Filthy rich werewolves novel Chapter 64

LILY

I waded through that koi pond at the Reed Pack mansion for almost the entire night before I found that fucking ring.

I’d been on the verge of collapse and hypothermia when my father took me to the hospital. That was my idea. He wanted to go straight to our country house so I could shift and run and heal in my true form.

But I need to handle the fallout on social media that had been destroying my brand and name while I was busy getting my snorkel on in that stupid pond.

Dad brought me to the hospital. I even got an IV drip. Of course, when they hooked me up to the drip in the hospital, I made sure to let my agent take photos and post them on the Internet to gain sympathy.

After what happened, I stayed in my human form until my publicist booked a press conference. Given the dehydration, continued exposure to that frigid water and my bout with hypothermia, I had a very sickly appearance.

Which was exactly the look I was going for.

At the press conference, I apologized in public and said that because the ring was given to me by my sister, I cherished it very much. On that day, I had thought that had been the ring I was wearing when I went out. When I got outside, a friend had alerted me that the ring was not on my hand, so I thought that it had fallen off. Therefore, in a moment of anxiety, the situation of asking people to help me find the ring emerged.

"I'm sorry. It was because of my carelessness that so many sanitation workers had to help me find the ring. I, on the other hand, stood to the side and did not look for the ring together with them. I sincerely acknowledge my mistake. I think I was too absorbed in memories of my sister whom I love so much—and whom I lost a few years ago. She was a bright light in this world for so many—my family, her fiancee, all her friends and colleagues.” I press my hand to my chest. “Jennifer, you are forever in my heart.”

Given my haggard appearance and sincere, heartfelt apology, the wave of negativity begins to reverse.

After a pause, I continue, "I'll go to the Sanitation Service Center to express my sincere gratitude to the sanitation workers who helped me. I'll also donate all of my income from this year's work and use it to set up a breakfast stall. The sanitation workers can get a free breakfast every day with their work pass.”

Once the video of the press conference is uploaded on the Internet, many people felt that my crisis had been handled well. Even the fans kept posting endlessly to help me regain my previous ‘darling’ image were being met with much less trolling and fewer hostile remarks.

As a result, many people felt that this had indeed just been a misunderstanding.

My gratitude towards the workers is also well-received and it even attracted many reporters.

Which brings me to another press conference.

This one is set up by the director of the Sanitation Service Center…

* * * * * * * * * * *

GRACE

They’ve arranged for us to be outside.

We have to stand in rows and smile, accepting gifts from the same woman who thought nothing of having us scour through week-old refuse because she wanted to make my life miserable.

Well, she’d succeeded.

And she was chalking up a second victory because I was miserable again.

I sit inside the Center, refusing to go outside for this media circus.

Does no one see this for the obvious attention grab that it is!?!

Those cameras make me think of the time when I had been outside the court being swarmed and photographed by the media. The reporters had all been holding microphones and persistently wanting to interview me.

And Sean at that time... I’d seen Sean standing outside the frame of the cameras.

Three years ago, in prison, he had stood there coldly.

When Lily had said that she was going to impair my hands, he had looked down at my fingers, which were already stained with spots of blood, and said "good" in a frosty tone.

Three years later at the country club, when his bastard friend Gregory had accosted me, he’d also stood by.

There were some things that, even after three years, remained the same.

It’s okay. You’re okay.

I breathe deeply.

Lily is the one in the crossfire today, not her.

This media circus isn’t out to condemn me.

But then Sean steps into my line of vision. And he won’t break my gaze.