Chapter 6
The sky had grown dark by the time I finished my statement and left the interrogation room.
My parents and our family lawyer were waiting for me outside the station.
My mother rushed forward and pulled me into a tight hug the second she saw me. She broke down crying again, overwhelmed by anger and the lingering fear of what I had endured.
"It's okay, Mom," I said while patting her back. I sounded worn out, but my mind was completely clear. "The truth will all come out soon."
My father stared at me with a stern look on his face and spoke firmly, "I won't let my daughter be treated this unfairly. Whatever you choose to do, our family fully supports you."
Our family lawyer, Leo Smith, walked over as he adjusted his glasses. "Ms. Hart, we have almost all the evidence we need. There is no way for Sophie to avoid charges for inciting assault and intentional defamation.
"We still need more solid evidence to build a case against Jonathan, but public opinion will turn heavily against him. I'll immediately start preparing your lawsuit for reputational damage and emotional distress compensation."
"Thank you for all your work, Mr. Smith." I nodded.
It turned out we all underestimated Jonathan and the powerful PR team working for the Reed family. We also underestimated how many online users rushed to judge others with misplaced self-righteousness.
Forty-eight hours had barely passed since Sophie's detention. I was getting ready to press formal charges against Jonathan and schedule a press conference to set the record straight before the whole situation took an unexpected turn.
Sophie was released on bail.
Jonathan was the one who posted her bail.
He didn't show up in person. Instead, he sent Reed Group's lead attorney with a large bail payment. Meanwhile, his legal team distributed copies of a sincere, handwritten apology letter from Sophie to every major media outlet.
Right after that, Reed Group posted an official public statement with a very humble and earnest tone.
Reed Group (Official): [Recent online rumors regarding the Reed Group's CEO, Mr. Jonathan Reed, and Ms. Sophie Lane are false.
[Police preliminary investigations confirm the engagement party attack was carried out independently by an overzealous fan.
[The incident has no connection with Mr. Reed or Ms. Lane. The Reed Group reserves full rights to take legal action against malicious online slander.
[Ms. Lane made inappropriate and inaccurate comments toward Ms. Emily Hart during moments of emotional distress.
[She has sincerely reflected on her words and submitted a personal apology letter. Her previous statements were impulsive emotional outbursts and don't reflect the truth.
[Both the Reed Group and Mr. Reed offer sincere apologies to Ms. Hart for all the trouble and distress caused.
[Mr. Reed and Ms. Hart have mutually ended their engagement peacefully due to personality differences. The public is asked not to overanalyze their private relationship and to stop online harassment toward either party.
[Mr. Reed has consistently supported charity work and funded the education of Ms. Lane, an underprivileged student, purely out of kindness.
[No inappropriate relationship has ever existed between them. The public is asked to stop malicious speculation that damages genuine charitable efforts.]
The attached file was Sophie's so-called apology letter. Her handwriting was messy and unsteady, and the entire text avoided all key issues.
She kept emphasizing her humble background and limited life experience, claiming she had acted foolishly out of overwhelming affection for Jonathan.
She admitted feeling inferior and jealous of my accomplishments and said all her harsh words were impulsive remarks spoken in anger.
She ended the letter begging for my forgiveness, asking me to be lenient toward her naive and immature behavior. She never once mentioned her core crimes of plotting the attack and spreading false HIV rumors about me.
The official statement, paired with her apology letter, quickly swept across the internet. Backed by the Reed Group's powerful PR team and coordinated online traffic, public opinion gradually shifted in their favor.
Many self-proclaimed neutral and overly sympathetic netizens began leaving biased comments.
[Honestly, it's pretty understandable. A girl from a small town would easily grow attached and fall for someone as wealthy and charming as Jonathan.]
[That's right. Emily never actually contracted HIV after all. Everyone should learn to be forgiving. Sophie already apologized for her mistakes.]
[Sophie messed up, but she has learned her lesson and faced consequences. There is no need for Emily to be relentless and destroy a girl who worked so hard to change her fate.]
[Emily claims to love Jonathan and even took a stab to protect him. Yet she insists on pressing charges against the girl close to him. That kind of love feels extremely selfish.]
[She's a spoiled rich girl throwing a fit because someone outshone her. Sophie played dirty for sure, but Emily's being way too harsh and dramatic over this whole thing.]
[No one's truly right or wrong in relationships. Jonathan can pick whoever he wants. Emily looks petty and obsessive for refusing to let things go. It's better for her to move on peacefully.]
What disgusted me most was the shift among popular social media accounts. Many influencers who had fiercely criticized Sophie during the live stream suddenly turned against me.
They accused me of setting up a trap during the live broadcast to manipulate public sentiment. They claimed I incited online harassment and emotionally pressured Sophie into making those confessions.
I was framed as the calculating, malicious rich antagonist while Sophie and Jonathan were painted as innocent lovers harmed by a wealthy heiress.
My fingers trembled with anger as I read these blatant distortions of the truth.
Still, I forced myself to stay composed.
I knew this was Jonathan's typical tactic. He relied on capital and polished public statements to manipulate online opinion and twist facts to his advantage.
He believed he could clear both Sophie and himself of all blame, but he was nothing but delusional.