I Married the President

Chapter 382: Chapter 382: The Cruel Diary

Claire hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "Okay, I’ll go down now."

’It’s broad daylight, so there’s no harm in going down to get something.’

Claire took the elevator to the first floor. The moment she stepped out of the lobby, a masked Harrison Lynch approached and handed her a notebook.

"Reporter Sinclair, this is Yvonne’s diary. I found it among her belongings. She has some other things at my place, but I went through them and found nothing else of importance, just this diary. I know this diary alone isn’t enough, so I’m going to look for more evidence. I’m counting on you!"

With that, Harrison Lynch turned and walked away.

Claire watched him until he was out of sight, then slowly turned and headed back.

Once inside the elevator, her curiosity got the better of her and she opened it to the first page. The handwriting wasn’t the neatest, but she could still clearly make out what its owner had written—

July 12, Overcast and Rainy

What should I do?

I don’t dare post about what happened online. I’ve heard that once you publish anything on the internet, even a single symbol, it can be recovered even after you delete it.

I’m terrified of people digging this up, but I can’t stand keeping it bottled up inside. It hurts so much!

Every time I close my eyes, I think of those men... They left their filth inside my body. Their dirty hands made me feel so filthy...

...

...

Claire read, captivated and heartbroken. Even after she was back at her desk, she couldn’t pull her thoughts away from the diary.

’Online rumors truly are terrifying. Netizens jump to conclusions at the slightest whisper. They had viciously twisted a poor girl who had suffered an inhuman ordeal into a despised, slutty homewrecker.’

’Now that this has come to her attention, there’s no way she’ll just stand by and do nothing!’

’But she probably couldn’t do it on her own.’

Claire picked up the diary and walked into Henry Hartwell’s office.

"Teacher Hartwell, please take a look at this." Claire placed the diary on Henry Hartwell’s desk.

Henry Hartwell glanced at the diary and frowned. "What’s this?"

"You’ll know when you read it."

"Alright, let me see."

Henry Hartwell flipped to the first page. He skimmed it quickly, then went back and read it again, more carefully this time.

When he finished, his expression grew grim. He looked up at Claire. "Where did you get this?"

"It’s about that case that’s all over the internet. Last night Harrison Lynch came to me and said he had a story to break. He also said that Yvonne Judd’s death wasn’t a suicide—that she was murdered. But he didn’t have any evidence, so I didn’t believe him. Then today, he brought me this diary."

"Have you verified if this diary is authentic?"

Claire shook her head. "I haven’t yet. I can’t verify it just by sitting here. That’s why I wanted to ask your opinion, Teacher Hartwell. Could you give me a day to go out and check on it?"

Henry Hartwell agreed almost without a second thought. "A day or two is fine. The internet is swarming with rumors about this case right now. Someone needs to step up, put an end to this toxic atmosphere, and write the truth."

"Great. Then I’ll head out on assignment."

"Go on."

With his permission, Claire quickly gathered her things and left.

-

’In the past, Claire would have felt somewhat unconfident or uneasy going out on an assignment. But things were much better now. She knew his men would be watching over her, protecting her from somewhere she couldn’t see.’

Before leaving, Claire called Harrison Lynch to ask where he was. She wanted to meet him in person.