Free Web NovelChapter 228: Chapter 228
Aria’s POV
I raised an eyebrow slightly and looked between them. “There will be no need. I still have things to do. You two go on.”
I didn’t wait for a response.
I left them and took a cab straight to my studio.
I opened my desktop to get to work. I rubbed my temples, a dull ache forming, but my hand dropped when the computer screen lit up.
A bold headline glared back at me:
Luna Aria Hemsworth Accused of Illegally Representing in Court
My eyes narrowed slightly.
I scrolled through the comments..
“I knew it! So what if she’s Selina? She stole trade secrets a year ago. A criminal is a criminal, new identity or not!”
“My image of Selina is shattered. Why is this Aria always involved in illegal nonsense?”
“Ever since her identity as Selina was exposed, public opinion has been against her. I never liked her. Glad everyone sees it now!”
The comments flooded in, thousands of them...different words, same contempt.
I read the most upvoted ones calmly, my expression unchanged.
My wolf didn’t snarl. She didn’t rage, she watched.
With a backlash this strong, releasing new designs now would be reckless. Instead of rebuilding my reputation, it would only hurt the brand.
I assessed the situation with cold clarity.
At the courthouse, plenty of people had seen the truth. I hadn’t spoken. Attorney Steohan had been the one representing Francis.
Which meant...
Worst case scenario: Sophia had either bribed witnesses or pressured them from above. Otherwise, the narrative wouldn’t be this unified, this vicious, even after all this time.
My fingers tapped lightly against the desk.
My face remained blank, as if the hatred on the screen wasn’t aimed at me at all.
This was what survival had taught me. It has taught me resilience.
I lowered my gaze, my fingers curling slowly into a fist.
When I looked back at the screen, something sharp flickered in my eyes...not anger, not fear but determination.
The truth was already there. Clearing my name was only a matter of time.
What interested me far more...
was how to turn this public’s fury into a weapon and make it work for me.
By evening, the discussion surrounding my so-called unlicensed court appearance had already snowballed into tens of thousands of comments. Every time my name, Aria, climbed the trending charts, it was followed by that blazing red “explosive” tag, like a warning flare fired into the night sky.
If it wasn’t a rumor, it was a traffic storm...If it wasn’t a storm, it was a hunt.
I narrowed my eyes, my wolf pacing restlessly at the back of my mind, when my train of thought was broken by a sharp ring. I picked up my phone and glanced at the screen.
It was Rowland.
My brows drew together. I considered ignoring it, my instincts telling me to keep my distance, but before I could decide, a message popped up immediately.
If you don’t pick up, I’ll come find you.
The short sentence carried his usual cold determination. I pressed my lips together and answered the call.
“Have you figured out how to deal with it?” Rowland asked. His voice lacked its usual playful arrogance. Instead, it was weighted and serious.
“Don’t worry,” I replied evenly. “I have a plan.”
There was a brief pause on the line.
“Celestyr Brand has been dragged into this too,” he said. “Jonathan should be overwhelmed right now. Since Francis is directly involved, the smartest move is for him to keep his distance from you. So, Aria...” His voice dipped, carrying that untamed edge I knew too well. “You might want to consider me.”
The moment he mentioned Celestyr Brand, my heart skipped a beat.
I quickly pulled up the latest news.
The situation was worse than I’d expected.
Netizens were calling for a boycott of Celestyr Brand because of me. They demanded the removal of new designs I hadn’t even touched. Some were openly declaring that if I wasn’t cut off completely, the entire brand would be blacklisted by the industry.
My heart dropped.
I had underestimated the ferocity of the public. freewebnøvel.coɱ
Scrolling through the reports, the red downward arrows on the Veridale stock charts bled into one another. Celestyr Brand’s market value was plunging fast, the numbers brutal and unforgiving.
My fingers tightened around the phone.
I bit my lip and typed a message to Jonathan, asking about the situation.
His reply came quickly.
It’s fine. Don’t worry about it.
I exhaled slowly.
Rowland’s voice broke the silence, frustration edging into his tone. “Aria, are you really this resistant to me? You know I’d help you if only you..”
“No.”
I cut him off cleanly. My voice was firm, leaving no space for negotiation.
On the other end, Rowland went quiet.
“Thank you,” I continued, my tone cool, precise—almost mechanical. “But I can handle it.”
He sighed softly.
“Alright,” he said at last. “But if you need anything, contact me first. I’ll help you, Aria. As long as you say the word...”
His voice faded into the air.
A strange sensation tightened in my chest, something between gratitude and unease. My wolf stirred within me. I answered Rowland with an almost inaudible, “Mm,” then ended the call.
Without hesitation, I dialed Jonathan.
He picked up quickly, surprise flickering through his voice. “What’s wrong?”
