Sean gasped in surprise. His eyes widened. The report from his secretary made his blood rush.
"What the hell ...?!"
Harrison swallowed hard. "The photos are clear, sir. Someone took them from close range. You can be seen entering Moana's apartment. There are also photos at the airport in Hawaii... and several moments when you were with her."
Sean stood up from his chair. His hands gripped the table.
"Who leaked them?"
"The source is anonymous. But several major gossip accounts have picked it up. The comments... aren't good, sir."
Sean cursed softly. "Damn..."
"Your parents have started calling the office," Harrison continued cautiously. "Mrs. Weasley left an angry message."
Sean closed his eyes for a moment. His jaw tightened.
"Take down all the news."
"We've tried, sir. But the news spread too quickly. Screenshots are everywhere." Harrison explained.
"You know, Sir ..., how quickly news spreads on the internet. Netizens also post very harsh comments and repost each post on their personal pages. Gossip accounts also compete to publish the news in order to generate high traffic and engagement." He added.
Sean laughed short, coldly. "Someone deliberately set me up."
Harrison paused, then asked hesitantly, "Does... Mrs. Clara know about this?"
Sean opened his eyes. His gaze was sharp.
"Clara..." he murmured softly.
All the pieces of the incident flashed through his mind. Clara's laughter in the hallway, her calm smile, her cold demeanor after that night.
"Cancel all my appointments for today," Sean ordered. "And don't let anyone talk to the media without my permission."
"Yes, sir."
Sean stood alone in his office with his fists clenched. For the first time, he wasn't just angry, he felt out of control.
"Clara...! Is this all her doing?"
*******
Sean returned home with an angry expression.
He slammed the door as he entered. Several maids jumped in surprise. None of them dared to say anything. They knew a storm was coming.
"CLARA!"
Clara, who was sitting in the living room, turned her head. She was wearing simple house clothes, her face calm. Too calm, even.
"What is it?" she asked flatly.
Sean threw his cell phone onto the glass table. The screen lit up, displaying a series of news articles and photos that made his blood boil.
"DON'T PLAY STUPID!" he snapped. "LOOK AT THAT!"
Clara looked down, slowly picking up the phone. Her eyebrows furrowed. Her eyes widened. Her hands trembled slightly. It was a very convincing act.
"What is this...?" she whispered, sounding genuinely shocked. "This... you and Moana?"
Sean approached her, breathing heavily. "Don't play games with me. You think I'm stupid?"
Clara looked at him, her face pale. "This news... is everywhere?" she asked softly. "Why... why is this happening?"
Sean gripped the armrest of the chair. "Because SOMEONE IS STALKING ME. SOMEONE IS DELIBERATELY SPREADING IT."
Sean's gaze sharpened. "And the only person with a motive… is you."
Clara shook her head quickly. "Me?" She laughed softly, sounding incredulous. "Sean, I didn't even know you went to Moana's apartment that day."
"You're lying!"
"Hahahaha. I know that you hate me so much. I know that you are never trust me. Whatever! Up to you!"
"Clara! Don't play games with me!"
"Sean. How dare I play games with you?" Clara replied.
"You know what? I never left the house after that night. I didn't follow you. I didn't tell anyone. I didn't even know you still went to Moana's apartment often."
Sean snorted. "You think I believe you?"
Clara stood up. "It's up to you whether you believe me or not!" Her gaze was straight, her face still looked shocked, and there was not a hint of doubt.
"If I wanted to destroy you, Sean, I wouldn't do it in such a cheap way," she concluded.
Those words pierced Sean's heart.
Sean took a step forward. "Listen carefully, Clara. If it turns out that you did this, if I find even a single piece of evidence of your involvement, I won't stand idly by. I'll kill you!"
His voice was low, the threat sounding serious.
"I can destroy your life. I can make you lose everything. Your good name, your family, your company, even... your freedom."
Clara stared at her husband without flinching.
"Threats again?" she said softly. "Is that the only the language that you know?"
Sean was silent for a moment.
Clara took a deep breath. "I'm your wife, Sean. This news is embarrassing for me too. I've been humiliated in public because of your own actions."
"What's so embarrassing about it? You haven't lost anything, Clara!"
"Hey, Sean. With the news of your affair appearing on the internet. Everyone is talking about me. They must think that I am a useless wife, so my husband cheated on me with another woman!" Clara spoke firmly.
"Everyone will question our marriage. Maybe everyone already knows that our marriage is not a good one. Well, I am also harmed by all this news!" she concluded.
Sean slammed his hand on the table. "Don't reverse the situation!"
Clara didn't back down. "I'm not turning anything around. I just don't want to be made the scapegoat."
Silence fell between them.
Sean stared at Clara for a long time. Her face looked calm, controlled, without tears. This made Sean even more upset. There was no panic on Clara's face. No anxiety or fear.
And that made Sean even angrier.
"I'll investigate," Sean said finally. "And you better pray... I don't find your name behind all this."
Clara nodded slowly. "Go ahead."
Sean turned and left. He left Clara alone in the living room.
As Sean's footsteps faded, the shocked expression on Clara's face slowly vanished. A smile appeared. Thin. Cold.
Clara stared at the phone screen still displaying those photos.
"The game has just begun, Sean," she whispered.
"You'll never know, the woman that always be hurt by yourself ... will do something that you would never have thought of." Clara laughed.