home. This morning, his computer was hacked again, riddled with all sorts of threatening messages haunting his mind.

Whenever he closed his eyes, he dreamed of The Grim Reaper coming to collect his soul.

After a day and night of torment, Ethan was on the verge of collapse. He felt he couldn’t wait any longer and had to save himself.

That’s why he reached out to Seraphina, hoping she could save him.

"Seraphina, I know I was wrong. I never should’ve treated you like that—it was all my fault. Please, considering we were once married, help me. I don’t want to die."

Seraphina’s patience was wearing thin, prompting a harsh outburst, "What on earth is wrong with you?! If you want to die, then die—don’t come crying to me, I’m busy!"

Hiding under the table, Ethan pleaded in a low voice, "The photos of you being locked in the mental hospital weren’t released by me. They really weren’t—it was that bitch Melanie Lloyd who leaked them. You should find her!"

"What photos?" Seraphina’s body trembled; she couldn’t believe what she had just heard.

"I don’t know what Melanie did to you. After you were locked up, I didn’t care anymore. The abuse you suffered in the mental hospital was all orchestrated by Melanie. She took the photos, and she’s the one who leaked them online; it’s really not my fault." Fearing that Seraphina still blamed him, Ethan hurriedly pushed Melanie under the bus, washing his hands of the matter.

"What?" Seraphina trembled all over. What was Ethan saying?

Photos of her abuse in the mental hospital had been posted online?

It could now explain why everyone was stopping her from going out. There must be countless rumors and insults directed at her, and if she stepped outside, she’d likely be reviled as a lunatic.